![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/cph-atep-2026-sponsor-red-edm.jpg\")
\n
![\"\"\/](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/atep-2026-white-edge-winners-aaa-grid-jpg-copy-2.jpg\")
\nLeft to right from top: Lousie Wolbers, Lisa Skelton, Sabrina Giada Trombini, Cheng Kang,
Rachael Ryan, Elle Leontiev, James Hayward,\u00a0 David Niu, Benjamin Hams.<\/p>\n
\nBy Tim Levy | 11 June 2026\n<\/p>\n
\n
\nLeft to right from top: Lousie Wolbers, Lisa Skelton, Sabrina Giada Trombini, Cheng Kang,
Rachael Ryan, Elle Leontiev, James Hayward,\u00a0 David Niu, Benjamin Hams.<\/p>\n
Now in its 18th year, Australasia\u2019s Top Emerging Photographers \u2013 presented by Fujifilm, showcases the very best emerging photographic talent across Australasia. The Awards recognise and acknowledge talented photographers in the early stages of their careers and those simply working towards being the very best photographers they can be.<\/p>\n
Managing the judging process for this awards programme is always an enlightening experience \u2013 it provides a unique pulse-check on the state of contemporary photography across our region. The overall standard this year was exceptionally high, making the task of narrowing down the shortlists and winners incredibly difficult for our panel of industry experts.\n<\/p>\n
All up, photographers submitted nearly 1,500 entries and more than 4,000 individual images. An overwhelming 95% of entries came from Australia with just under 5% entered from New Zealand.<\/p>\n
The four most popular categories in order were Single Shot, Animal, Landscape and People.<\/p>\n
The continued success of this competition lies with the high quality of entries received, the involvement of an amazing panel of judges, and the support of our wonderful sponsors. Much thanks and gratitude to the leading professionals on the judging panel for their time, wisdom, and expertise scrutinising the entries.<\/p>\n
Great thanks also go to our major sponsor \u2013 Fujifilm<\/a>, and all our sponsors: WD<\/a>, The Brownbill Effect<\/a> and Retouch4me<\/a>.<\/p>\n Without their incredible generosity and commitment to supporting emerging photographic talent, competitions like this wouldn\u2019t be possible. This year, winners and runners-up share in a prize pool of more than $30,000, including $9,000 in cash prizes.<\/p>\n A special congratulations goes out to the Overall Winner Cheng Kang whose portfolio, Kaleidoscope, stood out for its cohesion while communicating the interesting relationship between human and natural environments. Cheng\u2019s work achieved the highest score overall, as well as one of our highest scores ever \u2013 and double that of the runner-up \u2013 proving just how powerfully the series resonated with the judges.<\/p>\n Because all entries are stripped of data for blind judging, it was entirely unbeknownst to the judges that Cheng was coincidently the runner-up in the Animal category for Australasia\u2019s Top Emerging Photographers 2024 with a portfolio of birds images. This impressive transition from wildlife to urban landscapes highlights her versatility and diverse skill set.<\/p>\n Cheng walks away with an incredible prize package valued at over $12,000, including the 102-megapixel Fujifilm GFX100S II<\/a> camera body and a Fujinon GF30mm F3.5 WR lens<\/a>. We hope she puts this ultimate medium-format setup to good use, and we look forward to seeing more of her stunning imagery soon.<\/p>\n To Cheng, and to all our category winners and finalists, thank you for sharing your vision with us and for reminding us of the power of a well-executed series.<\/p>\n Category winners receive $1,000 cash, as well as one or two prizes from our sponsors.<\/p>\n OVERALL AND LANDSCAPE WINNER Based in Melbourne, Cheng Kang is an amateur photographer who started out in 2020 photographing birds. Her work has expanded recently from wildlife to environmental landscapes, focusing on the relationship between human activity and natural environments.<\/p>\n She documents landscapes affected by ecological change, urban development and industrial activity and\u00a0 is interested in how these forces shape the relationships between people and nature.<\/p>\n Kaleidoscope is from Melbourne freeways. Travelling these routes, she became interested in urban expansion on the outskirts, where farmland and vegetation are replaced by new suburbs, often screened from the freeway by colourful structures for noise and dust protection as well as visual screening.<\/p>\n To avoid heavy traffic and achieve better results she took these images on weekends. Brighter light and weather conditions helped enhance the colours of these structures in contrast to the darker tones of surrounding rooftops and infrastructure.<\/p>\n Instagram: @cheng_2015<\/p>\n Prize: $1,000 cash, Fujifilm GFX100S II<\/a> 102-megapixel medium format camera body valued at $8,699 with a Fujinon GF30mm F3.5 WR lens<\/a> (valued at $2,799); Western Digital<\/a> (WD) Prize Pack valued at $1,500; Retouch4me<\/a> retouching Photoshop plugins valued at over $200.