Kate Geraghty wins Walkley Photo of the Year award

October 25, 2021

The Walkley Foundation has announced the finalists of the 2021 Walkley Awards for Excellence in Photojournalism, with Kate Geraghty winning the Nikon Photo of the Year award.

Nikon-Walkley Photo of the Year by Sydney Morning Herald photographer, Kate Geraghty.

The Walkley Foundation splits the results of the Nikon-Walkley Photography Prizes into two announcements, with two awards and the finalists publicised for this round.

Geraghty’s Photo of the Year image, Fighting COVID-19 Delta, was captured for the Sydney Morning Herald and ‘epitomised the year’ marked by ‘illness, hospitalisation, isolation, family not being able to visit;.

‘This sums up COVID like no other picture,’ the judges said. ‘An empathetic image that explains COVID in Australia: all the loneliness and isolation. There’s a greater story being told; a lot of family members can’t even get that close to patients like this. Geraghty’s skills with, and use of, light make the image.’

The other winner is Cairns-based photojournalist, Brian Cassey, who pocketed the Nikon Portrait Prize title for his image, The Yarrick Family of Kunhanhaa.

Nikon Portrait Prize winning image by Brian Cassey.

The Portrait Prize looks for an image which ‘reveal aspects of the human condition by showing people from all walks of life’. Cassey’s image was shot for The Australian, and judges felt the portrait ‘told them a great deal about its subjects, from where they live to how they communicate’.

‘It’s not easy to get that many people in a shot, compose an image and get it to work,’ the judges said. ‘One child makes eye contact but everyone else is doing their own thing. The lighting is just beautiful and the circular motion of the composition means the faces keep drawing the eye around, finding something new each time.’

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The Finalists

Nikon-Walkley Press Photographer of the Year

To win this highest honour, photographers must show their range and editing skills by selecting up to 10 images in any genre from their work over the previous 12 months. Here’s the shortlist including one hero image by each photographer.

Alex Coppel, Herald Sun, The Daily Telegraph and The Courier-Mail

‘USA’s Caeleb Dressel powers through the water on his way to winning Gold in the final of the Men’s 100m Butterfly at the Tokyo Olympic Games.’ Photo: Alex Coppel.

Jason Edwards, Herald Sun

The family of William Wall, a 14-year-old boy with autism, grieve in the moment they are told he has been found dead. Photo: Jason Edwards.

Christopher Hopkins, The Age, The Guardian, The Sydney Morning Herald and Al Jazeera

‘Former Wesley College student David Kay was sexually assaulted by two teachers in the 1970s. Now 58, Mr Kay has decided to speak publicly about the ordeal that “tarnished almost every aspect of my life”. He wants Wesley College to be held to account and says he was inspired to speak out publicly by “kick-arse young women” such as 2021 Australian of the Year and sexual assault survivor Grace Tame. Melbourne, Australia. May 30, 2021.’ Photo: Christopher Hopkins.

Sport Photography

From our hallowed grounds to iconic athletes, entries may show action and/or feature images from the sporting arena. Photographers may enter up to five images, which may represent a body of work or be unrelated.

Alex Coppel, Herald-Sun, The Daily Telegraph, The Courier-Mail and The Adelaide Advertiser