See the Striking Finalists in the Australian Life Photography Competition

Riding bulls in Broome, empty pie shops, Western Sydney's total boss suit-wearing sapeur trend straight from the Democratic Republic of Congo — Australian life is pretty hard to pin down. Legendary Sydney artist Ken Done, The Messenger Group owner and creative director Lisa Messenger and award-winning Sydney photographer Stephen Dupont have come close to it, painstakingly trawled through a record 1250 entries in the City of Sydney’s 2014 Australian Life competition.

Part of this year's Art & About program, the exhibition formerly known as Sydney Life has been expanded to include the whole country this time around — as well as Instagram.

Unsurprisingly attracting a record wave of Australian photographers — both established and upcoming — Australian Life now has its 22 finalists, all of whom sought to capture their own little corner of Australia as intimately or vastly as possible. The resulting shortlist (notably mostly made up of NSW photographers) is a significantly diverse patchwork of Australian daily life in its weirdest, funniest and saddest moments.

"We opened this iconic competition to all Australians for the first time and we are delighted with the result," Lord Mayor Clover Moore said. "We’ve received record numbers of entries providing unique glimpses into the lives of people from right across our country."

The Australian Life competition is no small fry; the winner takes home a cheeky $10,000 prize. The top shot is set to be announced at Art & About Sydney’s free public launch party in Martin Place on Friday, September 19, after which you'll be able to stroll through Hyde Park's St James walkway and take in all 22 finalists in large-scale reproductions until October 12.

Casual snappers, you've still got a shot at glory and fame. If you think you've nailed a moment of pure Australianness with one of your Instagrams, make sure you hashtag it #australianlife and enter the official Instagram part of the competition. Entries are open until September 18 and will be announced October 3.

Australian Life 2014 finalists:

Georgina Pope (Goulburn, NSW) — A great day for drying

Berylouise Mitchell (Ashfield, NSW) — Anzac Day Tribute

Godelieve Mols (Dee Why, NSW) — AFL Match in Ngukurr, Arnhem Land, NT

Rodney Campbell (Lane Cove North, NSW) — Boarding

Glenn Campbell (Darwin, NT) — Brothers in Boob Tubes

Natalie Grono (Lennox Head, NSW) — Children of the tribe

Rob Annesley (Lugarno, NSW) — ColourMeRad 5K

Ivana Jovanovic (Botany, NSW) — Dinner

Jon Lewis (Wombeyan Caves, NSW) — Farewelling Martin Sharp

Desmond Kok Hui Ong (Redfern, NSW) — For Sale