<\/p>\n LANDSCAPE RUNNER-UP Graham Earnshaw says his passion is to create captivating images that showcase the extraordinary beauty of Mother Nature. \u201cI love pushing the boundaries of traditional landscape art photography through the use of movement, abstraction and minimalism. I hope my art wonderfully illustrates that Mother Nature is the truly the ultimate artist,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n A newfound love is aerial photography, mostly with a drone and occasionally hanging out the door of a small Cessna. \u201cThis vantage point reveals a whole new way of seeing and capturing the extraordinary beauty of our planet, often producing some incredible abstract imagery, which I also love.\u201d<\/p>\n These three images show the sand dunes along the Turquoise Coast, north of Perth. \u201cI would send my drone up early morning and late in the day with the sun low in the sky, to get that wonderful soft golden glow across the dunes. I knew the light hitting the dunes at that angle would create some beautiful abstract imagery, and highlight the stunning textures and shapes of the dunes.\u201d<\/p>\n Website: www.grahamearnshaw-photography.com<\/a> LANDSCAPE TOP 20<\/p>\n 1. Cheng Kang, Kaleidoscope<\/a> ANIMALS WINNER Lisa Skelton is an Australian underwater and nature photographer based in Lake Macquarie, New South Wales. Her photography is informed by more than a decade of experience in ecotourism and conservation. She says her focus is on \u201cfostering connection, awareness and respect for the beauty and fragility of marine life.\u201d<\/p>\n \u2018Life within the kelp\u2019 explores the relationship between marine inhabitants of the Falkland Islands and their environment. \u201cThe Islands are home to some of the world\u2019s largest and most intact kelp forests, which shaped both the experience and the imagery,\u201d she says. \u201cShot with a wide-angle lens, the series captures wildlife within its environment, with kelp acting as a unifying visual thread.\u201d<\/p>\n Working slowly and with minimal impact, Lisa allows wildlife to guide each encounter, capturing natural behaviour without interference. Her practice is grounded in respect, prioritising the wellbeing of both the subject and wider marine environment above all else.<\/p>\n Website: www.lisaskeltonphotography.com<\/a> Prize: $1,000 cash; Western Digital<\/a> Prize Pack valued at $1,500; Retouch4me<\/a> retouching Photoshop plugins valued at over $200.<\/p>\n ANIMALS RUNNER-UP Wildlife photographer Emma Parker often makes repeat visits to a location, spending hours at a time to understand the interactions of local wildlife. She says her goal is, \u201cethical photography, where her presence doesn\u2019t disturb or distract, and allows normal behaviours to take place.\u201d<\/p>\n The \u2018Life in the Mud\u2019 series features a striated heron hunting for mudskippers, a mud crab and a blue-spotted mudskipper fighting for territory, and, finally, two blue-spotted mudskippers fighting for space.<\/p>\n These images were taken over eight separate visits to the remote mudflat area of Roebuck Bay in Western Australia. Each image was photographed at the animals\u2019 eye level with Emma crawling onto the mud with an inflatable mat to protect the camera. Once in position, she would stay for around three hours per visit, aiming to photograph a range of animals that live in this small, vital ecosystem. She used natural light and only carried one camera body (Nikon D850) and a 500mm lens. This and the available light shaped her decisions about what she photographed.\u00a0<\/p>\n Web: www.emmaparkerphotography.com<\/a> ANIMALS TOP 20<\/p>\n 1. Lisa Skelton, Life Within the Kelp<\/a> ART WINNER Sabrina Giada Trombini is a Melbourne-based photographer whose interest in photography developed through travel and creative interests in food and visual storytelling, eventually evolving into a strong focus on food photography.<\/p>\n She is particularly drawn to colour, texture and composition, using food as a way to explore these elements in a simple and considered style.<\/p>\n \u201cThis series, created during my final semester, explores the idea of balance through fruits and vegetables,\u201d Sabrina says. \u201cI worked in a studio using colourful backdrops and perspex surfaces to create reflections at the base of the frame and enhance colour and symmetry.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cEach element was carefully positioned using hidden supports to control the composition. I used a 100mm macro lens for its ability to capture fine detail and create a compressed, structured frame. Post-production involved clean-ups, colour adjustments and refinements to strengthen each image.\u201d<\/p>\n Web: www.sabrinagiada.com<\/a> Prize: $1,000 cash,\u00a0Retouch4me<\/a> retouching Photoshop plugins valued at over $200.<\/p>\n ART RUNNER-UP Janine Vince is a photographic artist whose practice explores what she calls, \u2018emotional presence through form, light, and restraint\u2019. Working across portraiture and nature-based imagery, she approaches her subjects as, \u2018studies in character, using composition and lighting to suggest qualities such as confidence, vulnerability and endurance\u2019.<\/p>\n \u201c\u2019Wild at Heart\u2019 forms part of a larger portrait series exploring the stages of a life,\u201d Janine says. \u201cIt captures a moment of unrestrained vitality, where the subject feels expressive and uncontained.