WINNERS

Australian Sea Lion

  • Photographer
    Raquel Trejo, Australia
  • Prize
    Silver Winner in Nature/Animal

The Australian Sea Lion is one of the world’s most endangered marine mammals, with only a few colonies remaining and many closed to divers. For years, my daughter and I have returned to one carefully managed site where respectful encounters are still possible. Over time, a fragile trust formed. Photographed with a first-generation Nikonos, historically tied to scientific and colonial exploration, the image reclaims this tool in an intimate, empathetic context, challenging how nature is documented and remembered.