Head On Photo Festival 2019

Overview

Iconic images of David Bowie, photography that revolutionised the pages of Vogue and a series that documents Sydney's city beaches through three heatwaves are just three of the many exhibitions you'll need to check out at this year's Head On Photo Festival.

The free photography exhibitions will take place in various galleries from Bondi to Manly between May 4 and 19 — and while they are certainly must-sees for avid photographers, the range of subjects (from La Sape fashion subculture in The Republic of Congo to the Rohingya refugee crisis) make them interesting and topical for any viewer. To complement this, a program of artist talks will take place at Paddington Town Hall.

Since it started in 2008, the non-profit festival has traveled to 98 countries worldwide promoting photographers of all ages through several awards evaluated anonymously to promote equity across the board. The festival's annual awards draw a large number of entries from grade-school students to seasoned professionals filling three categories: portrait, landscape and mobile.

It all kicks off after work on Friday, May 3 with a party and official opening at UNSW in Paddington. It's free but you'll have to register before heading along.

Images: Roni Ben, David Dare Parker, Muchael Jularu Torres, Paul Blackmore, Helmut Newton.