Simon Bernhardt is an award-winning commercial / fine art photographer and author.
Bernhardt’s photographs have been recognised in numerous awards including the Olive Cotton Award for Portraiture, Head On Portrait and Landscape Awards and the prestigious Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, at the time regarded as the world’s richest photographic prize, among others.
Having exhibited over 14 selected solo exhibitions and participated in over 50 group exhibitions internationally and nationally. His iconic photographs and eight monographs are represented in permanent collections such as, The National Library of Australia, Australian Centre for Photography, The Powerhouse Museum, Asia–Pacific Photobook Archive, and in private collections worldwide.
Bernhardt’s second monograph Square Scapes, received international acclaim for its innovative and contemporary approach to minimalist urban landscape photography, highlighting his dedication to friend and mentor, the great Australian painter Jeffrey Smart.
In recent years, Bernhardt has ventured into more challenging territory with the highly controversial portrait exhibitions and publications, BDSM and Gateway. These works push subject matter and form into provocative new directions.
By embracing risk, confronting taboos, and questioning established artistic conventions, Bernhardt not only continues to redefine his own visual language but also contributes to meaningful and wider debates within contemporary fine art photography.
Collectively, these achievements have firmly solidified his reputation as one of the most prolific and influential photographic artists working in Australia today.
CURRICULUM VITAE
Born 1976, Sydney, Australia.
Bernhardt currently lives in Sydney, Australia.
SELECTED SOLO EXHIBITIONS
2025 Square Scapes II, Velvet Lobster Gallery, Sydney
2024 Genesis, Sun Studios, Sydney
2023 Say What!?, Between Lines, Sydney
2022 Simon Says, Between Lines, Sydney
2016 BDSM, Sun Studios, Sydney
2016 BDSM, Black Eye Gallery, Sydney
2014 Gateway, Black Eye Gallery, Sydney
2012 Square Scapes, He Made She Made Gallery, Sydney
2011 Polaroid Holiday, Global Gallery, Sydney
2011 Polaroid Holiday, Macleay Bookshop, Sydney
2011 Polaroid Holiday, Wedge Gallery Kinokuniya, Sydney
2010 Polaroid Holiday, Blender Gallery, Sydney
SELECTED GROUP EXHIBITIONS
2025 Personal One, Lunar Studios, Sydney
2025 Head On Landscape Award, Bondi Pavilion Gallery, Sydney
2025 Olive Cotton Award, Tweed Regional Gallery, Murwillumbah
2024 Head On Landscape Award, Bondi Pavilion Gallery, Sydney
2023 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2023 Head On Landscape Award, Bondi Pavilion Gallery, Sydney
2023 The Iris Award, Perth Centre for Photography
2022 Head On Portrait Award, Reservoir Gardens, Sydney
2022 Head On Landscape Award, Bondi Pavilion Gallery, Sydney
2022 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2021 Head On Portrait Award, Reservoir Gardens, Sydney
2021 Head On Landscape Award, Bondi Beach, Sydney
2021 The Iris Award, Perth Centre for Photography
2021 Lockdown Picture Show, Halls Lane Gallery, Sydney
2021 Coded Art Exhibition, Kirra Hill Art Gallery, Coolangatta
2021 Flood Art Relief, Contact Gallery, Sydney
2020 Winter Show 2020, Black Eye Gallery, Sydney
2020 Covid 19 Art Relief, Contact Gallery, Sydney
2020 Head On Portrait Award, Paddington Town Hall, Sydney
2019 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2019 BDSM Exhibition, Superchief Gallery, Los Angeles
2019 Olive Cotton Award, Tweed Regional Gallery, Murwillumbah
2019 Head On Portrait Award, Paddington Town Hall, Sydney
2018 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2018 Five Year Celebration, Black Eye Gallery, Sydney
2017 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2017 Berlin Collective, Spring Break Art Fair, New York
2016 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2016 Head On Portrait Award, Sydney Town Hall, Sydney
2015 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2015 Urban Landscapes, Cultural Ministry, Rome
2015 Collective, Perth Centre for Photography
2015 Olive Cotton Award, Tweed Regional Gallery, Murwillumbah
2015 The Iris Award, Perth Centre for Photography
2014 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2013 Olive Cotton Award, Tweed Regional Gallery, Murwillumbah
2013 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2013 PH The Final Six, Yellow Bungalow, Sydney
2013 Head On Photo Festival, The Collective 01,
Kaleidoscope Gallery, Sydney
2013 Head On Photo Festival, The Rorschach Effect,
Kaleidoscope Gallery, Sydney
2013 The Apache Clip Awards, Perth Centre for Photography
2013 Art Month – 33 Degrees, Kaleidoscope Gallery, Sydney
2012 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2011 Analogue, Kaleidoscope Gallery, Sydney
2011 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2010 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2010 Bringing Cotton to Canvas, Ambush Gallery, Sydney
