Matt Deakin, a Broome-based professional drone photographer, won the 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year for “Ethereal Encounter,” an aerial photograph showing a critically endangered green sawfish gliding alongside a green turtle in the waters off the Pilbara region of Western Australia. It was his first-ever entry into the competition.

What’s actually in the photo

The image shows a green sawfish, a critically endangered species distinguished by its long, tooth-lined snout, swimming near a green turtle in shallow coastal water, captured from directly above as the light was fading. Deakin has described the moment itself as almost accidental: he was operating his drone roughly 2.5 kilometers away, with the battery alert already sounding, when the sawfish emerged from deeper water into frame. The resulting image is striking enough, and unusual enough, that Deakin says people frequently ask whether it’s AI-generated, a question he says isn’t an insult, since the animal and the moment genuinely don’t look real.

How it was actually taken

Deakin captured the photograph using a Hasselblad L2D-20c aerial camera mounted to a DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone, professional aerial photography equipment rather than a consumer setup, operating at long range over open water as light conditions were actively deteriorating. That combination, a rapidly fading battery, a long operating distance, and a fast-moving, unpredictable subject, is part of why the shot is being treated as a genuinely difficult technical capture rather than a simple, replicable setup.

Why the competition itself matters

The Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year is now in its 23rd year, owned and produced by the South Australian Museum, and drew 2,129 entries from 501 photographers across 17 countries this year, a genuinely competitive international field for what’s often assumed to be a primarily domestic Australian prize. Deakin’s win came with $10,000 and a Coral Expeditions cruise, and an exhibition of the 100 shortlisted images opened at the South Australian Museum on August 29, 2026.

The fact that viewers keep mistaking a real photograph for an AI generation isn’t a flaw in the image, it’s a measure of how rare the actual moment was. Deakin didn’t stage this; he happened to still be flying when it happened.

Why the green sawfish itself matters

Green sawfish are classified as critically endangered, with populations that have declined sharply across much of their historic range due to habitat loss and entanglement in fishing gear, their distinctive saw-like rostrum makes them especially prone to getting caught in nets. A clear, undisturbed image of one swimming naturally alongside another marine species carries real documentary value for conservation purposes, beyond the photograph’s aesthetic impact, since verified sightings of a critically endangered species behaving normally in the wild are inherently useful data points, not just striking images.

What people get wrong about this photo

It’s not AI-generated or digitally composited. Despite how frequently viewers ask, the image is a genuine aerial photograph captured with a real drone and camera system, verified through the competition’s judging process.

This wasn’t a planned, scripted shot. Deakin’s own account describes the sawfish appearing unexpectedly as his drone’s battery was already running low, meaning the photograph’s most striking element was essentially unplanned, not staged for the competition.

Winning on a first entry is notable but not unheard of in nature photography. A first-time entrant winning a major international nature photography competition is unusual, but it reflects how much these competitions reward being in the right place at the right moment with the right equipment ready, not necessarily a long competitive track record.

Frequently asked questions

What does the winning photo show?

A critically endangered green sawfish swimming alongside a green turtle, photographed from above by drone in the waters off the Pilbara region of Western Australia.

Is “Ethereal Encounter” an AI-generated image?

No. It’s a genuine aerial photograph captured with a Hasselblad L2D-20c camera mounted to a DJI Mavic 3 Pro drone, verified through the competition’s official judging process.

What did Matt Deakin win?

The 2026 Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year title, $10,000, and a Coral Expeditions cruise, on his first-ever entry into the competition.

How competitive is the Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year?

Very. The 2026 edition, its 23rd year, drew 2,129 entries from 501 photographers across 17 countries.

For more on how photographers capture and document rare species, see Talmyn’s Science & Nature desk.