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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders both past and present.

Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander viewers are warned that this website contains images of deceased persons.

The little beachcomber, 2015

by Nicholas Samartis

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2016 Finalist

The little beachcomber, 2015

Joan Didion once wrote, “We tell ourselves stories in order to live”. Maybe we take photographs to accompany those stories in order to stop time. This image was taken during a dark time for us as a family, however, on this afternoon we felt a sense of freedom on the beach. Giorgio was taking on the waves and yelling at the sandpipers. It was this moment of resilience from our four-year-old that inspired me. For me, this photograph isn’t about light or composition or colour. It is about nature - our nature - exposed in a moment in the sun.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2016
(More information, View all 49 photos)

Neighbourhood Watch
King Kamanda
Fox Place
Isaiah, arms and legs folded

Related information

Miles and Arkie, 2015 by Clint Peloso
Miles and Arkie, 2015 by Clint Peloso
Miles and Arkie, 2015 by Clint Peloso
Miles and Arkie, 2015 by Clint Peloso

Shop Talk

Magazine article by Stephen Phillips, 2016

Angus and the arbiters talk (photo) shop for the National Photographic Portrait Prize.
Life Dancers, 2015 by Elizabeth Looker
Life Dancers, 2015 by Elizabeth Looker
Life Dancers, 2015 by Elizabeth Looker
Life Dancers, 2015 by Elizabeth Looker

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2016

Previous exhibition, 2016

The National Photographic Portrait Prize exhibition is selected from a national field of entries, reflecting the distinctive vision of Australia's aspiring and professional portrait photographers and the unique nature of their subjects.
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance
The National Portrait Gallery building front entrance

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The National Portrait Gallery acknowledges the Traditional Custodians of Country throughout Australia and recognises the continuing connection to lands, waters and communities. We pay our respect to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures and to Elders past and present. We respectfully advise that this site includes works by, images of, names of, voices of and references to deceased people.

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