Mattia Panunzio's image of Olaf Brandt has been chosen as one of the 12 Editor's Picks of the Visual Story Photography Award.

'Olaf Brandt is a German 85-year-old retired Opal miner. He moved to Coober Pedy, South Australia in 1971 with his wife and they looked for opal every single day of their lives ever since. Nestled in the arid landscapes of South Australia. Coober Pedy is a unique and intriguing town renowned for its underground homes and opal mining operations. Often referred to as the "Opal Capital of the World", Coober Pedy's residents have embraced subterranean living to escape the harsh desert conditions. After his wife passed away, Olaf stopped any mining activity. He retired in Coober Pedy because "he found enough opal to live but not to retire in a city or move back to Germany". In this picture, he's portrayed in his dugout - a typical underground house of Coober Pedy. This room, in particular, was dug by Olaf with explosives.'

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