Our Jury
Isabel Díez
Photographer and Marine Biologist
Since her childhood, Isabel has maintained a dual relationship with nature: a rational one that arises from her curiosity about how life works, together with a spiritual connection that arises from her experiences in contact with it.
She was a member of the ‘Objective Pura Vida’ project carried out by the Embassy of Spain in Costa Rica to portray the extraordinary biodiversity of this country, and editor-in-chief of the magazine IRIS of the Spanish Association of Nature Photographers (Aefona) during the period 2011 – 2014.
Her work has been exhibited in numerous cities in Spain and she has participated in various exhibitions in other countries. Her photographs have been published in leading magazines in the sector and awarded in prestigious international competitions such as Nature’s Best Photography and GDT-EWPY.
Likewise, she has participated as the jury of internationally renowned member competitions such as Montphoto, Asferico and GDT-EWPY. She is the author of two photography books: Entre Mareas (2021) and Al Filo de las Mareas (2009).
ana Retamero
Biologist and photographer
Biologist who combines her work as a teacher in a Secondary Education Institute, with travel and nature photography. With her photography, she intends to show the beauty of the natural world to educate and promote knowledge of her and raise awareness of the great importance of its conservation.
She is attracted to all kinds of photographs of fauna and flora, although his photographic preferences are small-scale compositions, whether of plants, shapes in the sand, textures in ice or snow, and patiently waiting the necessary time for the light to show them at their best.
She was secretary of AEFONA and is also a member of the Sociedad Gaditana de Historia Natural.
In recent years she has obtained several prizes in national and international nature photography competitions (Fotocam, Montphoto, Memorial María Luisa, L’Oiseau, SEO, Ministry of the Environment of the Junta de Andalucía, Ecologists in action), the most important being the two first prizes in the Plants category of the competitions: “BBC-Photographer of the Year 2009” and “GDT- European Wildlife Photographer of the Year 2011”.
Britta Jaschinski
Photojournalist
Known for her unique style of photojournalism, Britta Jaschinski has won numerous international awards. When she is not traveling on a project, she will be participating in one of the photography festivals in Europe. Her investigative images and her multimedia programs on the illegal wildlife trade are striking and simultaneously beautiful and inspiring. Jaschinski’s work has been published by Geo, National Geographic, Stern, Spiegel, The Guardian, WWF Media, and many other magazines, newspapers, and books. Her highly collectible photos are displayed around the world.
Jaschinski is co-founder of Photographers Against Wildlife Crime ™, an international group of photographers who have come together to use their iconic images to help end the illegal wildlife trade.
Fran Nieto
Photographer
Photographer with a long career,
specialized in macro and landscape photography. He teaches workshops and courses throughout the Spanish geography, and is a regular speaker at photography conferences nationwide (in December 2019 we had the luxury of listening to him at the AEFONA Congress held in Asturias).
He is also the author of several technical photography books, the most recent one entitled “The Art of Revelation.”
His photographs have been awarded in more than 40 national and international competitions. He has served as a photographic expert for the Provincial Court of A Coruña.
Javier Murcia
Javier Murcia is a professional underwater photographer, and he lives in Spain’s Mediterranean coast. His work, as a naturalist and photographer, focuses on marine and freshwater fauna.
His photos have been published in various books on marine fauna, posters, calendars, posters and brochures of various ecological foundations, and have been and are exhibited in museums and exhibitions.
He has collaborated on several TV channels and is a member of Natural Portfolio. Author of several books, including the “Guide to the underwater flora and fauna of the Mar Menor”, “Life under the Mediterranean”, “An underwater journey through the port of Cartagena”, “”The Mar Menor: A magical lagoon”, “The green forest: Posidonia oceanica”, “Posidonia oceanica: meadows of life”.
