The winning image, “Walk to Freedom”, shows WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange raising his fist upon arriving at Canberra Airport on 26 June 2024, after pleading guilty in a U.S. court to a single count of conspiracy to obtain and disseminate national defence information. Gray waited for several hours in freezing conditions before Assange landed and crossed the tarmac. Due to the low light and the distance from the subject, Gray had to push his camera to its limits. “It was never even definite that we would see the arrival of Julian Assange at Canberra Airport, let alone be able to capture an image of him”, said Gray. The Sydney-based photojournalist was also nominated in the Sport category for “Light, Shadows, Action at the Australian Open”, which captures France’s Adrian