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cUsing controlled studio lighting against a dark background, the focus is on gesture and movement, allowing a sense of energy and presence to emerge.\u201d<\/p>\n Instagram: @janine_vince_photography<\/a><\/p>\n ART TOP 10<\/p>\n 1. Sabrina Giada Trombini, The Balanced Diet<\/a> BLACK & WHITE WINNER Rachael Ryan\u2019s greatest source of inspiration is the place she lives and works \u2013 a sheep and cattle station in far western New South Wales \u2013 where she captures raw, unstaged slices of station life.<\/p>\n She says her photography is very much \u201csnapped in the moment\u201d and shoots everything with an iPhone 17 Pro Max and edits using the mobile version of Photoshop. \u201cIn this particular series, I wanted to showcase different aspects of one of the station\u2019s biggest jobs: drafting (sorting) stock.<\/p>\n \u201cThe work is hot, exhausting and physically demanding. In one image, my sister Essie stares blankly at the camera, too tired to even smile after a long week of cattle work. In another, my sister and sister-in-law are shown loading a truck and pushing goats up through the race. The intensity of the heat and dust is evident in the third image. Although the scene appears misty or fog-like, the air is actually filled with dust so thick it can make it difficult to breathe.\u201d<\/p>\n Instagram: @rach.ryan171<\/a><\/p>\n Prize: $1,000 cash; Retouch4me<\/a> retouching Photoshop plugins valued at over $200.<\/p>\n BLACK & WHITE RUNNER-UP Based in Christchurch, New Zealander John Twiname enjoys landscape, architecture, and street life photography.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m drawn to light, structure, and timing to capture quiet, atmospheric moments within natural and urban spaces,\u201d he says. \u201cI aim to create images that strongly reflect a sense of place; I try to find angles, compositions, interactions that present environments differently.\u201d<\/p>\n This series of images is presented in black and white, focusing on form, contrast, and tonal depth. All images were captured in the early morning at ISO 100 using Nikon D750 and D610 cameras with 16-35mm and 24-85mm lenses set to f\/8. Basic adjustments were first made in Camera Raw. Black and white conversion, tonal adjustments, and selective dodging and burning in Photoshop enhance contrast, depth, structure, and overall atmosphere.<\/p>\n Web: www.johntwinamephotography.com<\/a> BLACK & WHITE TOP 20<\/p>\n 1. Rachael Ryan, A Sea of Dust<\/a> DOCUMENTARY WINNER \u201cAs a kid, my mum gave me a point-and-shoot camera and I\u2019d fill the SD card in minutes photographing anything I could,\u201d says Benjamin Hams, who grew up on a farm in Outback South Australia. \u201cAs I got older, I invested in my first DSLR and the camera began shaping the way I see the world.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cMy work isn\u2019t confined to a single genre but is grounded in observation, allowing me to respond instinctively and document overlooked moments. Working as a sheep shearer gives me access to places and stories most people never see.\u201d<\/p>\n In this series, Hams documents the largely unseen life inside shearing sheds across two stations, focusing on both the environment and the people within it.<\/p>\n \u201cBy building trust with the people I photographed and worked alongside, I was able to work closely and unobtrusively, capturing moments as they unfolded, showing both the physical intensity of the work and the quieter, human moments within.\u201d<\/p>\n Website: www.bhamsphotography.au<\/a> Prize: $1,000 cash; Western Digital<\/a> Prize Pack valued at $1,500; Retouch4me<\/a> retouching Photoshop plugins valued at over $200.<\/p>\n DOCUMENTARY RUNNER-UP \u201cMy motivation as a photojournalist is to truly see: to notice what unsettles or surprises me, and through that observation, deepen my understanding of the human condition,\u201d says freelance reporter and photojournalist Morgan Laffer.<\/p>\n \u201cI find societies navigating war and those grappling with post-conflict environments to be the most revealing, where humanity is exposed and resilience is tested in everyday life. In these spaces, the ordinary and the extraordinary exist side by side, and small, quiet moments often carry the greatest weight. I feel a responsibility to document narratives regarding people\u2019s lives shaped by war \u2013 it is here that the full range of the human experience is laid bare.<\/p>\n \u201cThis series has two subjects: people affected by serious mental trauma after more than a decade of war, and the building that confines them. Its interior is bleak, worn, and stark in its simplicity. Fluorescent lights buzz and flicker, casting a cold glow that does little to lift the gloom. Colour imagery would dilute the austerity of the space, softening its harsh textures and distracting from the emotional weight carried by the patients and the building itself.