2009 This Time It’s Personal, Sun Studios, Sydney
2007 Images of Italy, Arthouse Hotel, Sydney
1999 Ninety Nine, Seymour Centre, Sydney
MONOGRAPHS
2025 Square Scapes II
2024 Genesis
2023 Say What!?
2022 Simon Says
2016 BDSM
2014 Gateway
2012 Square Scapes
2010 Polaroid Holiday
SELECTED AWARDS AND GRANTS
2025 Head On Landscape Award - Semi Finalist
2025 The Olive Cotton Award - Finalist
2024 Head On Landscape Award - Semi Finalist
2024 LensCulture Portrait Awards - Editors Pick
2023 Head On Landscape Award - Semi Finalist
2023 PCP Iris Award - Photographic Portraiture - Semi Finalist
2022 Head On Portrait Award - Finalist
2022 Head On Landscape Award - Semi Finalist
2021 Head On Landscape Award - Finalist
2021 Head On Portrait Award - Semi Finalist
2021 PCP Iris Award - Photographic Portraiture - Finalist
2020 Head On Portrait Award - Semi Finalist
2020 Head On Landscape Award - Semi Finalist
2019 The Olive Cotton Award - Finalist
2019 Head On Portrait Award - Semi Finalist
2019 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize - Semi Finalist
2016 Head On Portrait Award - Finalist
2015 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize - Semi Finalist
2015 The Olive Cotton Award - Finalist and Highly Commended
2015 PCP Iris Award - Finalist and Highly Commended
2014 APPA Silver Award - Photographic Book, Gateway
2014 AIPP NSW Professional Portrait Photographer of the Year
2013 The Olive Cotton Award - Finalist and Highly Commended
2013 Apache Clip Awards - Finalist and Highly Commended
2012 Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize - Semi Finalist
2010 Photographic Book Art Grant, City of Sydney - Winner
2009 National Avant Post Card Award - Winner
2008 National Avant Post Card Award - Winner
2001 AIPP Australian Photographer of the Year - Second Place
LECTURING
2021 Sydney TAFE Photography Industry Review
2021 Sydney TAFE Graduation Portfolio Judging
2016 BDSM Exhibition and Publication Interview, Fbi Radio
2015 Australian Centre for Photography, Melbourne Bookfair
2015 Melbourne TAFE Photography Industry Review
2015 Australian Photography and Digital Magazine Lecture
2014 Gateway Exhibition and Publication Interview, 2SER Radio
2014 Museum of Contemporary Art, Photographic Bookfair
2013 By Design & Instant Photography Interview, ABC Radio
2013 Sydney TAFE Photography Industry Review
2013 Sydney TAFE Graduation Portfolio Judging
2012 Sydney TAFE Photography Industry Review
2012 Sydney TAFE Graduation Portfolio Judging
2011 Sydney TAFE Photography Industry Review
2011 Sydney TAFE Graduation Portfolio Judging
2010 Sydney TAFE Photography Industry Review
2010 Sydney TAFE Graduation Portfolio Judging
2009 Sydney TAFE Photography Industry Review
2009 Sydney TAFE Graduation Portfolio Judging
2008 Sydney TAFE Photography Industry Review
2008 Sydney TAFE Graduation Portfolio Judging
2007 Sydney TAFE Photography Industry Review
2007 Sydney TAFE Graduation Portfolio Judging
2006 Sydney TAFE Photography Industry Review
2006 Sydney TAFE Graduation Portfolio Judging
2005 Sydney TAFE Photography Industry Review
2005 Sydney TAFE Graduation Portfolio Judging
2004 Sydney TAFE Photography Industry Review
2004 Sydney TAFE Graduation Portfolio Judging
COLLECTIONS
National Library of Australia
The Powerhouse Museum Sydney, Australia
Australian Centre for Photography
Asia–Pacific Photobook Archive
Perth Centre for Photography, Australia
Bibliotheca Librorum Apud Artificem
Various private collections in the UK, Australia, Japan, China, Sweden, Germany and the USA
PUBLICATIONS
ACB Beauty Magazine
Art of Cosmetic Beauty, Australia and USA
Black and White Magazine
Celebrations Magazine
Couture Magazine
DCM Magazine
Eva Magazine, Slovakia
Emirates Woman
Fashion Handbook
Good Food Magazine
Good Living Magazine
Good Weekend Magazine
Highlights Magazine
Hong Kong Cosmopolitan
Hong Kong Tatler
Jewellery Magazine
