About Jake
Jake Wilton is a professional photographer specialising in underwater, wildlife, and travel imagery. Based on the Mid North Coast of New South Wales, Jake’s journey into photography was born from a deep connection with the ocean. His passion for the underwater world began while learning to dive at the iconic Fish Rock Cave — one of Australia’s premier dive sites — where he later worked as a dive guide from 2009 to 2015. Guiding divers through the cave system gave him countless close encounters with grey nurse sharks, rays, and vibrant marine life, experiences that sparked both curiosity and creativity.
In 2016, Jake relocated to Western Australia’s Ningaloo Reef, a World Heritage-listed marine sanctuary renowned for its whale sharks, manta rays, and coral lagoons. Immersed in this extraordinary ecosystem, Jake sharpened his eye for storytelling through the lens. What began as a personal pursuit of documenting the underwater world soon evolved into a professional career, and by 2019, he had transitioned into full-time photography.
Since then, Jake has built a diverse portfolio spanning dramatic underwater ecosystems, wildlife encounters on land and at sea, and travel stories that highlight the intersection of people and nature. He has collaborated with leading tourism organisations, luxury resorts, and private yacht operators, creating compelling imagery that brings destinations and experiences to life.
Jake’s work has been widely published in both print and digital outlets, with features in Australian Geographic, Dive Mag UK, Oceanographic Magazine, EZ Dive, Scuba Diving Magazine, and Ocean Geographic. His images have also gained recognition in some of the world’s most prestigious photography competitions, including Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year, the Ocean Photography Awards, Underwater Awards Australasia, the Australian Photography Awards, and Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year.
Jake is a Nikon Australia creator and ambassador whose photography is guided by a deep respect for the natural world and a wish to share its stories. Whether free-diving beside whale sharks, exploring coral reefs on scuba, or wandering through the Australian bush, he seeks to capture fleeting moments that reveal the wonders and beauty of our planet.
At the heart of Jake’s photography lies a mission: to inspire conservation and a deeper appreciation for the fragile beauty of our planet. Through his imagery, he seeks to bridge the gap between humans and the wild, encouraging viewers to connect with nature and protect the ecosystems that sustain life.
“ As a Nikon Australia Z Creator, I’ve had the pleasure of working with Jake for the past few years. Jake is a true professional and always goes above and beyond in delivering for us on various projects. He’s awesome to deal with and his output is exceptional… to this day, his images continue to blow me away!”
- Sarah Trethewy, Nikon Australia
AWARDS
20251st Place - Underwater Awards Australasia (Portfolio)
1st Place - Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year (Humans & Ocean)
2nd Place - Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year (Animal Behaviour)
Honourable Mention - Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year (Humans & Ocean)
Honourable Mention - Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year (Creative Vision)
Shortlisted - Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year (Animals In Nature)
Shortlisted - Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year (Our Impact)
Shortlisted - Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year (Threatened Species)
Finalist - Wildlife Photographer of the Year
20241st Place - Australia Photography Awards (Nature)
Finalist - Ocean Photography Awards (Wildlife)
Finalist - Australia Zoo Crikey Competition (Natural World)
Shortlisted - Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year (Behaviour)
Finalist - Wildlife Photographer of the year
2023 1st Place - Australia Zoo Crikey Photo Competition (The Natural World)
Shortlisted - Birdlife Australia Photo Awards (Behaviour)
Finalist - Wildlife Photographer of the year (Mammals Behaviour)
Finalist - Close Up Photography Awards (Underwater)
20221st Place - Australian Geographic Nature Photographer of the Year (Threatened Species)
1st Place - Australia Zoo Crikey Magazine Competition (The Natural World)
1st Place - Underwater Tour Awards Overall Grand Guru Award
1st Place - Underwater Tour Awards (Characters)
3rd Place - Ocean Photography Awards (Portfolio)
Highly Commended + Finalist - Australia Zoo Crikey Magazine Competition (Crikey Magazine Cover)
Finalist - Natural History Museum Wildlife Photographer of the Year (Underwater)
20211st Place - Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year (Emerging Photographer of the Year)
Finalist - Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year (Portrait, Human & Ocean)
Finalist - Australian Photography Awards (wildlife)
Honourable Mention - International Photography Awards (Nature Underwater, Nature Aerial)
Highly Commended - Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographer Awards (Monochrome, Single Shot)
Finalist - Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographer Awards (Animal)
Finalist - WA Land of Opportunity
2020Finalist - Australian Photography Awards (Nature)
1st Place - Wander Out Yonder WA
Finalist - Ocean Geographic Pictures of the Year (Emerging)
Finalist - Birdlife Oz (Portrait)
2019Highly Commended - Australian Photographer of the Year (Monochrome)
Print Store
PROUDLY SUPPORTED BY
Nikon Australia & Aquatica Digital