\u201d<\/p>\n Instagram: @morgan.laffer<\/a><\/p>\n DOCUMENTARY TOP 20<\/p>\n 1. Benjamin Hams, A Life In Wool<\/a> PEOPLE WINNER Louise Wolbers\u2019\u00a0 photographic journey has taken her across the globe, from the incredible architecture of iconic cities to the raw beauty of African wildlife. \u201cEach destination has deepened my passion for telling stories through my images,\u201d she explains.<\/p>\n When she is not travelling, she lives on the Gold Coast, Queensland, where she captures pet portraits. \u201cI am constantly inspired to try new things, explore new perspectives and push my creativity further because every place, person and animal has a story worth capturing. Being a photographer is one of the greatest gifts in life. You see the world through the lens and it opens your mind and lets you see things differently.\u201d<\/p>\n The Dust Shaker series was photographed in the Highlands of Papua New Guinea. \u201cThe widower performs a symbolic act of shaking dust, which represents the ashes of the deceased, from his head. This solemn ceremony signifies the end of mourning and a new beginning.<\/p>\n \u201cThere is estimated to be nearly 1000 different tribes in PNG with over 850 languages. The weather is unpredictable with heavy rains usually in the afternoon. A large shed was available to take tribe members in out of the rain to photograph. A small battery-operated strobe was used and set up to the left of the tribal member at a 45-degree angle.\u201d<\/p>\n Instagram: @louisewolbers<\/a><\/p>\n Prize: $1,000 cash; Western Digital<\/a> Prize Pack valued at $1,500; Retouch4me<\/a> retouching Photoshop plugins valued at over $200.<\/p>\n PEOPLE RUNNER-UP Georgia Redden is based in Central West NSW, documenting the heart of modern country Australia. After a long hiatus raising children, she returned to the lens to capture the beauty of rural life. Georgia finds inspiration in Outback dust, focusing on the strength of locals and the quiet allure of the mundane. Her work reflects a deep connection to home, chasing golden light to celebrate the authentic, unpolished stories of regional communities.<\/p>\n \u201cMy images explore the intersection of a more modern rural grit and style,\u201d she says. \u201c\u2018Cowgirls\u2019 uses dust to frame the resilience of youth, while \u2018Servo\u2019 blends simple denim with the retro bustle of a petrol station. \u2018Paper\u2019 captures playful storytelling \u2013 a motorbike blur contrasting with a quiet morning coffee. Each frame serves as a love letter to the landscape, turning everyday regional scenes into nostalgic keepsakes of a life lived on the land.\u201d<\/p>\n Instagram: @georgiareddenphotography<\/a><\/p>\n PEOPLE TOP 20<\/p>\n 1. Louise Wolbers, Dust Shaker<\/a> SHOT ON FILM WINNER David Niu discovered street photography by chance during the pandemic. With a background in design and art, he was drawn to the genre\u2019s honesty \u2013 its unpredictability, energy, and the raw humanity of everyday street life.<\/p>\n His work focuses on candid, unscripted moments. He shoots in both colour and black and white, each serving a different purpose. Colour acts as his visual diary \u2013 direct, lightly edited, and centred on human stories. Black and white, captured on a dedicated monochrome camera, operates as a separate visual language: more abstract and more experimental. Carrying only one camera each day forces him to commit fully to how he sees.<\/p>\n \u201cI began shooting film in early 2026,\u201d says David. \u201cFilm slows me down and makes every frame intentional. Though I still shoot digital more often, film has reshaped how I observe and how I work.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cThis image was made in Shanghai during Lunar New Year 2026, one of my first 20 rolls \u2013 Kodak Max 400 on a Leica M4 with an external meter. I took two frames; this one had the stronger composition. Amid the crowd, I waited for the right moment to form a clear, balanced scene. F5.6 with a shutter speed of 1\/1000s.\u201d<\/p>\n Instagram: @davids_art_street<\/a><\/p>\n Prize: $1,000 cash; Retouch4me<\/a> retouching Photoshop plugins valued at over $200.<\/p>\n SHOT ON FILM RUNNER-UP Gandhar Radhika says photography is documentation and expression \u2013 \u201ca meditative act of observing the world in order to quiet the inner chatter.\u201d He approaches his work wandering through suburbs in search of beauty in fleeting and mundane moments.<\/p>\n Radhika works primarily with 35mm and 120 film and says he is drawn to, \u201cimages that feel alive through light, colour and atmosphere, using the intentional pace of analogue photography to engage more deeply with each scene.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cDiner was captured on Kodak Portra 800 using an Olympus OM20 in Maleny,\u201d Radhika says. \u201cStumbling upon an empty diner, I was struck by the red sofas glowing in the warm sunset light. I spent time observing the space to meter carefully, leaning into the deliberate pace that film demands. Portra 800 helped retain the rich warmth of the interior while preserving fine detail, turning an ordinary moment into a quiet, visually resonant study of stillness and light.