Head On Photo Festival Award 2022 winners revealed

5 November 2022

The winners across three categories have been announced for the annual Head On Photo Awards. The winners in Portrait, Landscape, and Student categories shared a prize pool of $70,000, including $30,500 in cash.

In the Portrait category, Marika Lortkipanidze was named overall winner with her image, The invisible doors, captured during a production of The Threepenny Opera, which depicts an interaction between society and people with Down’s syndrome. Amy Woodward was named Australian runner-up with Lily, her daughter's hand, while Jack Lawson was named International runner-up with The Special Eagles.

© Marika Lortkipanidze. Winner, Portrait. The invisible doors. This image, taken during a production of The Threepenny Opera, depicts an interaction between society and people with Down’s syndrome. It is meant to capture that, beyond the invisible door, there are people with the same desires and abilities to live their lives to the fullest – to love, fear, succeed, fail, and rise back up – like we all do. There is no place for boundaries or limits; all over the world, diversity helps to break them down.
© Marika Lortkipanidze. Winner, Portrait. The invisible doors. This image, taken during a production of The Threepenny Opera, depicts an interaction between society and people with Down’s syndrome. It is meant to capture that, beyond the invisible door, there are people with the same desires and abilities to live their lives to the fullest – to love, fear, succeed, fail, and rise back up – like we all do. There is no place for boundaries or limits; all over the world, diversity helps to break them down.

The Landscape category was taken out by Antoine Buttafoghi with an image captured in Greenland, A few metres from eternity. Diego Fedele and Jodie James were the Australian and International runners-up, respectively.

© Antoine Buttafoghi. Winner, Landscape. A few metres from eternity. "Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) is a land of contrasts and extremes, where the harsh climate perpetually combines with the sublime. Its landscapes touch, challenge and fascinate us with their beauty and strength. A stunning silence reigns supreme and exposes a quiet vulnerability. Everything seems limitless, bordering on the divine. Nature performs a spectacular cycle, with ever-renewed energy. The power of these raw landscapes speaks to us, intimidates us, and reminds us of the extraordinary story of the world's creation."
© Antoine Buttafoghi. Winner, Landscape. A few metres from eternity. "Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) is a land of contrasts and extremes, where the harsh climate perpetually combines with the sublime. Its landscapes touch, challenge and fascinate us with their beauty and strength. A stunning silence reigns supreme and exposes a quiet vulnerability. Everything seems limitless, bordering on the divine. Nature performs a spectacular cycle, with ever-renewed energy. The power of these raw landscapes speaks to us, intimidates us, and reminds us of the extraordinary story of the world's creation."

Leila Middleton won the Student category with a self-portrait, titled Me. Erica Williams and Marcus Dawson were both named as runners-up.

© Leila Middleton. Winner, Student. Me. "I have never taken a picture of myself. Despite years of obsession with photography, I have always wanted to be behind the camera, not in front of it. After I took this photo, I wanted to edit my freckles, my eyebrows, my chin - everything I saw in myself that I disliked. I think that learning to like how I look is important, especially as a teenager. That's why I left the photo unedited; I wanted it to be me."
© Leila Middleton. Winner, Student. Me. "I have never taken a picture of myself. Despite years of obsession with photography, I have always wanted to be behind the camera, not in front of it. After I took this photo, I wanted to edit my freckles, my eyebrows, my chin - everything I saw in myself that I disliked. I think that learning to like how I look is important, especially as a teenager. That's why I left the photo unedited; I wanted it to be me."

The Head On Photography Festival runs until 4 December. Head to their website for the full program of events, talks, panels, and workshops.

© Amy Woodward. Runner-up, Portrait. Lily, her daughter's hand. A portrait of Lily as she feeds her youngest daughter, who reaches for her face and traces her lips as she nurses. (Sunshine Coast, Queensland).
© Amy Woodward. Runner-up, Portrait. Lily, her daughter's hand. A portrait of Lily as she feeds her youngest daughter, who reaches for her face and traces her lips as she nurses. (Sunshine Coast, Queensland).
© Jack Lawson. International runner-up, Portrait. The Special Eagles. Four members of the Special Eagles, the Nigerian amputee football team, spend time on the beach outside Lagos.
© Jack Lawson. International runner-up, Portrait. The Special Eagles. Four members of the Special Eagles, the Nigerian amputee football team, spend time on the beach outside Lagos.
© Diego Fedele. Australian runner-up, Landscape. In April 2022, a twice-bombed chemical factory smoulders on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine.
© Diego Fedele. Australian runner-up, Landscape. In April 2022, a twice-bombed chemical factory smoulders on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine.
© Jodie James. International runner-up, Landscape. A bitter cold peace.
© Jodie James. International runner-up, Landscape. A bitter cold peace.
© Erica Williams. Runner-up, Student. Feta. Animal portrait study inspired by the artist Tim Flach.
© Erica Williams. Runner-up, Student. Feta. Animal portrait study inspired by the artist Tim Flach.
© Marcus Dawson. Runner-up, Student. Untitled.
© Marcus Dawson. Runner-up, Student. Untitled.

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