Two hundred lucky Time Out readers were treated to a sneak peek of the 53rd Wildlife Photographer of the Year awards and exhibition at the Australian National Maritime Museum last night. Each photo has a story behind it, and Sydney photographer Gerry Pearce gave the crowd insight into the work that goes on behind the camera lens. His snap of an Australian brushturkey roaming his northern beaches neighbourhood represented months of careful bird-stalking – at all hours and through all weather – until he captured the perfect image of a busy male on the move preparing his nest for a mate. Pearce’s work was selected from 50,000 entries across 92 countries and took out the top prize for the ‘Bird Behaviour’ category.
Wandering between the 100 nominated photographs revealed stark contrasts and relationships between humanity, natural environments and wildlife. The audience could consider the raw energy of a wild boar roaming through rigid man-made landscapes, or compare the the fragility of a moth taking flight to the thunderous power of a snowy avalanche. Others were shocking: a contented chimpanzee was displayed beside a mutilated rhino, its tusk removed by poachers. And some, quiet: the red squirrel in Mats Andersson's ‘Winter pause’ was filled with a warm stillness.
Guests were treated to drinks from Mount Pleasant Wines and Blue Moon Brewing Company as they navigated the exhibition space and danced along to disco tracks spun by Gazzy3000. Gif-making crew Mobsta were also there to help people immortalise the evening in moving image format. Thanks to renovations at the Museum, the exhibition takes place in a smaller gallery area, so our top tip is to make sure you check out every corner of the interconnected rooms making up the exhibition area.