The Walkley Awards are the highest honour in Australian journalism, celebrating excellence across all media. Since 1956, when the first Walkleys were bestowed in five categories, the awards have grown to 30 categories, including documentary film and non-fiction books.
The Nikon-Walkley Awards for Excellence in Photojournalism recognise the work of photographers across a range of genres, from news and sport to portraiture and photographic essays. This exhibition lets us reflect on the year in news, through the individual worldviews and skilled lenses of Australia’s best photographers.
Some of these images are the work of a split second. Others took months of research and trust-building. Photographers interact with their subjects with perhaps more intimacy than storytellers in any other medium; they can move you with a single frame.
In selecting three finalists in each category, from more than 2000 images entered this year, the Nikon-Walkley judges looked for newsworthiness, impact, creativity and technical skill. This exhibition, showcasing the 2020 finalists, encompasses a range of subjects: From politicians to everyday folk, from our backyards to the furthest corners of the globe. Such is the power of photojournalism – in a still moment, the smallest story can be as compelling as the largest.
