Head On Photo Awards 2026

The flagship international awards of Sydney's Head On Photo Festival, judged completely anonymously — jurors see the photograph, never the photographer's name, CV or following. Three categories: Portrait, Landscape and Exposure (anything that is not portrait or landscape), sharing an AUD 80,000 prize pool that includes AUD 5,000 cash for each category winner plus OM System camera kits. Around 40 finalists per category (20–30 for Exposure) are exhibited in print and online during the festival, 6–29 November 2026. Open internationally to photographers at every level, from phone snapshots to studio and documentary work. Entries are AUD 30 per image, half price for under-25s; final deadline 16 August 2026, 11:59pm Sydney time.