Winners announced: Head On Photo Awards 

At the Head On Photo Festival launch on Friday night (4 Nov) we announced the much–anticipated winners of the Head On Photo Awards in the Portrait, Landscape and Student categories. 

The competition was fierce this year – just ask our panel of judges who spent hours upon hours debating and deliberating which talented photographers will take out the top prizes. 

We couldn’t be more pleased with the result. Your winners for 2022 are: 

International runner-up: Jack Lawson with their photo The Special Eagles 

Four members of the Special Eagles, the Nigerian amputee football team, spend time on the beach outside Lagos. 

Australian runner-up: Amy Woodward with their photo 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)

Overall winner: Marika Lortkipanidze with 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. 

Have your say!

Vote for you favourite portrait finalist in the Head On Portrait Awards People’s choice!

International runner-up: Jodie James with their photo A bitter cold peace 

Australian runner-up: Diego Fedele with their untitled photo  

A twice-bombed chemical factory smoulders on the outskirts of Kharkiv, Ukraine, April 2022. 

Overall winner: Antoine Buttafoghi with their photo A few metres from eternity 

Kalaallit Nunaat (Greenland) is a land of contrasts and extremes, the harsh climate combines with the sublime. Its landscapes touch, challenge and fascinate us with their beauty and strength. A stunning silence reigns supreme, exposing a quiet vulnerability. Limitless, bordering on the divine. Nature performs a spectacular cycle with ever-renewed energy. The power of these raw landscapes reminds us of the extraordinary story of the world’s creation. 

Have your say!

Vote for you favourite portrait finalist in the Head On Landscape Awards People’s Choice!

Runner-up: Marcus Dawson with their photo Untitled 

Runner-up: Erica Williams with their photo Feta 

Animal portrait study inspired by the artist Tim Flach. 

Overall winner: Leila Middleton with their photo 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.

We are so proud to have these talented photographers as our winners for 2022. See the rest of the amazing 2022 finalists here.