National Photographic Portrait Prize

From an outstanding field of more than 3,000 entries, culminating in a shortlist of 39 exceptional finalists, the Winner and Highly Commended entries for this year’s National Photographic Portrait Prize have been named. The Winner for 2019 is Alana Holmberg for her portrait titled Greta in her Kitchen, 36 weeks. The Highly Commended  has been awarded to Alex Vaughan for her portrait Sumbawa pride – life on a boat with eleven kids. The People Choice Award went to Kate Atkinson for her portrait, The textile scientist.

The National Photographic Portrait Prize is an annual event intended to promote the very best in contemporary photographic portraiture by both professional and aspiring Australian photographers.

Stephen Dupont, 2018 by Simon Harsent.
Stephen Dupont, 2018 by Simon Harsent. Finalist.  "I first met Stephen Dupont eight years ago; I regard him as one of Australia’s finest photographers. I’ve always found Stephen a very humble and passionate person – sometimes aloof, but in an intriguing way. When I saw his one-man show a few years ago, I saw a different side of him, and it gave me some insight, some partial understanding of the complexities of being a war photographer. To me, this portrait sums up the complex intensity of Stephen. Coincidentally, the sitting took place on September 11th this year (2018), a date in history that holds significance for both of us."

Other venues

Blue Mountains Cultural Centre: Saturday 25th January until Sunday 22nd March 2020.

Upcoming Events Submit an Event

July

Sydney: Until 31 Dec 2025. PIX, Australia’s first pictorial news weekly, is brought to life in this exhibition, showcasing its archived images and stories for the very first time.

September

Melbourne: until 9 November. Man Ray and Max Dupain is the first major Australian exhibition to consider these two influential 20th century photographers side by side.

Canberra: 11 – 23 November. Step into the heart of Canberra through the eyes of local photographers. Essence of Canberra marks 80 years of creativity, community, and the unique perspectives of Canberra Photographic Society (CPS) members.

Melbourne: 13 September – 9 November 2025. Featuring selected finalists for the 2025 William & Winifred Bowness Photography Prize.

November

Sydney: 7–30 November. The festival transforms Sydney into a photography haven with major exhibitions at Bondi Pavilion Gallery and outdoor displays throughout Paddington Reservoir Gardens and along Bondi Beach.

Sydney: 13 Nov – 20 Nov. Mushroom Ocean is an exhibition of culinary mushroom photos by Kate Ireland running as part of the Head On Photo Festival Open Program.

Sydney: 17 Nov – 23 Nov 2025. This collection of photographs offers a glimpse into the lives of the community of Varanasi, capturing the spirit of its people and the beauty often found in ordinary moments.