WINNERS GALLERY

"Port Jackson sharks congregate in Jervis Bay during winter and spring in order to breed," says photographer Vanessa Mignon. "I had tried several times to photograph a shark over the kelp but never got the right conditions - until the weather was perfect. I saw several sharks but most of them were quite deep or resting on the sand or under rocks. The water was cold and after 45 minutes I started shivering. But I persisted. Eventually this shark swam slowly on top of the kelp, possibly looking for a mate, a place to lay an egg, or a place to rest."