Trent Mitchell (b.1979), who has been photographing professionally for two decades, has a narrative approach to his work, focusing on the environment in the broadest possible sense. Although best known for his water photography, he has also gained a reputation for his wry yet sensitive take on the manmade world, zeroing in on its various idiosyncrasies and contradictions. On both personal and assigned projects, his work is identified by an ability to not only compose his subject but distil the sensibility of the location and give a connection to place.
Working across digital and film, in both black and white and colour, this Australian photographer, who has a background in art direction, design and publishing, has received wide recognition internationally. He won the Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize in 2015, and has been a finalist for the award over a number of years. He has also been featured in, among others, the International Photography Awards, Sony World Photography Awards, Head On and Australian Life Photographic Prize. His work has been acquired for many public and private collections, including the National Library of Australia.
AWARDS
2023
Finalist – Australian Life Photography Award
2022
Finalist – Australian Photography Awards
Shortlisted – Australian Photobook Awards
2021
Second – International Photography Awards | Self Published Books
Finalist – Northern Beaches Environmental Art & Design Prize
Finalist – Photo Collective Stories
2020
Honourable Mention – International Photography Awards | Fine Art
Honourable Mention x 2 – International Photography Awards | One Shot
2019
Finalist - Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize
Finalist - Sony World Photography Awards | Sport
Finalist - Nikon Australian Surf Photo of the year
Nominee – Joop Swart Master Class
2018
Winner - Nikon Australian Surf Photo of the year
Finalist - Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize
Finalist - Australian Life Photographic Prize
Third – International Photography Awards | People
Third – International Photography Awards | Sport Editorial
2017
Honourable Mention x 5 – International Photography Awards | Fine Art
Honourable Mention x 3 – International Photography Awards | One Shot
2016
Finalist - Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize
2015
Winner - Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize
Finalist x 2 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize
Finalist – Head On Landscape Prize
Semi-Finalist - Head On Portrait Prize
Finalist – Nikon Australian Surf Photo of the year
2014
Winner - Desktop Magazine | Create Awards
Honourable Mention – International Photography Awards | Fine Art Books
Finalist – Nikon Australian Surf Photo of the year
2013
Nominee – Framed Awards – Sports photographer of the year
Semi-Finalist – Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize
Winner x 3 – PhotoShoot Awards – Oceans
2012
Winner – International Photography Awards | Special
Third place – International Photography Awards | People
Semi-finalist – Moran Contemporary Photography Prize
Winner – The Galley Club Annual Awards | Chasing the Curve
2011
Winner – Capture Magazine | Emerging Photographer of the Year | Overall
Winner – Capture Magazine | Emerging Photographer of the Year | Portrait
Finalist – Nikon Australian Surf Photo of the year
Semi-finalist – Moran Contemporary Photography Prize
2010
Winner – Capture Magazine’s Emerging Photographer of the Year | Sport
Finalist – Moran Contemporary Photography Prize
Finalist – Nikon Australian Surf Photo of the year
2009
Winner – Essence of Australia Photography Comp
Finalist – Moran Contemporary Photography Prize
Finalist – Nikon Australian Surf Photo of the year
EXHIBITIONS
2021
Northern Beaches Environmental Art & Design Prize| Group exhibition |
2019
Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize | Group exhibition | Juniper Hall
2018
Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize | Group exhibition | Juniper Hall
Australian Life Photographic Prize | Group exhibition | Hyde Park
2017
Australia. Seriously? | Solo exhibition | The Moran Gallery
2016
Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize | Group exhibition
Australia. Seriously? | Solo exhibition | Juniper Hall
This time it's Personal | Group exhibition | Sun Studios
Volume One | Group exhibition | Red Sea Gallery
Northern Light | Group exhibition | Manly Art Gallery
2015
Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize | Group exhibition
Head-On landscape Prize | Group exhibition
2012
Asymbol Gallery | Group exhibition
Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize | Group exhibition
2010
The Unseen | Solo exhibition | Concrete Crayons Gallery
Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize | Group exhibition
2009
Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize | Group exhibition
BOOKS
2021 – Inner Atlas – 2nd International Photography Awards | Self Published Books
2021 – Chasing the Curve: a Portrait of the Sea – 10 year anniversary edition
2013 – Above/Below – 1st Desktop Magazine Create Awards
2011 – Chasing the Curve: a Portrait of the Sea – 1st The Galley Club Awards
SELECTED CLIENTS
Patagonia / Coopers Brewery / Uber / Tourism Australia / Tourism Tasmania / Balter Brewery / Warner Brothers International / Google / Suncorp Australia / Medicare / Red Bull International / Telstra / James Hardie / Commonwealth Bank / Kellogg’s / Leica / Mercedes-Benz / Rip Curl / Starlight Foundation / Nikon Australia