Jake Wilton

Thrilled to announce my image “One In A Million” has been crowned the winner of the Animal category in this year’s @photocollective_au Australian Photography Awards. The image is a reflection shot of an incredibly rare leucistic green sea turtle hatchling and was captured on the @nikonaustralia Z8 camera. The image was taken in a remote corner of Papua New Guinea while doing some conservation photography for the incredible @cici_png_ which has turned formers poachers into conservation rangers that now protects a large number of turtles and their nests. The initiative is run completely on donations so if you would like to help out in anyway reach out to the @cici_png_ page to help them with their amazing work which protects our migrating Great Barrier Reef turtles and their babies. Thanks to everyone for all of your love and support 🙏🙌 #nikonaustralia #mynikonlife #seaturtle #australianphotographyawards #underwaterphotography

A Cassowary foraging for fruits in the Daintree National Park. Shooting with @nikonaustralia #nikonaustralia #nikoncreators #mynikonlife #z8 #cassowary #rainforest #birdlifeoz #birds #birdphotography #thisisqueensland #exploretnq #ausgeo

One of my favourite moments from my recent trip to the Maldives. I sat with this school of fish for hours over multiple days hoping to capture a manta swimming through them while feeding. It’s always a risk taking a punt on somewhere else but when it works it pays of handsomely! Staying and Diving with @reethibeachresort and @oceanfanaticsreethibeach Shooting with @nikonaustralia & @aquaticadigital #mantaray #hanifarubay #maldives #manta #underwaterphotography #underwaterlife #diving #divinglife #nikonaustralia #mynikonlife #nikonasia #nikoncreators

Curious lemon shark on the Ningaloo Reef. #sharks #sharkdiving #ningalooreef #underwaterphotography

One of the most elusive and most difficult animals to find in the Daintree Rainforest, the Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo. After researching and talking to locals, nature photographers, guides and researchers I learned that finding a Bennett’s Tree Kangaroo was going to be a herculean task. Somehow @hollyrichmond_ and I managed to find one late at night deep in the forest. When it comes to finding animals it’s all about giving yourself the time and having the patience to push through until you find it. Eventually you will but it depends on how long you a willing to persevere. Research their behaviours, their diets, their habitats, their highest density populations, previous sightings, talk to as many people as you can and then strap in for the roller coaster of disappointment and excitement that is wildlife observation. Sometimes it takes years and sometimes it takes minutes. You never know what is going to happen. #treekangaroo #kangaroo #naturephotography #daintree #ausgeo

Underwater dinosaur ~ Loggerhead Turtle #loggerhead #turtle #underwater #underwaterphotography #seaturtles

Have you ever wondered why it is called the “Southern” cassowary? It is because even though it lives in Far North Queensland it is actually the southern most cassowary species. There are other species found throughout New Guinea to the North of Australia. For most of history Australia and New Guinea were one land mass until the end of the last ice age saw sea levels rise around 150m separating the two. Pockets of Northern Australia such as the Daintree and Iron Range more closely resemble New Guinea rather than the classic Australian bush. Shooting with @nikonaustralia #cassowary #rainforest #daintree #ausgeo #nikonaustralia

We loved having a chat with @jakewiltonphoto while he’s exploring the world with cameras in hand and lots of dreams. Thank you Jake for taking the time to share your thoughts about the GCPA; your recommendations are spot on! 🙏🏻🏆 @jakewiltonphoto advise for everyone entering is: “Be yourself. There are generally many entries into photography competitions so aim to be unique to stand out from the crowd. We are looking for imagery that both captures and showcases the beauty of the natural world along the Gold Coast and what makes it so special”. Have you submitted your Underwater and Nature & Wildlife photos? We are exciting seeing the submission coming in and our dream is to have every Gold Coast lover to give it a crack and share their perspective on how they see and live our city! If you know someone that froth with a camera and that includes ANY camera, we want to see their work. Please tag them! 🙏🏻🙂 #goldcoast #photocompetition #photography #gcphotoawards #gcphotographyawards #australia #experiencegoldcoast #queensland #GCPA2025

Grey Nurse Sharks inside the opening of Fish Rock Cave. Diving with @southwestrocksdive #greynurseshark #fishrockcave #sharkdiving #visitnsw #ausgeo

It’s not often you get to see spotted quolls in the daytime. This curious female investigated our campsite for over half an hour while camping in the NSW high country. #quoll #australianwildlife #ausgeo #nikonaustralia #marsupial

Leopard Sharks on the Ningaloo #leopardshark #sharks #ningaloo #sharkdiving

The Honey Possums are the world’s only nectar exclusive feeding marsupials and one of the smallest in the world! Shooting with @nikonaustralia #naturephotography #nikonaustralia #australiassouthwest #australianwildlife #ausgeo