A striking black and white image taken in the Solomon Islands has won the fifth International Photography competition organised by the University of Queensland’s School of Political Science and International Studies.
‘Turtles at Dawn’ was taken on a boat off the largest uninhabited island in the South Pacific, Tetepare.
UQ School of Political Science and International Studies (POLSIS) Dr Peter Walters captured the breathtaking image during a research trip to the Solomon’s in 2012.
“The park ranger is on the lookout for endangered Leatherback and Green Sea turtles as part of a ‘tag and release’ program to collect important data on growth and migration,” Dr Walters said.
“The rangers have an incredible ability to spot these fast swimming turtles below the surface and to dive into the water, catch them and bring them to the surface.
“I was a guest of the Tetepare eco-lodge when I took this photo.”
At the awards on Wednesday, Dr Seb Kaempf, on the judging panel, said agreement on the winner was unanimous.
“We put all the shortlisted images on a loop to help us in our decision making and this photograph affected us all each time it came up on the screen,” Dr Kaempf said.
‘Development without Freedom’ taken by PhD student Kazi Rahman at a burnt out clothing factory in Dhaka, Bangladesh won the People’s Choice Award and was joint runner up with ‘The Eyes Before the Storm’, taken in Palestine by journalism student Ben Walker.
For the first time this year, the awards were part of the University’s Diversity Week Activities.
Dr Ann Stewart, Director of UQ’s Equity Office, said the competition mirrored many of the themes behind diversity week particularly this year with the theme of Art Through Diversity.
The POLSIS Photography Competition was established as a showcase for the interest and involvement which students, staff and alumni at UQ have in politics and global issues.
Ten photographs are shortlisted each year and the School now holds an impressive collection of images from around the world.
Many of the photographs were displayed at the Diversity Awards on Thursday and can be seen in the School at any other time.
Shortlisted entries for 2013 can be viewed here
Media: Gillian Ievers, Marketing and Communications Officer, g.ievers@uq.edu.au
