The website will be offline for maintenance 7:30–8:30am AEDT Friday 30 January.



The photograph was a brief, candid moment, which unfolded into a portrait. Peter and I were in Silverton, NSW, chatting as our students explored the town. The weak afternoon light suddenly became dramatic and defined, so I asked Peter if I could take his portrait.

The judges for the National Photographic Portrait Prize 2025 are Benjamin Law, Serena Bentley and Leigh Robb.

An interview with the photographer.

I met Kaloti Parmjit the day I took the photo. I first visited the Sikh temple in the suburb of Glenwood to take photos as part of a social documentary project I'm undertaking for the State Library of NSW.

Robyn's parents had two terriers, Wuff and Snuff. In spite of Snuff’s ominous name and a couple of close shaves – once, he jumped out of a moving car, and another time, on a long road trip, he was accidentally left behind at a petrol station – he outlived Wuff.

Dr Sarah Engledow, National Photographic Portrait Prize judge and curator, introduces the 2017 Prize.