Queensland photographers have cleaned up in one of the world's largest print photography awards, with a Brisbane snapper receiving recognition for a collection close to his heart. 

Six Queenslanders won awards at the Australian Professional Photography Awards (APPA) in Melbourne on August 31, including Brisbane-based Jannick Clausen who took home the title of Australia's top professional landscape photographer.

"I was ecstatic," Mr Clausen said.

"It's pretty much everybody's dream when you enter into awards like that, so I'm very happy."

The winning collection was taken during Mr Clausen's trip to Denmark in March with his mother to visit his father, who had been diagnosed with cancer.

Sadly Mr Clausen's father, who was a keen photographer himself and also inspired his son to take up the profession, died while his family was in the country.

"I was glad to be there, it would have been worse to have been on the other side of the world," Mr Clausen said.

In addition to his father's inspiration, Mr Clausen took photography as a major in high school and has been taking pictures for about 25 years.

"I have always been drawn to patterns in nature and getting out into the wild," he said.

"I like simplicity in my images and the patterns in nature which help to tell a story."

Mr Clausen said the award had put his name out there and he hoped it would open more doors for him.

"I'm hoping to bring out more work  .... maybe do some photography tours and gallery exhibitions," he said.

The Australian Institute of Professional Photography is the country's largest photographic membership body and has run the awards annually for 40 years.

In addition to Mr Clausen, Cairns photographer Peter Rossi's image received the highest score in the entire competition and earned him the title of the country's top portrait photographer for 2016.

Want more stories like this? Follow our Facebook feed.