\u201d<\/p>\n Instagram: @Loitering_with_intent_<\/a><\/p>\n SHOT ON FILM TOP 20<\/p>\n 1. David Niu, Little Nap in Big Shanghai<\/a> SINGLE SHOT WINNER Elle Leontiev says her visual style sits between fine-art and documentary photography. Her photography practise is grounded in long-term observation, environmental storytelling, a deep interest in traditional darkroom processes and a desire to \u201creflect creative dream states informed by the natural world.\u201d<\/p>\n On the island of Tanna in Vanuatu, Leontiev visited the remote Ni Vanuatu community which is located beneath the strombolian volcano, Mount Yasur. She spent time living with the community and attending tribal ceremonies. Here she met Phillip, a local and a self-taught volcanologist. He is pictured here wearing a lava protection suit given to him by visiting researchers.<\/p>\n \u201cPhillip grew up beneath this active volcano and this portrait captures his home, his research, his ancestral land and his purpose in one frame,\u201d says Leontiev.<\/p>\n Web: www.elleleontiev.com<\/a> PRIZE: $1,000 cash; Retouch4me<\/a> retouching Photoshop plugins valued at over $200.<\/p>\n SINGLE SHOT RUNNER-UP Sydney-based photographer Jack Karnaghan works across several genres \u2013 street, portraiture, and nature \u2013 in both film and digital formats. \u201cMy work is drawn to the liminal moments of daily life \u2013 celebrating intimacy in the ordinary and capturing people at their most unguarded,\u201d he says.<\/p>\n \u201cIn this image, the wide-angle lens permits the mise-en-sc\u00e8ne: two rooms, one wall between them,\u201d says Karnaghn.<\/p>\n \u201cMy father on one side has been dressed since 5:30. Suit pressed, tie straight, hands folded in his lap. The television murmurs \u2013 its cool glow finding him in the dark, still and patient in the way only people who have waited a long time know how to be. Down the hall, my mother is still at the mirror \u2013 bathed in apricot light, unhurried, applying her favourite gloss reserved for those special occasions.<\/p>\n \u201cHis cool blue stillness against her golden vivacity. Calm against energy, patience against motion, an unspoken harmony.\u201d<\/p>\n Web: www.karnaghan.com<\/a> SINGLE SHOT TOP 20<\/p>\n 1. Elle Leontiev, The Barefoot Volcanologist<\/a> TRAVEL WINNER James Hayward\u2019s photography practise began with travel. \u201cI\u2019d go to places that interested me and photograph whatever I found there \u2013 landscapes, people or wildlife,\u201d he says. \u201cWhatever the subject, the goal was always to, create something compelling from each encounter.\u201d<\/p>\n He says he finds it difficult to neatly describe the type of photography he does but often settles on \u2018travel and adventure\u2019 though acknowledges it\u2019s a broad and imprecise description.<\/p>\n \u201cI captured these images using a technique I\u2019d never used or seen before,\u201d says Hayward. \u201cThat day I had both my 35mm film camera and my full-frame digital camera with me. The light of the sunset in Byron Bay had a haze to it that film often captures so well, but I wanted to best capture the movement on the beach through a longer digital exposure.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cTo get the best of both worlds, I shot my digital camera through the viewfinder of my 35mm, giving the images this imperfect, nostalgic feel straight out of camera.\u201d\u200b<\/p>\n Instagram: @jimbob_photo<\/a><\/p>\n Prize: $1,000 cash; Retouch4me<\/a> retouching Photoshop plugins valued at over $200.<\/p>\n TRAVEL RUNNER-UP Kim Talento is a physiotherapist by profession whose journey into photography began in 2009 as a way of documenting the landscapes encountered during trips, hikes and outdoor adventures. Photography quickly became both a creative outlet and a form of relaxation.<\/p>\n Initially photographing for personal enjoyment, sharing images with family and friends, over the past few years Talento began entering competitions as a way to explore new creative directions.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019ve always been drawn to travel, especially Morocco, and the chance to experience the Sahara Desert,\u201d Talento says. \u201cIn this series, \u2018Across the Dunes,\u2019 I was struck by how the desert kept changing with every step \u2014 from long shadows across the sand to small figures moving through an immense landscape. These images reflect my experience of crossing the dunes and the feeling of being surrounded by something far larger than myself. What stayed with me most was the contrast between movement and stillness, and how the desert could feel both harsh and deeply absorbing at the same time.\u201d<\/p>\n Instagram: @kimtalento<\/a><\/p>\n TRAVEL TOP 20<\/p>\n 1. James Hayward, Another Warm Day<\/a>![\"\u00a9](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1.-cheng-kang-701-landscape-3.jpg\")
\nAn image from Kaleidoscope Series by Cheng Kang \u2013 Overall Winner and Winner of Landscape Category<\/p>\n![](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/capture-winter-cover-2026.jpg\")
\nCapture Winter 2026 edition.<\/p>\n
Cheng Kang: Kaleidoscope<\/p>\n![\"Landscape](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/landscape-winner-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\n\u00a0Kaleidoscope by Cheng Kang.
