Many congratulations to all our winners and everyone who took part in the competition. The standard of entries was extermely high. Overall winners:

1st Georgia Poyner - Narooma

2nd Penny Beaver - Bermagui

3rd Harrison Warne - Merimbula

The identities of the entrants were hidden from the judges so the judging was completely impartial.

Thank you to David Gallan, Peter Horne and Rob Richardson for all your difficult work to choose from such a rich and varied collection of images.

Here are the judges' comments:

David:

The standard was a little uneven but quite pleasing for the first competition. The bird section was predictably very strong.

I like to see more creative views, not always images including the whole subject.

I think in these competitions it's the wow factor that makes an image stand out. Control of focus, lighting and background often are the factors separating the best from the others.

The overall winners are subjects technically difficult to record and are outstanding in terms of all criteria. They capture behaviour / action in a brilliant way.

Peter:

I have spent a lot of time deciding on the photos for the competition. It was not an easy task. The standard of photos submitted was generally very high. I chose the photos on originality, difficulty of getting a shot, captions and unusual birds though not particularly rarest birds. I really could have given highly commended to most of the photos.

Well done everyone! great photos and a great competition - keep up the good work for next year's comp.

UNDERWATER

1st Michael McMaster

2nd Robyn Miller

3rd Rose - Marie McMaster

MARINE & INTERTIDAL

1st Leo Berzins

2nd Paul Whittock

3rd Liz Allen

TERRESTRIAL VERTEBRATES

1st Harrison Warne

2nd Harrison Warne

3rd Georgia Poyner

INVERTEBRATES

1st Penny Beaver

2nd Harrison Warne

3rd Harrison Warne

BIRDS

1st Georgia Poyner

2nd Leo Berzins

3rd Penny Beaver

FLORA & FUNGI

1st Liz Allen

2nd Michael McMaster

3rd Rose -Marie McMaster

NIGHTLIFE

1st Rose-Marie McMaster

2nd Kerry Vance

3rd Rose -Marie McMaster

UNDER 16

1st Georgia Poyner

2nd Georgia Poyner

3rd Georgia Poyner

ATLANATS AT WORK

1st Georgia Poyner

2nd Robyn Wimbush

3rd Rose-Marie McMaster

Dear Atlanats,

I would like to say how grateful I am that everyone has contributed so much to the success of this first Atlas of Life competition. We live in a wonderful age where the advances in technology allow us to see far more of the wonders of the natural world than ever before. It is so good to be able to see all the detail of all the creatures around us, and so good to be able to share that joy.

I was of course deeply sad not even to get a Highly commended for any of my pictures, but seeing the quality of the entries I cannot be surprised and I vow to try harder for next year.

Thank you all, Libby Hepburn

HIGHLY COMMENDED

In no particular order:

It’s Mine - Peregrine - John Van Der Heul

Duet - Penny Beaver

Black Browed Albatross (Diomedea melanophrys) juvenile subspecies Southern Ocean - Penny Beaver

Seabird Study - Penny Beaver

Royal Spoonbills 1 - Penny Beaver

Under the Cap - Teresa van Der Heul

Hanging on Bellfrog - Steve Sass

Fairy Prion - Paul Whittock

Getting a closer look - Libby Hepburn

Little Tern - Leo Berzins

Sunfish - Georgia Poyner

Flower spider - Harrison Warne

Great Egret Landing - Leo Berzins

Forest Grump - Teresa van Der Heul

Pelicans Photographed at Dalmeny Lake, in front of my house, using a canon powershot SX50 - Georgia Poyner

Octopus 2 – eye study This octopus was photographed around Narooma boatramp - Georgia Poyner

Common Dolphin leaping in wake of Cat Balou - Liz Allen

Seal study 2, 5 - Georgia Poyner

Coming in to land (bee towards flower) Rose- Marie McMaster

Spiny spider – Long Swamp Bermagui(Gasteracantha minax) - Penny Beaver

Glossy Motion (Birds) - Doug Reckord

Sooty Oystercatcher - Leo Berzins

Southern Right whale - Georgia Poyner

Bow riding - Georgia Poyner

Prof Vic at work - Rose-Marie McMaster

Bara Trauma - Georgia Poyner

Buff-banded Rail - Leo Berzins

Pelican feet - Georgia Poyner

Eagle at Montague This white bellied sea eagle was photographed at Montague Island - Leo Berzins

Triplets - Leo Berzins These pelicans were photographed at Narooma Boardwalk, using a Canon Powershot D10

Morning snacks for Welcome Swallows on Tura Beach - Liz Allen

RED BROWED FIRETAIL - Steve Sass

Hunting Reef Heron 2 - Georgia Poyner

The death of a bronze wing A bronze wing - George Cresswell

Fungi - Liz Allen

Cuttlefish at Merimbula Wharf - Harrison Warne

Slime mold Lamproderma arcyrionema at maturity measured 2.0mm. - Teresa Van Der Heul

Dolphin Photographed off Narooma - Georgia Poyner

Bow riding Dolphins - Georgia Poyner

The Green & Golden Bell frog - Steve Sass

Buzzting with life (Grass Tree & insects) - Doug Reckord

Rainbow Lorikeet - Leo Berzins

Evasive Action - Paul Whittock

Eel 1 - Georgia Poyner

Storm Sooties - Stan Gorton

Shell death assemblage - Rose - Marie McMaster

White-faced Heron - Leo Berzins A White-faced Heron making an unsuccessful strike at a passing fish near the Bega River mouth at Mogareeka, just north of Tathra

You are kidding - Kookaburras - John Van Der Heul

Little Tern - Leo Berzins

Calamari - Chris Perrott

Violet sea snail - Rose - Marie McMaster

Arrested Motion - Paul Whittock

Sea stars at Green Cape - Liz Allen

Lace Monitor - Head study - John Van Der Heul

Seal studies 7, 8 - Georgia Poyner

BB small mammal - Rose -Marie McMaster

Eastern Snake-necked tortoise - Kerry Vance

Butterfly Buddlia - Rose - Marie McMaster

Lizard - this cheeky little critter - Chris Perrott

Leaf curling spider - Kerry Vance

Orchard butterfly - Kerry Vance

Unidentified hairy - Penny Beaver

Wattle I eat next - Gang Gang - Doug Reckord

Scarlet Honeyeater - Kerry Vance

Hermit Crab portrait (underwater) - Georgia Poyner

Walking on water - Albatross - Penny Beaver

Water Skink - Panboola - Steve Sass

Bob Diesbury's Beach - ???

Soldier Crab count - Rose- Marie McMaster

UFO's (underwater) - Roby Miller

Common Correa - Kerry Vance