Andrew Quilty image named 2016 Nikon-Walkley Photo of the Year

18 October 2016

Andrew Quilty's 'The Man on the Operating Table' has been named 2016 Nikon-Walkley Photo of the Year.

Photographed inside the Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) Kunduz Trauma Center in Afghanistan on October 3, 2015, the image shows the tragic aftermath of an attack by an American AC-130 gunship on the hospital in which 42 were killed, including MSF staff, patients and patient carers.

Foreign Policy, “Man on the Operating Table”. A patient, later identified as 43-year-old husband and father of four Baynazar Mohammad Nazar, lies dead on the operating table inside the Médecins Sans Frontières Kunduz Trauma Center in Afghanistan, following the October 3 attack by an American AC-130 gunship which killed 42 people, including staff, patients and patient carers. Photo: Andrew Quilty (2016 Nikon-Walkley Photo of the Year.)

“The body of the man on the operating table had been the only one among the human remains in the trauma centre that was still somewhat visibly identifiable," said Quilty.

"And when I first saw him, this man had been lying dead on that operating table for a week as the fighting continued to rage across the city. It would be four more weeks before I’d learn his name.”

Other photographers recognised in the 2016 awards were Brian Cassey from News Corp (Nikon-Walkley Portrait Prize) and Marc McCormack from The Cairns Post (Nikon-Walkley Community/Regional Prize).

Beaten refugee. Iraqi asylum seeker Abdullatif Almoftaji stares through the wire of a police cell in the town of Lorengau on Manus Island in Papua New Guinea. Abdullatif was 17 years old when he was detained trying to enter Australia three years ago. Photo Brian Cassey, News Corp Australia. (2016 Nikon-Walkley Portrait Prize.)

Along with these awards, 12 finalists have been named in four photographic categories (below). Winners will be announced at the 61st Annual Walkley Awards ceremony on 2 December 2016.

Nikon-Walkley Press Photographer of the Year
Alex Coppel, Herald Sun
Jason Edwards, Herald Sun
Andrew Quilty, Foreign Policy, The Washington Post, TIME Lightbox and SBS.com.au

News Photography
Annette Dew, News Corp Australia, “Close your eyes, I love you”
Jake Nowakowski, Herald Sun, “Moomba Gang Riot”
Andrew Quilty, Foreign Policy, “The Man on The Operating Table”

Feature/Photographic Essay
Danella Bevis, The West Australian, “The Day After”
Eddie Jim, Good Weekend Magazine, Fairfax Media, “Standing Tall”
David Maurice Smith, Guardian Australia, Sydney Morning Herald, The Globe and Mail and Mother Jones Magazine, “Refugee Crisis in the Balkans

Sport Photography
Scott Barbour, Getty Images, “Peak of the Action”
Eddie Jim, The Age, Fairfax Media, “Champagne Shower”
Cameron Spencer, Getty Images, “The Defining Moment”

Now entering its 61st year, the Walkley Awards are the highest recognition for journalists working in the Australian media.

Let’s “Tango”. Japanese-Australian artist Hiromi Tango becomes a part of a vast tree sculpture. The installation Art Magic: The Climbing Tree was created by Tango and more than 1000 people over six months at the Cairns Regional Gallery, using kilometres of brightly coloured material and with the rainforest as inspiration. Photo: Marc McCormack, The Cairns Post. (2016 Nikon-Walkley Community/Regional Prize.)