He has collaborated in the book “The art of photographing nature”. He has received several photography awards in international competitions such as the GDT (European Wildlife Photographer of the Year), Montphoto, Aspherico, Fotocam, Nature photographer of the year, Navara, Fotonoja, Euronatur, Memorial Marialuisa, Nature best, Siena photo awards , Aefona, FIO, Photomontier, etc
Javier Alonso Torre
Nature photographer
Author of several books – among them “Photographing the Cantabrian Sea”. His love for the landscape is evident in each of his images, in which he tries – with legendary meticulousness – to capture the grandeur and beauty that surrounds us. And he succeeds: Javier is undoubtedly one of the best landscape photographers in our country today.
Javier combines his photographic work with that of teaching, and with communication; he belongs to the Portfolio Natural collective, edits the LNH magazine, and is responsible for the well-known cycle of video-interviews “In Front of the Photographer.” In addition, Javier has been working for more than 10 years organizing workshops and photography courses.
Alfonso Lario
Photographer and ornithologist
Photographer for more than 30 years, Alfonso focuses on nature issues. He is an ornithologist and scientific bird bander. He regularly collaborates in wildlife monitoring activities. He is also a professor of Natural Sciences and Environmental Education. All this allows his field work to have a clear reflection in the dissemination and awareness of nature conservation or by giving talks, workshops and photography courses and environmental training. Alfonso collaborates and has promoted the creation of various associations related to the conservation and study of Nature.
He is currently a member and coordinator of the AEFONA Ethics and Conservation and Youth commissions, technical advisor to MontPhoto and is an active part of the international Meet Your Neighbors project.
Javier puertas
Photographer
Javi Puertas carries out his professional activity in EUROPARC Spain, the main forum for managers of natural spaces in Spain.
He is also responsible for the Photography Classroom of Humanes de Madrid and organizes photographic activities and environmental awareness hand by hand with all types of administrations and entities, both public and private.
Javi is a member on the AEFONA Board, responsible for Ethics and Conservation.
Yanina Magiotto
Photographer and ornithologist
Degree in tourism and specialist in tourism and nature photography.
She was born in Argentina and moved to Spain 20 years ago, where she has lived since then in l ‘Albufera de Valencia with her family. Her passion for wildlife and nature has dragged her on from her childhood. For 10 years she has run her company Visit Natura www.visitnatura.com , specialized in bird and nature observation and photography based in Valencia.
As president of the Association of Birding Guides of the Valencia region since 2014, she works in the development and promotion of the birding CV product attending national and international fairs, and giving training courses for the tourism sector. She is also a member of the board of directors of the recent Spanish Association of Professional Nature Guides. She is passionate about birds, and actively collaborates in censuses and conservation projects.
Perdita Petzl
Photographer
Perdita Petzl lives near Vienna, Austria and is a professional nature photographer, workshop leader, author, speaker and jury member for international photo competitions.
Her main photographic focus lies on plant and insect photography. Perditas photos have been featured in numerous publications and received several international awards.
Through her work and driven by a strong love for nature, Perdita seeks to capture the fragile beauty of small worlds.
arturo de frías
Photographer, author, conservationist
Spanish photographer Arturo de Frias has focused on nature and wildlife images for more than 20 years. Deeply in love with polar and underwater photography, and currently secretary of the AEFONA Board and director of the photography competition AEFONA Photography for Conservation.
Arturo’s images have been published in dozens of national and international media, including National Geographic, and have received awards in various international competitions, including Montphoto, FotoFIO, Bird Photographer of the Year, International Photographer of the Year, and Fine Art Photography Awards.
Arturo has published six books on nature photography, which have sold thousands of copies, and whose entire proceeds go to his philanthropic project www.wildlifeforgood.com
Jo-Anne McArthur
Jo-Anne is an award-winning photojournalist, sought-after speaker, photo editor, and the founder of We Animals Media.
She has visited over sixty countries to document our complex relationship with animals. She is the author of three books: We Animals (2014), Captive (2017)
Jo-Anne’s photographs have received accolades from Wildlife Photographer of the Year, Nature Photographer of the Year, Big Picture, AEFONA, Picture of the Year International, the Global Peace Award, and others. Recently, Jo-Anne was thrilled to be a member of the World Press Photo and MontPhoto juries. She hails from Toronto, Canada.