A quirky family portrait has taken out the people's choice award at this year's prestigious Australian Life photography competition.
Victorian Vampires by Chrissie Hall won an OM System package worth $5,400 after securing the top spot. OM System is the official partner of the event.
The shot, depicting Hall and her two daughters dressed as Victorian era vampires, received 313 of the 1852 votes from people viewing the exhibition.
Hall is a professional photographer who specialises in advertising, fashion and portraiture with a style that blends the familiar with the fantastic.
"The image is part of a photo series that has been going on seven years, capturing life with my two daughters. We have been astronauts, pilots, doctors, clowns, aliens, Elvis, KISS, David Bowie, Andy Warhol and more. I used to pick the themes but now we do it together. The girls wanted to dress up as vampires and choose their costumes. This is our world. Dress ups, fun and colour," Hall said.
Normally entering the competition every year, this time the photographer's winning image nearly didn't make the cut.
"I wasn't going to take part this year but at the last minute the girls and I looked through our images together and we thought of entering Victorian Vampires. I have been a finalist for other competitions before but never won, so this is just absolutely unbelievable," Hall said.
Hall's win comes as the exhibition enters its final weekend. The 28 finalists, a mix of amateurs and professionals, have their images on display outside Customs House in Circular Quay.
The $10,000 grand prize winner in this year's competition was Henry Paul for the image Penalty Shootout, which depicted a wedding party captivated by last year's FIFA Women's World Cup quarter final between the Matildas and France.
Finalist images from Little Sydney Lives, the competition open to photographers aged 5 to 12 years-old, are on display in Customs House Library.
The Australian Life and Little Sydney Lives exhibitions will run until 25 August, at Customs House Square and Customs House Library, respectively.
For more details on all the Australian Life and Little Sydney Lives winners and finalists, visit artandabout.com.au
