Your Best Shot: October 2025 - The winners!
Your Best Shot is a photo competition open to Australian residents. There's a different theme every couple of months, and a selection of the winning shots will be published in AP mag and online.
Each issue, AP's Editor Mike O'Connor will choose six images to be published both in print and online, with both a winner and a runner-up selected. Our winner will also receive an amazing prize thanks to Think Tank.
You can find out all the details for entry and the themes for 2025 here.
Theme: Travel
Our winner: Flotilla by Danien Beets
Editor’s comment
Repetition can be a powerful technique in photography, and Danien Beets has used it to great effect in his winning shot Flotilla, taken in Vietnam earlier this year.
What stands out is not only the repeating lines of boats, but also the oars, lifejackets, the flags, the seats, and the hats worn by the boat people — all fantastic details that draw the viewer in and invite closer exploration.
Technical details
OM System OM-5, 14-150mm lens @ 36mm. 1/500s @ f9, ISO 200.
Highly commended
Editor’s comment
A strong photograph does more than record what is in front of the lens. It looks for details that add depth and meaning, and Alan Branch has achieved this with real skill in this image.
At first glance the focus is on the David vs Goliath struggle between two sumo wrestlers. Look a little closer, however, and the laughing spectator in the foreground becomes just as important.
Their presence shifts the tone, so we don’t just see the fight, but also spectacle and humour. Even out of focus, the spectator’s reaction enriches the scene and brings a great sense of fun.
Technical details
Olympus E-M5 MK II, Olympus 75-300mm lens @ 300mm. 1/160s @ f6.7, ISO 1250.
Special mentions
How I did it
After a 9-hour drive over rather rough roads I arrived at a small village called Trashigang in Eastern Bhutan. One of the many festivals that Bhutan is well known for was happening, and I was intrigued with the traditional musical instruments that were being played.
I climbed up near the stage to check out the instruments and happened to look down and see this young Bhutanese girl step out and take a selfie. The result is one of those once-in-a-lifetime shots showing modern technology in a traditional environment.
Technical details
Canon 5D Mark IV, EF 17-85mm f4-5.6 IS USM lens @ 44mm. 1/160s @ f6.3, ISO 200.
How I did it
The crush in front of the Mona Lisa at The Louvre, a bucket list item for many who visit Paris. Interestingly most of the museum was not like this with some galleries devoid of people.
Technical details
Canon 5D IV, Tamron 24-70mm f2.8 Di VC lens @ 24mm. 1/250s @ f2.8, ISO 1600.
How I did it
India is well-known for the Taj Mahal and the popularity of the game of cricket. I was beside myself when I noticed that I could capture an image of both icons in the one frame. It seems surreal that there are locals who have the Taj Mahal in the background of their everyday lives.
Technical details
Nikon Z9, Nikon 70-200mm f/2.8E lens (via Nikon FTZ adaptor) @ 122mm. 1/640s @ f11, ISO 2800.
How I did it
I took this shot on a trip to the UNESCO site of Tuloh in China, south-west of Fujian province, inland from the Taiwan Strait.
Technical details
Sony A1 Mark II, FE28-70mm f2 lens @ 28mm. 2.5s @ f4.5, ISO 100.