Sue Flood Awarded OBE for Services to Photography, Science and Conservation

A sincere congratulations to business partner Sue who has been awarded an OBE in recognition of her outstanding contribution to photography, conservation and public engagement with the natural world in the King's New Years honours list for 2026.

On the Amundsen Sea - Rick Guest

Sue is a renowned wildlife photographer, filmmaker, author and explorer whose career spans more than three decades. She began her career at the BBC Natural History Unit, where she spent 11 years working on landmark series including The Blue Planet and Planet Earth. During this time, she developed a distinctive approach to visual storytelling in some of the world’s most extreme environments. She has since become one of the UK’s foremost polar photographers, with a particular focus on the Arctic and Antarctic.

Her work has been published internationally by outlets including National Geographic, BBC Wildlife, Geo and The New York Times, and exhibited around the world. She is the author of two acclaimed books, Cold Places and Emperor: The Perfect Penguin, the latter featuring a foreword by Michael Palin and receiving runner-up in the Nature category of the International Photography Awards. Her many honours include the Royal Photographic Society’s Silver Medal, awards from Travel Photographer of the Year and International Photographer of the Year, and recognition in the Royal Photographic Society’s Science Photographer of the Year (Climate) category. In 2024, her photograph Icy Repose was shortlisted for the Wildlife Photographer of the Year People’s Choice Award.

Sue’s work is grounded in extensive first-hand field experience. She has completed over 100 expeditions to the Arctic and Antarctic, often working in extreme conditions and alongside scientists and Indigenous communities. Her imagery has supported conservation initiatives, including campaigns for marine protected areas in the Weddell Sea, and has featured on official British Antarctic Territory postage stamps.

Alongside her creative work, Sue is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, the Royal Photographic Society and The Explorers Club, and an Honorary Fellow of the North American Nature Photography Association. She is also an ambassador for Julian Lennon’s White Feather Foundation and a committed advocate for the next generation of environmental storytellers, regularly speaking at schools, universities and public events.

In response to the honour, Sue has expressed her sincere gratitude, emphasising that the award reflects the collective efforts of the many people and communities she has worked with, and her hope that it will help draw continued attention to the protection of the polar regions.