University of Wollongong Biology Lecturer Damien Esqueeré has won the British Ecological Society’s annual photography competition.
Dr Esquerré’s research combines genetics with ecology and evolutionary biology, with a specific focus on reptiles so it seems appropriate that the photo that won him the 2024 ‘Capturing Ecology’ Photography competition was a of a bearded dragon baking in the Canberra sun.
The Dragon and the Sun by Damien Esqueeré
Dr Esquerré said in a University of Wollongong press release, that he took the photo on a normal day in Canberra and didn’t ever imagine it could be this successful.
“This was just a regular casual bushwalk in the beginning of summer in Canberra. I was showing an American colleague around the area and spotting local reptiles,” Dr Esquerré said.
2024 was the first year the competition was open to everyone, with the aim of making it more accessible. This resulted in this year’s photographers being made up of international ecologists, photographers and students from 23 countries across six continents, with the 2024 submissions truly celebrating the diversity of ecology around the world.
Dr Esquerré said that he has had a love for biology and photography since he was a child.
“I have always, ever since I was little, been obsessed with nature and animals and particularly the crawly things, like lizards, snakes and spiders. It was a very natural path for me. I was always going to take the steps towards becoming a biologist,” Dr Esquerré said.
“Growing up in Chile, after I finished high school, I started doing yearly expeditions to the Amazon and I really got into photography then.”
Professor Bridget Emmett, President of the British Ecological Society, in the BES press release for the competition said that the diversity of submissions is what the competition aims to celebrate.
“The British Ecological Society is a truly global community, so it brings me great joy to see ecosystems from across the world celebrated in this year’s Capturing Ecology,” Ms Emmett said.
Meg Griffiths, Conservation Officer at Plantlife and Competition Judge said that the competition aims to show the importance of these organisms in our ecosystems.
“These groups are the foundation of life, and by shining a light on them through photography, we not only celebrate their beauty but also raise awareness of how integral these organisms are to people and planet,” Ms Griffiths said.
The subject of Dr Esqueeré’s winning photo, the bearded dragon (Pogona barbata), is a relatively common species in Australia, but Dr Esqueeré’s photograph shines light on the true beauty of the Australian ecological landscape, one that is often taken for granted.
