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HeadOn_1350x750_JoeWigdahl.jpg

Closeup of girl's face with many hands holding or framing it.

Family loss. Photo © Joe Wigdahl, winner of the Head On Portrait Prize 2014

Head On Portrait Prize 2015

Now in its 12th year, the Head On Portrait Prize is one of Australia’s most critically acclaimed photographic portrait competitions.

See the works of the 40 finalists, including the three winners of this internationally renowned photography competition, representing a vibrant and diverse cross-section of new and traditional photographic practices. This year we will also feature the finalists of the inaugural Head On Student Prize, which showcases amazing photography by Australian school students.

Sydney Living Museums is pleased to present this photography exhibition in partnership with the Head On Photo Festival.

Visit the Head On Photo Festival website for further information.

Play Video

2 May 2015 - 8 June 2015

In partnership with

Black and white photo of elderly couple smiling at the camera. The man wears a black suite with pork pie hat and the lady wears a black jumper under a polka-dot shirt — Linda Wachtel: Adolek and Marysia, from the series We Are Here

Black and white photo of three tattoo covered men in the back of a vintage car. One is smoking a cigar. — Jonathan May: Angel, Sinner and Lazz

Stylised photo, mid shot of man in suit and white hat with sunbeams peaking through the trees — Glyn Patrick: JOHN

Styled in the manner of an impressionist painting, a young woman with red lipstick, black jacket and pale blue skirt stands behind a bar — Ben Scott: Girl at the bar

Woman with Asian heritage covered in white paint on white background — Nicola Bernadi: [White]

Indigenous man with full beard and hair tied back with red band, holds his hand over his right eye — Richard Hedger: Jack Charles

Photograph of reflection of photographer in window and in mirror in room beyond window. — Anna Fenech Harris: Self Portrait

Black and white closeup portrait of man with hand on side of face. — Nicolas Walker: Gurrumul

Photograph of young girl wearing simple white top, with orange-red hair combed down and wrapped around neck as ornament. — Nicole Wells: Untitled

Man in blue uniform with yellow cleaning equipment and plastic bags. — Sean Fennessy: Peter

Three people on bed, central figure is boy jumping with light focused on him, with girl (left) and woman (right) looking on. — Stephen Corey: Lift Off

Head On is simply too big and too popular to be ignored. It attests to an overwhelming public interest in photography as the democratic art form of our age, and confirms Sydney’s status as the event capital of Australia.

John McDonald, The Sydney Morning Herald, 31 May 2014