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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.

Now we must climb higher, 2014

by Mark Hopper

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2015 Finalist

Now we must climb higher, 2014

This portrait was taken during my 2014 travels, in a cave within Sigiriya, the UNESCO world heritage site located in central Sri Lanka. The cave holds breathtaking ancient frescoes on its walls and provides short relief from the heat before again climbing the rugged steps toward the roof of this stone monolith. Many sections of the climb are steep and treacherous and this image captures in the boys the apprehension I was feeling as I waited with a group of local school children for my turn to commence the final ascent – a spiral staircase bolted into the rock face taking us to the palace at the pinnacle.

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2015
(More information, View all 44 photos)

HOMELAND The importance of place
Negotiating a family portrait – a study of history, myth and identity
The morticians
Christine (self portrait)

Related information

Portrait of Ali, 2014 by Hoda Afshar
Portrait of Ali, 2014 by Hoda Afshar
Portrait of Ali, 2014 by Hoda Afshar
Portrait of Ali, 2014 by Hoda Afshar

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2015

Previous exhibition, 2015

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.
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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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