Award winning Cook Islands photographer Charlotte Piho has been recognised again for her stunning wildlife photography.

At the New Zealand Geographic Photography Awards, she won the Electric Kiwi Wildlife award for her photo of a turtle blowing bubbles.

She also won the People’s Choice award, which was voted on by over 25,000 people across New Zealand. There were over 8000 entries for this award.

Piho said that she was humbled and amazed to win the awards, especially since she arrived at the awards ceremony just in time.

“Literally got off the plane from the Cook Islands with my partner Joshua Utanga and walked into a crowded room filled with many of New Zealand’s top photo journalists and press photographers,” she said.

“Applauding me as my name had just been announced as the winner of the NZ photographer of the year wildlife category was quite emotional.”

Piho said that it is truly rewarding to be recognised for her hard work and passion for wildlife photography.

She is also proud that her photo has helped to celebrate and admire one of the Cook Islands’ special turtle friends.

For the New Zealand People’s Choice award, Piho said that she was completely unexpected.

“I would have been blown away just placing,” she said. “It’s super cool how one moment I had with Aria, the turtle, that blew me away and I shared went viral globally. Love too that she now does this regularly and guests on our family-owned turtle tour get to experience this in real life.”