Another accolade has recently come the way of Penola-born photographer Kat Geraghty.


The 2024 Walkley Photography judges said her photo in The Sydney Morning Herald of Palestinian mourners being stopped by an Israeli official at the Al Aqsa Mosque felt so emblematic of a frozen moment in the stand-off between two states, it had to be their Nikon Photo of the Year.


“No single image can capture the nuance of an entire story, but it can encapsulate in a moment a more complex story or issue,” the judges said.


“Ms Geraghty anticipated the moment, bearing witness with technical skill, exemplary composition and empathy.


“Even though this was a temporary impasse, and the funeral procession moved on, this moment indicates the stalemate of the past year’s 


conflict.”


Raised on her family’s farm at Coonawarra, the 53-year-old has won dozens of awards since her professional career began in 1997.


She has already won five Walkley Awards and has been nominated for a sixth in the “news photography” category.


The winners will be announced next month.