FAQ
Visiting
How can I see the show?
The Hillvale Photo Trophy is on from the evening of Friday October 16 to Sunday November 22 at Hillvale Gallery, 43–45 Edward Street, Brunswick.
Open Sunday to Friday, 11am–3pm. Closed Saturdays.
Entry is always free, and the gallery is wheelchair accessible. For more visitor information, see the Hillvale Gallery website.
Can I see the exhibition online?
Yes. You can browse every photograph in the exhibition online, where prints are also available to buy.
What are the prizes?
Our judges award the Photo Trophy and a range of partner prizes:
Photo Trophy Award
$1,500 cash and the custom solid bronze 2026 Hillvale Photo Trophy, for the most outstanding photograph
Ilford Award
Black and white home development kit
Pentax Award
Pentax 17 camera
Crumpler Award
Custom Crumpler x Hillvale ‘Made in Melbourne’ Barney Bag
Frames Ready Made Award
$150 voucher
Thirds Fine Art Printing Award
$250 voucher
Wetlab Award
Workshop voucher
Leica Akademie Award
Two-day street photography workshop with Jesse Marlow
Perimeter Books Award
Photo book bundle
Camera Electronic Award
$500 voucher
Times Camera Award
Olympus MJU III 120 Zoom point-and-shoot camera
Metro Auto Photo
Five $50 gift cards for highly commended photographs
People’s Print Award
$500 Hillvale voucher
When are the winners announced?
Winners are announced at the opening night on Friday October 16 at 7.30pm, and listed on the Winners page of this website from Monday October 19.
What is the People’s Print Award?
The People’s Print Award goes to the photographer with the most print sales through the Photo Trophy website. Tallies close on the final day of the exhibition, Sunday November 22. The winner will be announced on the Hillvale Gallery Instagram, Facebook and website, and notified personally.
Buying a print
Is the print I buy the one on the gallery wall?
No. The exhibited prints stay on the wall until the exhibition closes. Every print you buy is made to order, printed in the same size and on the same paper, and posted straight to you.
How big are the prints, and what are they printed on?
All prints are printed on Fujifilm Crystal Archive silver halide photographic paper, supplied by our major partner Fujifilm. Each print is 8 × 8", 8 × 10" or 8 × 12", depending on the photo’s aspect ratio. The size is listed on each print’s product page, and prints are only available in that size.
How many prints are available of each photo?
All prints are open editions, unless marked not for sale (NFS).
When will my print be posted?
We print and post orders Monday to Friday, excluding public holidays. Orders placed before 12pm on a weekday are posted the same day, and you’ll get an email with tracking details as soon as your print is on its way.
How much is postage?
We post within Australia only. Standard postage is $9.50 and express is $12.50. If you’re overseas and interested in a print, email gallery@hillvale.com.au.
Does my print come framed?
No, prints come unframed and are packed flat for posting. Every Photo Trophy print comes with a 20% discount voucher from Frames Ready Made, packed in with your print.
Where does the money from my purchase go?
Half of every print sale goes directly to the photographer, and half goes to Hillvale Gallery to cover printing and fund the coming year of exhibitions and programming.
Can I get a refund?
As every print is made to order, we can’t offer refunds for change of mind. If your print arrives damaged or faulty, email gallery@hillvale.com.au with your order number and a photo, and we’ll reprint it for you.
For entrants
When will I get my exhibited print back?
We’ll post exhibited prints to everyone who opted for return postage during the week after the exhibition closes (from Monday November 23). Unsold prints without return postage will be recycled.
Every print is handled with the utmost care, but as exhibited prints have been installed and on display for five weeks, they may show minor signs of handling.
How do I know if my print has sold, and when do I get paid?
We tally all print sales at the end of the exhibition and will be in touch for your payment details. Your share of sales is paid within 30 days of the exhibition closing.
Can I buy a print of my own photo?
Yes, if your photo is available for sale, you can buy prints from its product page like anyone else. If you opted for return postage, you’ll also receive your exhibited print after the exhibition closes.
Where does my submission fee go?
Your submission fee covers printing, postage and all the labour in between. The rest goes directly to Hillvale Gallery for the coming year of programming: artist fees, printing, paint, lighting upgrades, materials — the list goes on.
Are photos by the same photographer hung together?
No. Prints are hung at random throughout the space in a salon-style hang, so entries from the same photographer won’t be next to each other.
Will there be a Photo Trophy next year?
Follow @hillvalegallery on Instagram to be the first to hear about next year’s Photo Trophy.
Please contact gallery@hillvale.com.au with any other questions.