About Portrait Prize

Head On is the nation's major innovative showcase for Australian portrait photography, reflecting a vibrant, diverse cross-section of new and traditional photographic practices.

The show's main selection criteria are the quality and impact of the image, rather than the celebrity of the Mark Rogersphotographer or subject. As a result Head On is regarded by the arts community and reviewers as the most critically important photographic portrait prize in the country.

Head On, was founded by Moshe Rosenzveig in 2004 as an independent national photographic portrait competition. Since then it has undergone exponential growth and now operates as a public non-profit company.

Sydney based, it travels to arts hubs in other Australian regions and has an online virtual exhibition presence year round. It is exhibited at the Australian Centre for Photography around May each year. It was part of Daylesford Biennale in 2007 and Vivid Photography Festival in Canberra in 2008 and was exhibited in Melbourne in 2009.

The 2009 winners were: 
Katerina Mantelos for her image ‘Athina, 98 years of life’, Vincent Long for his image ‘Generation Y’ and Janyon Boschoff for his image ‘Urban Camouflage’. The ‘Critic’s Choice’ went to Gary Heery for his image of Kate Blanchett. David Kelly received a Special Mention for his Image ‘Ursula’.

Past winners of Head On were: Greg Weight Stephen Dupont, Anthony Browell, Patricia Casey, Sally McInerney, Stephen Siewert, Samantha Everton, Thuy Vy, Matthew Duchasne; Neil Wallace and Christian Mushenko, Brendan Esposito, Richard Kendall, Tobias Titz and Montalbetti & Campbell

The 40 finalists were selected from over 2600 submissions by Magnum photographer Trent Parke, multi award winning photographer Narelle Autio, Good Weekend picture editor Judith Love and Head On curator Moshe Rosenzveig. The ‘Critic’s Choice’ was selected by the Sydney Morning Herald photography critic Robert McFarlane.

The show was officially opened by SBS' Nina LangeDateline presenter, George Negus at the Australian Centre for Photography in front of a record crowd of 1200 people.

Head On has been running on a very limited budget raised through entry fees and thanks to the goodwill of many people. It has been supported by Canon, Adobe, Sandisk, DataBasics, Focal Press, ACDSee, emailbrain, Gekko Images, Pixel Perfect Prolab, Frankel Lawyers, Lowepro, Momento, Dragon Image, Kayell, Le Bukhara, Abercorn Wine, AIPP and the Australian Centre for Photography.

In order to expand on Head On's underlying ethos of community spirit, Head On has established a fund to be used for future activities to benefit the community.

Head On Reviews
'...Head On is really the only opportunity to see the best portraiture work the country has to offer' Good Weekend

'Now in its fourth year, it [Head On] is already poised to outlast the show that provided its impetus.' Art Gallery Guide Australia

'Head On photographic portrait prize has grown beyond the expectations of its founder Moshe Rosenzveig to become one of the nation's major photomedia exhibitions' Wentworth Courier

'The fourth exhibition...shows a fascinating cross-section of practice from photographers new and established' Weekend Australian