1st place
gold star award
Jono Allen
australia 
Photo © Jono Allen
title
Deep Window
His work is driven by one motivation: to inspire positive action by facilitating meaningful connections with wildlife. He has gained extensive in field experience working with both terrestrial and marine megafauna across the world including; Kenya, Tonga, Mexico, Maldives, Indonesia, Azores, Fiji and the vibrant reefs of his ocean home in Australia.
Jono’s life took an unexpected turn when he helped rescued an entangled whale shark in the Maldives together with a local friend and diver. Shortly afterwards he co-founded the Fuvahmulah Marine Foundation to help address plastic pollution and wildlife entanglement on the island and has since also become the Media Director of the Miyaru Programme.With a deep love for non-intrusive forms of research and expeditions, he is both a passionate freedive instructor and scuba diver.
Jono’s work has been featured in world-class underwater photography competitions and publications.
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entry description
To look into the eye of a whale and feel it looking back will forever be my most precious ocean memory. I have always been drawn to cetaceans because of their innate curiosity that mirrors mine underwater. I am drawn to whales by mutual inquisitiveness, but I never expected to have such meaningful and powerful interactions with wildlife underwater. The power of these gentle giants beneath the waves will stay with me my whole life. This young sperm whale calf graced me with his gaze, coming in close and filling my entire frame with his inquiring eye. There was a recognisable joy and playfulness in the look he gave me. We shared a few moments more after I captured this image before he rolled slowly and swam to his mother.about the photographer
Jono is an Australian underwater photographer, freedive instructor, environmental scientist, marine megafauna guide and filmmaker dedicated to capturing powerful visuals to catalyse meaningful change for our oceans.His work is driven by one motivation: to inspire positive action by facilitating meaningful connections with wildlife. He has gained extensive in field experience working with both terrestrial and marine megafauna across the world including; Kenya, Tonga, Mexico, Maldives, Indonesia, Azores, Fiji and the vibrant reefs of his ocean home in Australia.
Jono’s life took an unexpected turn when he helped rescued an entangled whale shark in the Maldives together with a local friend and diver. Shortly afterwards he co-founded the Fuvahmulah Marine Foundation to help address plastic pollution and wildlife entanglement on the island and has since also become the Media Director of the Miyaru Programme.With a deep love for non-intrusive forms of research and expeditions, he is both a passionate freedive instructor and scuba diver.
Jono’s work has been featured in world-class underwater photography competitions and publications.
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