The winners of Head On photography awards were recently announced at the official opening of the month-long Head On Photo Festival at Sydney’s Lower Town Hall.
Winner of the Head On Portrait prize was Molly Harris, with an emotive image of transgender Air Force pilot, Sandra, born as John, shaving as she gets ready for the Anzac Day parade. Harris won the Student category of Australia’s Top Emerging Photographer competition in 2014, and her winning image featured in Capture magazine’s The Annual, which showcases the best photography of the year.
The Landscape prize was won by Alfonso Perez for an image depicting Indonesia’s disparity. In it, Jakarta’s largest cemetery, lush with grass, provides a banquet for a shepherd’s flock of sheep, while the city’s tallest ultra-modern building stands monolithic in the background. The Mobile category was won by Laki Sideris, for a sedate, high-contrast black and white image from his mother‘s funeral: an image he cannot remember taking.
Competition results
Portrait Prize
First place - Molly Harris, Being Sandra
Second place - Glynn Patrick, JOHN
Third place - Samantha Everton, Sawat
Landscape Prize
First place - Alfonso Perez, Urban landscape. Central Jakarta, Indonesia
Second place - Murray Fredericks, Salt 400
Third place - Andrew Lance, Bruce Ridge
Landscape NSW Award
Catherine Cloran, Construction
Mobile Prize
First place - Laki Sideris, Life
Second place - Andrew Quilty, Kobani
Third place - Justin Vague, Dive Dayclub, Southern California
Student Prize
First place - Paul Philpott, Shattered Euphoria
Second place - Ella Rynehart, Suffocating thoughts
Third place - Hannah Kelly, Alex
Moving Image Prize
First place - Dan Gray, Stereotypes - What are you listening to?
Second place - Yoong Wah Wong, Realm of Forms
Third place - Paul Mosig, Jack
About Head On
Head On is Australia's largest photo festival, and the world's second largest, and boasts a bustling satellite program of talks, hands-on workshops and exhibitions. Photographers submitted works covering every known field of photography, from photojournalism to fine art to reportage to commercial.
More than 4,000 entrants vied for over $50,000 worth of prizes across the five categories: Portrait, Landscape, Mobile, Student and Moving Image.
New work from 'Salt Series' (2003-2014), this work was produced in 2014. Every year, Fredericks takes a solo pilgrimage to the heart of Lake Eyre – a completely desolate and unforgiving habitat. The cruel environment enables Fredericks to explore the subject of infinity and pure space. His award-winning work has been the subject of documentaries, Salt and Nothing on Earth.