Overall and Landscape Category Winner, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Graham Earnshaw: Dune Gold<\/p>\n![\"Landscape](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/landscape-runnerup-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nDune Gold by Graham Earnshaw.
Landscape Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Instagram: @graham_earnshaw_photography<\/a><\/p>\n
2. Graham Earnshaw, Dune Gold<\/a>
3. Louise Wolbers, Mud Flats<\/a>
4. Udesh Hangili Gedara, The Quiet Fleet<\/a>
5. Gergo Rugli, Poseidon\u2019s Fury<\/a>
6. Fiona Bowring,\u2002Lyricism with light<\/a>
7. Luke Rasmussen, Bruny Island Magic<\/a>
8. David Williams, A day at Lake Tyrrell<\/a>
9. Stuart Bell, Winter in the Rockies<\/a>
10. Darren Wassell, Electrified<\/a>
11. Madison McCardle, Spring in the Mountains<\/a>
12. Walter Berger, Storm at Bihoro Pass<\/a>
13. Helen Rowbottam, Red Earth, WA<\/a>
14. Liz Parsons, Storm Clouds Over the Sierra Nevada Mountain Range<\/a>
15. Paula Funston, You Yangs\u2019 Foggy Sunrise<\/a>
16. Gergo Rugli, Dancing With Water<\/a>
17. Charlie Clay, Heavens Rock – Middle Earth – Awe<\/a>
18. Mark Ditcham, River Gums<\/a>
19. Russell Turner, Trees<\/a>
20. Stefan Eberhard – Growling Swallet, Mount Field National Park, Tasmania<\/a><\/p>\n
Lisa Skelton: Life Within the Kelp<\/p>\n![\"Animal](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/animals-winner-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nLife Within the Kelp by Lisa Skelton.
Animal Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Instagram: @lisaskeltonphotography<\/a><\/p>\n
Emma Parker: Life in the Mud<\/p>\n![\"Animal](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/animals-runnerup-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nLife in the Mud by Emma Parker.
Animal Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Instagram: @emma_parker_photographer<\/a><\/p>\n
2. Emma Parker, Life in the Mud<\/a>
3. Kate Snow, Beetle Bodies<\/a>
4. Emma Parker, Catch the Fish<\/a>
5. Lewis Burnett, Tasmanian Wildlife<\/a>
6. Angela Farnsworth,\u2002A New Generation<\/a>
7. Tashwita Rahalkar, Kin<\/a>
8. Jenna Hennessy, Animals of the Steppe<\/a>
9. Lisa Skelton, Black-browed Albatross<\/a>
10. Glenda Black, Beautiful Blue-banded Bees<\/a>
11. Gergo Rugli, Silent Horizon<\/a>
12. Walter Berger, Eza Foxes on Hokkaido<\/a>
13. Kerryn Buckley, Reptiles and Amphibians of Costa Rica<\/a>
14. Taliah Nouha Khoury, Reptilian Rascal<\/a>
15. Patrick Uramowski, Whales and Bait Balls<\/a>
16. Andrea Conway, Albatross Party in the Southern Ocean<\/a>
17. Ben Burton, Djinda<\/a>
18. Ben Burton, Neon Rice<\/a>
19. Courtney Morris, The Upside Down<\/a>
20. Robert Smith, Bull Sharks of Fiji<\/a><\/p>\n
Sabrina Giada Trombini: The Balanced Diet<\/p>\n![\"The](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/art-winner-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nThe Balanced Diet by Sabrina Giada Trombini.
Art Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Instagram: @sabrinagiada.photography<\/a><\/p>\n
Janine Vince: Across a Life<\/p>\n![\"Art](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/art-runnerup-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nAcross a Life by Janine Vince.
Art Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
2. Janine Vince, Across a Life<\/a>
3. Lesley Bretherton, Botanica Obscura<\/a>
4. Ashleigh Zimmerman, Whare Ngaro<\/a>
5. Melinda Craik, Ephemeral Forms<\/a>
6. Graham Earnshaw, Glacial Lake Art<\/a>
7. Brian Meade, Claimed by the Tide<\/a>
8. Orlanda Lucian, Yonic<\/a>
9. Glenda Black, Rodeo Action<\/a>
10. Glenda Gore, Stillness in Spaces<\/a><\/p>\n
Rachael Ryan: A Sea of Dust<\/p>\n![\"Black](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/bw-winner-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nA Sea of Dust by Rachael Ryan.
Black & White Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
John Twiname: Forms in Tension<\/p>\n![\"Black](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/bw-runnerup-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nForms in Tension by John Twiname.
