New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year Announced

New Zealand Geographic Photographer of the Year Announced

Shaun Jeffers, has won the Landscape category at the New Zealand Geographic, Photographer of the Year awards for his stunning shot of the glowworms at the Waitomo Glowworm Caves!

The photo was taken in the deepest point of the Ruakuri Cave, which is lit entirely by glowworms, showing the limestone textures of the cave walls and the threads used to catch their prey. To reach the sump involved a 35-meter abseil and several dives through underwater passages, then Shaun had to set up his gear in pitch-black, chest-deep water, for a six-minute exposure.

Shaun said he was honoured to receive the award: "Absolutely honoured to receive such a prestigious award - all those long hours spent deep underground in the pitch black has paid off and I couldn't be happier! Shooting in Waitomo Glowworm Caves is without a doubt my most challenging photography to date and to have my images recognised by NZ Geographic is absolutely amazing. I can’t wait to get back down and shoot some more,” says Shaun.

You can check out Shaun's winning image, along with the other winners images here. In addition, Here is a selection of Shaun's other shots from Waitomo. Credit: Waitomo and Shaun Jeffers.

Shaun Jeffers, has received considerable attention for his photography work within the Waitomo Glowworm Caves, a project that took an entire year inside the Waitomo Glowworm to shoot. Shaun’s photos have been shared on Buzzfeed, Daily Mail, Huffington Post, along with a number of local and international news outlets.

Considerable logistical planning is required to photograph the caves, given its delicate nature and the need to respect the cultural links with Tangata Whenua. Permission to do so is only granted on very special occasions and is normally reserved for professional photographers.

Ruakuri Cave can be visited by the public, for more information on this cave and others, head to www.waitomo.com

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