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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.

Soft and Sophia, 2015

by Margaret Paley

National Photographic Portrait Prize 2016 Finalist

Soft and Sophia, 2015

One slow Sunday morning of the summer holidays, my daughter, Sophia, climbed into bed for a cuddle. Soft, one of our cats, followed her in.  It wasn't long before they were both asleep. This photograph is the antithesis of the images of war I see every day.  The image personifies a basic human right denied so many children in Australia and the world - the right to feel safe.

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

Fostin outside his mum's, Kings Park, Melbourne
Glitter and colour on the streets of Erskineville
The Lino Hunter
Nobby Looking Back

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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