Herald photographer Max Mason-Hubers wins Nikon-Walkley prize

NEWCASTLE Herald photographer Max Mason-Hubers has claimed a prestigious Walkley prize for regional photography.

Mason-Hubers was named winner of the Nikon-Walkley Community/Regional Prize on Thursday night in a ceremony held simultaneously in both Melbourne and Sydney.

Photographers can enter up to five images in the category to represent work done outside Australia's capital cities.

DESPERATION: James Farrell, James Worsfold and Michael Worsfold ferrying water to battle a bushfire threatening their property at Salt Ash in November last year. It is one of the five images in Max Mason-Hubers' winning entry.

The judges praised Mason-Hubers' skill, storytelling and consistency of editing.

"Demonstrating the intimacy and trust a regional photographer can build with his community, Max Mason-Hubers' body of work shows a range of subjects portrayed in different ways," they said.

"From a news action shot to a stunning portrait, these five images represent highlights from Mason-Hubers' past twelve months in Newcastle."

DETERMINATION: Neema M'maalo was beginning a University of Newcastle degree after she was born in a Tanzania refugee camp before her family arrived in Australia.

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