Black & White Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Instagram: @johntwinamenz<\/a><\/p>\n
2. John Twiname, Forms in Tension<\/a>
3. Mary Regan,\u2002Sultry Sunrise Bronte<\/a>
4. Alanna Walshe,\u2002Parallels: Ageing, Identity and the Landscape<\/a>
5. Hui tong Tang,\u2002Tai ji Mahal, Chand Baori Well, Ganges River<\/a>
6. Jordan Disch, Negative Space and Some Rain<\/a>
7. Karen Morley, New Zealand\u2019s South Island<\/a>
8. Terry O\u2019Hagan, Valencia, Mono<\/a>
9. Cheng Kang, Echoes of the Morning<\/a>
10. Theresia Hall, UTS Helix Stairs<\/a>
11. Vince Lovecchio, Procession of the Virgen del Rosario<\/a>
12. Vicki Katthagen, Lightbourne<\/a>
13. Steven Joyce, The Korrowi Way<\/a>
14. Steve Day, Warrnambool Towers<\/a>
15. Paul Wesley, Nausicaa<\/a>
16. Jackie Wilson, Stormy Skys<\/a>
17. Amy Doerre, Fitness Regime<\/a>
18. Weston Sparkes, Infinite Highway<\/a>
19. Liam Keiller, Wildlife Portraits in Monochrome<\/a>
20. Kate Snow, Ready for the Wind<\/a><\/p>\n
Benjamin Hams: A Life In Wool<\/p>\n![\"Documentary](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/doco-winner-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nA Life in Wool by Benjamin Hams.
Documentary Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Instagram: @bhams_photography<\/a><\/p>\n
Morgan Laffer: Syria’s Silent Wards<\/p>\n![\"Documentary](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/doco-runnerup-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nSyria’s Silent Wards by Morgan Laffer.
Documentary Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
2. Morgan Laffer, Syria’s Silent Wards<\/a>
3. Oliver Risi, Shoreline Market<\/a>
4. Ian Flanders, Herzog Protest<\/a>
5. Audrey Richardson, Sydney In Reflection<\/a>
6. Rowan Marsh-Croft, Flem Banks Bandits 1<\/a>
7. Lucky Frawley, Curtain Call<\/a>
8. Taylor Kurtz, Hayakawa Hamonoten: A Heritage Blade Mastery<\/a>
9. Oliver Risi, Street Cricket, Jaipur<\/a>
10. Stephane Thomas, Aryna Sabalenka<\/a>
11. Theo Miller, Process<\/a>
12. Maggie Tan, Behind Bars, Beyond Rescue<\/a>
13. Fiona Bowring, In the Hands of the Artists: Warlukurlangu Arts<\/a>
14. Ian Flanders, March for Humanity<\/a>
15. Rowan Marsh-Croft, Flem Banks Bandits 2<\/a>
16. Vaughn Chen, Metallic Birds in the Sky<\/a>
17. Alec Koroluk, Meditation in Movement<\/a>
18. Davide Conti, The Patch: Identity and Integrity<\/a>
19. Linda Leman, Eight Seconds<\/a>
20. Vaughn Chen, Man and Machine<\/a><\/p>\n
Louise Wolbers: Dust Shaker<\/p>\n![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/people-winner-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nDust Shaker by Louise Wolbers.
People Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Georgia Redden: Cowgirls<\/p>\n![\"People](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/people-runnerup-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nCowgirls by Georgia Redden.
People Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
2. Georgia Redden, Cowgirls<\/a>
3. Rebecca Polonski, Madeline<\/a>
4. Craig Mitchell, In-Theatre<\/a>
5. Stephane Thomas, Imogen & Lewis<\/a>
6. Anthony Leyba, Remote Work<\/a>
7. Oliver Whitehouse, Petal<\/a>
8. Emma Jeantou, We Are Who We Are?<\/a>
9. Sim Chong, Locals at tea houses in Sichuan<\/a>
10. Joshua Gray, Vanessa Gray<\/a>
11. Orlanda Lucian, Volition<\/a>
12. Jordan Disch, School of the Mecca<\/a>
13. Lorenzo Passalacqua, On Loan<\/a>
14. Julie Spencer, Weathered Soul, Faithful Friends<\/a>
15. Venkatesh Kittur, Laneway League<\/a>
16. Richard Misquitta, Sadhu Suresh<\/a>
17. Renee Leth, Inked Up<\/a>
18. Katherine Carlin (Jenkins), What a Catch<\/a>
19. Rowie Hawley, Summer Days<\/a>
20. Amanda Stuart, Senior Swimmers and Proud of It<\/a><\/p>\n
David Niu: Little Nap in Big Shanghai<\/p>\n![\"Shot](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/http:\/\/yaffa-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com\/yaffadsp\/images\/dmImage\/SourceImage\/1.-david-niu-1023-shot-on-film.jpeg\")
\nLittle Nap in Big Shanghai.
