Warburton photographer Suzanne Phoenix has been nominated for two highly esteemed photography awards this year for her portrait and music photography.
She was one of 20 finalists picked for the Martin Kantor Portrait Prize as part of the revered Ballarat International Foto Biennale, and one of three finalists for the music photographer in the Australian Woman in Music Awards (AWMA).
Ms Phoenix said she was weathering a bad flu when she suddenly found out she’d been nominated.
“I was actually really sick with the flu and I was just sitting on the couch.”
She assumed it was nothing special, until she realised what had happened.
“I got those certifications two days in a row, so my head was really spinning, and since then it feels very validating. It’s very exciting and it’s quite surreal,” she said.
The photo which landed her a spot as a finalist for the Martin Kantor Portrait Prize was her gothic and striking portrait of Australian architectural photographer John Gollings.
For her Martin Kantor Portrait Prize entry, Mr Gollings is pictured in black and white in front of a giant, macro image of his hand, while he holds his own hand up.
Ms Phoenix said she didn’t plan the picture at all – rather, she acted off pure artistic instinct.
“I get better results in those candid moments and those things that just randomly happen.
That’s where inspiration comes from for me. That’s the excitement in a moment,” Ms Phoenix said.
The first prize for the Martin Kantor Portrait Prize is $15,000 and is showcased alongside the other finalists in an exhibition during the 2025 Ballarat International Foto Biennale.
For the Music Photographer Award, she attributed her nomination to her International Women’s Day photographic portrait series, which she has done for 14 years in a row.
The series is in its 14th year and has featured hundreds of Melbourne’s cis and trans women in Ms Phoenix’s signature black and white style, specifically in Melbourne’s music and queer performance scenes.
“We continue to live in a society where gender-based violence and oppression is ever present so I continue to build on this annual series and I hope this work contributes in some way to changing perceptions and challenges everyone to reach beyond the staid IWD breakfast events,” Ms Phoenix said to the Star Mail in February.
This year she also photographed the band Cash Savage and the Last Drinks when they performed with Aboriginal Australian Mutti Mutti artist Kutcha Edwards.
For the first time, Ms Phoenix has been able to work full-time as an artist – an opportunity she’s embraced with uncertainty and excitement.
“It’s been a rocky ride, I’m not sure how it’s going to go. This year is the year of can I make this work and can I sustain myself,” Ms Phoenix said.
The winner of the Martin Kantor Portrait Prize will be announced at the Ballarat International Foto Biennale on 24 August, and the 2025 AWMA Ceremony will announce the winner of the music photographer award on 9 October.
