Sean Izzard is an icon of the Australian photography industry known for both his artistic vision and talent for storytelling. Sean’s experience, combined with technical expertise, allows him the ability to visualise and execute the most difficult of briefs. This unique skill set and versatility allow him to create realistic, authentic imagery despite the confines of logistical production constraints.

The Republic of Palau is a breathtakingly beautiful small-island group in the Western Pacific. In recent years, the country has seen massive growth in tourist numbers, with in excess of 160,000 guests annually — contextually, the population of the entire microstate was listed as 18,233 in 2022.

The Palau Legacy Project recognised that without urgent action, it would get to the point where it was too late to protect some of the most unique parts of the country. This series of work was created as part of the Palau Pledge and received the inaugural Sustainable Development Cannes Lions Grand Prix and a coveted Black pencil at D&AD.

"Shooting images for advertising is entirely different to other areas of photography, predominately because the work needs to convey a particular message. It's not simply about taking a photograph and grabbing a moment as you see it happen — this is a luxury not afforded to the advertising process. The challenge then becomes creating a photograph and making it look as if it has been spontaneously captured despite the meticulous planning that has gone into it."

"Personal projects allow me to explore new directions both in subject matter and technique. From the very basic of levels, it has been the form of practice that has honed my eye from the very beginning. To experiment and see what works or what doesn’t, and to allow the camera to be a natural extension of who I am and how I see." — interview w/ AtEdge