Ngaire Hart, The Snares (LANDSCAPE 2025)

The rocks and cliffs thrust up out of the ocean, they didn't look real. Rocks bright with lichens and starkly weathered, at the tidal mark a rich skirting of kelp surrounds the island. We bobbed along in a zodiac amidst the mist and rain, watching the endemic Snares Penguins in kelp that seems to have a life of its own, wriggling their way to and from the water. Hidden in the Southern Ocea, the Snares Island is unihabited and UNESCO listed and is known for its bulb kelp and other large kelp species. The last photo reminded me of a painting.

Images have been resized for web display, which may cause some loss of image quality. Note: Original high-resolution images are used for judging.