Justin is a conservation photojournalist from Australia. His work has appeared in BBC Wildlife magazine and National Geographic, and his images have been awarded seven times in the Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year.
- “I once worked at an elevation of more than 5,000m in Bolivia and it was very difficult to breathe, eat and sleep.”
- “The current was swirling in all directions and my buddy’s bubbles were heading downwards. Not a sight any diver wants to see...”
How did your career start?
I learned to dive aged 14 and started taking pictures underwater shortly afterwards. There were some easily accessible dive locations on the east coast of Australia where I grew up, with reefs and ledges adorned in a living veneer of macro and invertebrate life.
I instantly fell in love with its natural beauty, and the sense of exploration that comes from spending time underwater.
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Which of your images means the most to you, and why?
My image entitled A Diet of Deadly Plastic won ‘Oceans: The Bigger Category’ in the Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2024 competition.
It shows a record-breaking 403 pieces of plastic removed from the digestive tract of a flesh-footed shearwater. It is a horrible picture, but I’m grateful to have been able to communicate the story through the competition.
What’s been your most memorable encounter with marine wildlife?
A few years ago, I was photographing marine scientists transplanting kelp onto artificial reefs in the cold waters off south-east Tasmania. A field of spider crabs wandered through the experiment, pursued by a Maori octopus. It was totally unexpected and reinforced just how little we know about these reefs.
What draws you to the marine world?
I’m drawn through both scientific intrigue and artistic expression. I sought some advice from Roz Kidman Cox, who suggested that I need to let go of my inner scientist.
On reflection, this has been a constant conflict for me, but how wonderful to find a career in a space that inspires both an inner scientist and an inner artist.
Have you ever lost any gear to an ocean creature?
I’ve learned how to befriend an octopus. I keep still, present my hand and pretend not to look directly at it. It eventually can’t contain its own intrigue, and rolls out a tentacle to feel around, getting bolder and bolder. I nearly lost my dive watch and a glove while ‘holding hands’ with an octopus in this way.
- Squid vs octopus: what's the difference?
- Giant of the Pacific: diver has close encounter with world's biggest octopus
Any epic fails to share?
I have had too many to admit from the good old film days! There was something romantic about having just 24 or 36 exposures on a single dive. You had to be thoughtful about your subject, focus, exposure and composition, and that really influenced how I work today.
There were many times, however, when I rushed off to develop the film, only to find the pictures didn’t remotely reflect the magic I was expecting.
Which species would you love to photograph that you haven’t yet?
Giant kelp. The only place this species occurs in Australia is off southern Tasmania. These waters are warming faster than the global average, and giant kelp has declined by 95 per cent. I’d love to spend more time exploring these forests before they disappear.
What’s been your most rewarding photographic project?
Documenting the marine biodiversity in Sydney Harbour. I would drive through gridlocked traffic and battle to find somewhere to park, then would head into the water and be completely amazed by what I found – whether it was a seahorse using its tail to cling to swimming enclosure netting, a blenny living in a repurposed can of Coke, or a flowing stand of kelp at the foot of Sydney Harbour Bridge.
What piece of camera kit would you not be without?
A light-shaping device that I made from plumbing bits and pieces. It attaches to my underwater strobes and does an amazing job of taking the edge off light spillage.
Any tips for budding photographers?
It’s a cliché, but try and find a subject in your local area to become passionate about and expert in. Hone your photographic skills in your own backyard.
See Justin's work at justingilligan.com.
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