The winners of the Nikon-Walkley Awards for Excellence in Photojournalism have been announced, with News Corps’ Gary Ramage taking home the title of Press Photographer of the Year, as well as Photo of the Year.
Ramage’s winning photo, Ice Nation, was taken in the emergency department of the Royal Perth Hospital and shows nine staff members struggling to restrain and treat an ice addict.
This photo captures ‘Bill’, a young man in the throes of an ice-induced medical emergency. It took nine hospital staff, including full-time security personnel, to restrain the man before he could be treated by a medical crew. Source: Gary Ramage/Walkeys.
The photo was taken from a project that had Ramage spend a month on a nationwide investigation photographing the extent of Australia’s amphetamine problem. He visited three emergency departments and photographed addicts, as well as families, loved ones, and the dedicated medical and security professionals at the often violent end of the ice scourge.
The Nikon-Walkley Awards, sponsored by Nikon, has 34 category winners in total covering all aspects of journalism including News, Sport, Portraiture, Community/Regional, Photographic Essays, .
Nic Walker, a Fairfax photographer, won the Portrait Prize for his cinematic photo of Adam Houda, a well-known Sydney criminal lawyer who this year represented Sydney siege gunman, Man Haron Monis, among other high profile defendants.
The Regional/Community Prize winner is Illawarra Mercury photographer Sylvia Liber, who has a selection of photos which demonstrate ‘understanding, intimacy, and connections with her subjects’.
Emma Drummond, an 18­-year-­old mother, diagnosed recently with a rare form of bone cancer. Feeding and soothing her crying baby is very difficult as the cancer has turned Emma’s hip to “chalk” and she relies on crutches. Source: Sylvia Liber/Walkleys.
Sporting photographer Phil Hillyard from The Daily Telegraph won the Sport Photography category for his body of work, which includes the tragic moment of impact which took the life of cricketer Phillip Hughes to a photo of Canterbury Bulldogs Rugby League player David Klemmer ‘letting off some steam’.
Smoking Hot Klemmer: The Canterbury Bulldogs Rugby League player David Klemmer lets off some steam during Monday night football at Belmore Sports Ground. Source: Phil Hillyard/Walkleys.
The winning and finalists photos are part of a touring exhibition which opens at Adelaide Festival Centre from December 16 – January 24; and then at the Newcastle Regional Library from Febuary 19 – March 22, 2016.
Or click here to view the winning images.