Shot on Film Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Gandhar Radhika: Diner<\/p>\n![\"Shot](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/http:\/\/yaffa-cdn.s3.amazonaws.com\/yaffadsp\/images\/dmImage\/SourceImage\/2.-gandhar-radhika-1003-shot-o.jpeg\")
\nDiner by Gandhar Radhika.
Shot on Film Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
2. Gandhar Radhika, Diner<\/a>
3. Yosuke Koga, Legs on the Beach<\/a>
4. Kym McDowell, Loughborough Fair<\/a>
5. Daniel Farrugia, Traveling on the Shinkansen<\/a>
6. Minhhuy Nguyen, Lest We Forget<\/a>
7. Raoul Slater, Warrior<\/a>
8. Liam Panton, The First Ending<\/a>
9. Christian Jansen, In the Bloc<\/a>
10. Taylor Kurtz, Daifuku<\/a>
11. Chris Wood-Willems, Theatre Red Scene<\/a>
12. Morgan Laffer, A Fallen Syrian Mosque<\/a>
13. Tim Wilson, Here Now, Gone There<\/a>
14. Taylor Kurtz, Kutti<\/a>
15. Connor McNamara-Spackman, Late Night Emerging<\/a>
16. Jess Nicole, Sunset Silhouettes<\/a>
17. Gandhar Radhika, Melancholy<\/a>
18. Jake Maraldo, Warrnambool<\/a>
19. Hilary McAllister, Beaver Moon at Bronte<\/a>
20. Patrick Uramowski, French Polynesia Dreaming<\/a><\/p>\n
Elle Leontiev: The Barefoot Volcanologist<\/p>\n![\"Single](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/1.-elle-leontiev-1301-single-shot.jpg\")
\nThe Barefoot Volcanologist by Elle Leontiev.
Single Shot Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Instagram: @elle_tieva_<\/a><\/p>\n
Jack Karnaghan: Ready to Go<\/p>\n![\"Single](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/2.-jack-karnaghan-1242-single-shot.jpg\")
\nReady to Go by Jack Karnaghan.
Single Shot Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Instagram: @jxbeune<\/a><\/p>\n
2. Jack Karnaghan, Ready to Go<\/a>
3. Shane Oates, Galah<\/a>
4. Ginnie Allwood, Porpoising Gentoo Penguin<\/a>
5. Vicki Resch, Against the Grid<\/a>
6. Patrick Uramowski, Nature\u2019s Art<\/a>
7. Oliver Risi, Morning Fish Market, India<\/a>
8. Dulcie May, Natural Alignment<\/a>
9. Jack Giam, Blue Collar<\/a>
10. Ianto Keir, Bushfire<\/a>
11. Jordan Disch, Coldplay moment?<\/a>
12. Jack Johnson, Blondie<\/a>
13. Heather Smith, A Lone Surfer<\/a>
14. David Mercieca, Juniper Canyon<\/a>
15. Sally Lloyd, Saigon Pool Hall<\/a>
16. Adrian Smarrelli, Fly Me to the Moon<\/a>
17. Fedor Zevako, Before the Leap<\/a>
18. Belinda Dew, Brave<\/a>
19. Ben Burton, Dance in the Deep<\/a>
20. Sabrina Giada Trombini, The Balanced Diet<\/a><\/p>\n
James Hayward: Another Warm Day<\/p>\n![\"Travel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/travel-winner-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nAnother Warm Day by James Hayward.
Travel Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
Kim Talento: Across the Dunes<\/p>\n![\"Travel](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/travel-runnerup-atep-2026-comp.jpg\")
\nAcross the Dunes by Kim Talento.
Travel Category, Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers 2026.<\/p>\n
2. Kim Talento, Across the Dunes<\/a>
3. Thomas Martin McShane, Somewhere between Silence and Scale<\/a>
4. Maggie Tan, The Donkey Keepers<\/a>
5. Taylor Kurtz, Soft Geography: Japan<\/a>
6. Steven Joyce, Sago Farming<\/a>
7. Rudy Kalele, Backstreets of Mykonos, Greece<\/a>
8. Paul Evans, Abandoned Town<\/a>
9. Jackson Vickery, Gold over Paris<\/a>
10. Joanne Costanzo, Devotion<\/a>
11. Luke David, Lisbon Trams<\/a>
12. Fiona Bowring, To See and Be Seen, Paris<\/a>
13. Kelvin Baggs, Many Faces of the Red Centre<\/a>
14. Cate Reilly, RAW Gel\u00e4nde, Friedrichshain, Berlin<\/a>
15. Marcus Read, Arapiles<\/a>
16. Lisa Mills, Antarctica \u2013 Beauty in Extremes<\/a>
17. Taylor Kurtz, Observations of a Tokyo Udon Kitchen<\/a>
18. Liz Parsons, Rusted Relics<\/a>
19. Weston Sparkes, Flow State<\/a>
20. Tulip Das, Quiet Work, Red Fields<\/a><\/p>\n