See all the finalist images in a stunning large format gallery outside Customs House from Thursday 14 September to Sunday 8 October.
Published 28 August 2023, updated 3 October 2023
See the finalists in the 2023 Australian Life photography competition
Explore unique perspectives from across the country and vote for your favourite
On the way to Inspections (Grand Prize Winner)
My partner Luisa (pictured) and I have moved rentals 9 times in the 13 years we've been in Sydney. This image was made while rushing between inspections on a Saturday last year. Our children, Orson and Leon, are in the background, letting loose some of their pent-up energy.
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Location: Camperdown NSW
- Credit: Samuel Ferris
Footy Dreams
Taken with a Nikon F2 on CineStill 400D film. As we were leaving the Tigers game (a bad defeat), I saw this boy and who I assume to be his grandad. The grandad was boosting the boy up onto the roof - who knows why.
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Location: Leichhardt Oval, Lilyfield NSW
- Credit: Theodore Miller
Balranald main street, Balranald, NSW
I love discovering unique scenes in country towns. One evening last August I noticed this fascinating tree during an overnight stop in Balranald. It captivated me - so out of place, seemingly lonely, but standing proud and inviting me to photograph it.
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Location: Balranald NSW
- Credit: Chris Round
Brigit working in her art studio
Brigit Heller is an artist, mostly creating metal sculptures. In this photo she polishes off the endings of every single metal rod. Despite the quite industrial look it has a very meditative feel to it.
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Location: Lancefield VIC
- Credit: Adrian Plitzco
Young mums
Catching the train to photograph the Trans Pride Australia float in the 2023 Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras Parade, I met these young women heading home after their Reborn Babies Mothers group picnic. It took a conversation to understand the scene.
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Location: St James train station, Sydney NSW
- Credit: Jamie James
Ritchie Finger (Alias Cindy Pastel)
"Ritchie Finger (Cindy Pastel) stands with effortless style in the doorway to his Woolloomooloo home in Sydney. Cindy is a legendary Sydney drag queen debuting in 1978 at Patches, Oxford Street. Cindy was huge in Sydney in the 80s during HIV/AIDS. She found a purpose then, and a place where she belonged, to entertain and to give people hope that “we can get through this and be fabulous, and we did".
Originally a Melbourne boy from a horse racing and jockey family, Ritchie is now 65 years old and has been doing drag for over 45 years. Cindy has entertained kids whose uncles or aunts told them about her, and Ritchie has no intention of giving up: “Ï just adore it".
When he was young, he wanted to be the most outrageous thing he could be and found it by being a drag queen. Somewhere along the line he also ended up inspiring and "becoming quite famous for being the father and son of Priscilla Queen of the Desert".
When asked about this image being submitted to Australian Life, Ritchie responded immediately, "Darling I am what I am. I was meant to be the drag queen I am today...a brilliant human being living".
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Location: Woolloomooloo NSW
- Credit: Robert Knapman
'Box Wars at Boogie'
At a small country music festival in rural Victoria, Box Wars create incredible cardboard structures and costumes themed around epic battles and clashes, some drawn from history, some completely and utterly made up. Commentary booms from the stage while the punters look on, chaos ensues as the players completely tear their own creations to shreds, in a show of ultimate catharsis.
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Location: Our Friends Farm, Tallarook VIC
- Credit: Grace Lillia Faith Taranto-Jones
In a Trance
My daughter at my sister’s house. We drove from Sydney to Newcastle to visit family, and she put on her cousin’s new wig she bought online.
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Location: Jesmond NSW
- Credit: Zorica Purlija
Red Hoodie, Darlo Bar
Everyday life: this is my local pub and a typical view from my usual seat. Local art students have to go outside to smoke in the gutter, friends chatting, people greeting each other.
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Location: Darlinghurst NSW
- Credit: Richard Hughes
Public telephone booth near me
Public phones used to be a big thing in the past. Now they are disappearing. It's kinda special that someone uses a phone booth. I believe this photo speaks for itself. I let the viewers look deep to connect with the couple's chemistry.
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Location: Lower Millers Point NSW
- Credit: Jaiver Alexis Rendon Diaz
Alexandria Scout Hall
Scout meeting at Alexandria Scout Hall. This photo was part of a project photographing pictures and paintings of Queen Elizabeth II that have adorned the walls of many clubs and halls in Australia for decades and have been part of the furniture for most of us.
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Location: Alexandria NSW
- Credit: Louise Kennerley
1000 Bedrooms - Caldon Lortan #491
Caldon in his bedroom.
He's had to move a few times in the last year or so and tells me "no bedroom is permanent for me as yet, but they all are home for a sweet while”.
This image is part of an ongoing series capturing people in their bedrooms with black and white film.
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Location: South Kalgoorlie, WA
- Credit: m ellen burns
These Dogs Have Dreaming
In Yuendumu, dogs are more than just pets. They're family members, friends and spiritual guardians. Dogs and dingoes have an ancient symbiotic relationship with Warlpiri people, a bond which continues to this day.
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Location: Yuendumu NT
- Credit: Francis Macindoe
Approaching Totality
During mid-April 2023, scientists, eclipse chasers and astro-tourists from all over the planet flooded into the tiny West Australian coastal town of Exmouth. One of the only locations on earth to view the rare hybrid solar eclipse, delivering a unique and unrepeatable intersection of people and place. In complete awe, the lady pictured views the celestial alignment moments before the 58 seconds of totality.
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Location: Exmouth WA
- Credit: Trent Mitchell
Sittin’ Pretty
I grew up along the coast in Perth, Western Australia. My father worked the cray boats between Yanchep and Cervantes. One of my favourite memories when I was a kid was feeding fish to a wild dolphin over the side of the boat. Liam, my son, is pictured is along the coast between Fremantle and Cottesloe. When I was Liam’s age, we were swimming in the open ocean jumping off the cray boat! Having shared this with Liam, I decided to take him out to the water on our mum/son date and get him used to the feel of the board and what the ocean can do as he hasn’t experienced the water in the capacity I did at his age. Liam explains in this Sunday-session it was “funnest” experience and together we had the most fun. He mentioned his highlights were us laughing lots, watching the school of fish and sting ray in the water.
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Location: Perth WA
- Credit: Missa Williams
