National Photographic Portrait Prize 2019

What do you notice most in this portrait?

What clues are in the portrait to tell you about this person?

What further information can you find about the sitter from the portrait’s title and artist’s statement?

Nelson Earl: Dance – the ephemeral art, Strathfield, 2018 by Kellie Leczinska

Nelson began his career with the Sydney Dance Company as a Pre-Professional Year dancer, in 2015, and has since become a full member of the company. During the shoot Nelson discussed the ephemeral nature of performance – a fleeting look into surrender and absolute resonance between mind, body and the viewer. Dance exists in each split second of the moment and then evaporates; it is the quintessential art. Nelson’s performances have earned rave reviews and he was nominated for Best Male Dancer at the 2018 Helpmann Awards. My portrait reveals the highly disciplined architecture of Nelson’s body and his sensitive gaze.

This portrait includes the relationships between the family members photographed, the family and the photographer (who is a family member), and the viewers of the image.

Do you think the type of relationship between the photographer and sitter makes a difference?

What ethical responsibilities do you think photographers have to people they photograph?

What does Dayannah’s facial expression and body pose tell you about how she feels about being looked at by the photographer or viewer?

Why do you think Dayannah is posed in front of other portraits?

How are they similar or different to the portrait of Dayannah herself?

What clues about Jackie’s identity can you discover in her portrait?

What objects would you include in a self-portrait to express your identity?

Look closely at Morteza Arefifar’s face and body pose, the setting and use of light and shade.

What do you think Morteza or the photographer is trying to communicate in this portrait?

Examine this year’s finalists.

Can you find any other portraits that may be considered to have political messages shared by the artist?

What do Zara’s facial expression, body pose, and the scene in which she has been photographed communicate about the emotions she may be experiencing?

Do you ever have similar feelings to Zara’s – can you empathise with her?

The NPPP 2019 finalists include a significant number of portraits of young people, capturing and preserving moments in childhood, which potentially work to ‘stave off’ ageing and death.

Artist statement by the photographer, Jodi McConaghy:

This photograph, of Clay McConaghy, is entitled ‘Bum fluff’. I wanted to create a portrait of my fourteen year-old son before he shaved his facial hair for the first time. He is slowly morphing from childhood, through adolescence, and into adulthood. To me, this image captures the last vestiges of Clay’s innocence, his trust in me as a photographer and mother, his youthful face and physique, but also his ever-growing maturity and individuality.

What do you think the photographer is trying to capture and preserve, and why?

The winner for 2019 is 'Greta In Her Kitchen, 36 weeks,' by Alana Holmberg.

‘This unconventional portrait is quiet and contemplative. The judges agreed that a compelling portrait photograph could be one that conveys a reflective moment experienced by many. The quality of light, the composition of the image and the subtle communication of the narrative combine to create an inner world.’

Dr Christopher Chapman, one of the judges, describing the winning portrait.

What do you think is going on in this picture?


What do elements such as light and shade, reflection, repetition of lines, colour palette, body pose, setting, and surrounding objects, communicate about the woman in the portrait?