Luxury Magazine
Marie Claire
Modern Wedding Fashion
Noi.se Magazine
Russh Magazine
S Magazine, Denmark
Sydney Wedding Fashion
Space Magazine
Sydney Leading Homes
Studio Magazines
The Weekend Australian Magazine
The Sydney Morning Herald
Vogue Living Magazine
SELECTED BIBLIOGRAPHY
2022 Sir Joseph Banks. Letter to Lord Sandwich, Image by
Simon Bernhardt, Head On Photo Festival
2020 To print or publish during Covid? Gateway exhibition and
book launch by Simon Bernhardt, Inside Imaging
2019 Vale Robert Hawke, Portrait by Simon Bernhardt, entitled
Hawke on Toast 2014, Au Creative Network
2019 Simon Bernhardt revealed as semi-finalist for $50,000
Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize, Capture Magazine
2019 This Time It’s Personal, Ten years and 100 photographers
at Sun Studios, Medianet
2016 BDSM exhibition and book launch by Simon Bernhardt,
Interview Fbi Radio
2016 Photographer and long time friend of Canon and Sun
Studios, Simon Bernhardt opens exhibition entitled BDSM,
Sun Studios Sydney
2016 BDSM exhibition and limited edition publication,
Trove, National Library of Australia
2016 BDSM publication by photographer Simon Bernhardt
review, Google Books
2016 BDSM – Bondage, dominance, submission and
sadomasochism by Simon Bernhardt, Art Month
Sydney – Contemporary Art Festival
2016 Simon Bernhardt, BDSM photographic exhibition at
Black Eye Gallery, Seriously a must see, Royalgram UK
2016 BDSM exhibition and publication by Simon Bernhardt,
Capture Magazine
2016 Photographic exhibition by Simon Bernhardt to demystify
BDSM expression, PR Wire
2016 Simon Bernhardt launches his 4th photobook BDSM at
Black Eye Gallery, Momento Pro
2016 Art Month launches at Black Eye Gallery, with BDSM
exhibition by Simon Bernhardt, Central Magazine
2016 BDSM thrusting a taboo topic under the spotlight,
by Sydney artist Simon Bernhardt, City Hub Newspaper
2016 Simon Bernhardt’s latest exhibition and book release
entitled BDSM, Sydney Eyes
2016 BDSM exhibition by Simon Bernhardt challenging the
notion within the BDSM community, Twicsy
2016 New photographic exhibition to demystify BDSM and
counteract taboos, The AU Review
2016 BDSM exhibition and book launch by Simon Bernhardt,
Beautiful Bizarre Magazine
2016 Simon Bernhardt’s BDSM exhibition and book launch,
The Thousands
2016 Photographic exhibition of BDSM expression,
Sydney Chic – Sydney Lifestyle Blog
2016 Photographic exhibition to demystify BDSM expression,
Lesbians On The Loose Magazine
2015 Simon Bernhardt’s limited edition book Gateway,
Momento Pro
2015 Simon Bernhardt finalised in the PCP Iris Award for
Photographic Portraiture, Metaphor Online
2015 Hawke on Toast by Simon Bernhardt is a semi-finalist in
The Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize,
The Sydney Morning Herald
2015 Simon Bernhardt at Photobook Melbourne &
the Australian Photo Book of the Year Award,
The AIPP National Blog
2015 Simon Bernhardt’s Gateway publication is now part of
The Asia-Pacific Photobook Archive, Photo Book Archive
2015 Simon Bernhardt, semi-finalist in the $80,000
Moran Contemporary Photographic Prize revealed,
Capture Magazine
2015 How to make beautiful photo books,
Guest speaker Simon Bernhardt,
Australian Photography and Digital Magazine
2015 Simon Bernhardt, Portrait Prize Finalist,
Head On Photo Awards Catalogue Review
2015 Self publishing seminar with Simon Bernhardt,
Photobook Melbourne, Photography Studies College
2014 Simon Bernhardt’s Gateway exhibition and photography
publication launch at Black Eye Gallery, Pinterest
2014 Upcoming Gateway exhibition and publication by
photographer Simon Bernhardt, Yes Ma’am
2014 Is cannabis a gateway drug?
Photographer Simon Bernhardt’s controversial exhibition,
UK240
2014 Gateway exhibition and publication by Simon Bernhardt,
Catalogue, National Library of Australia
2014 This Weekend in Sydney, Simon Bernhardt
Gateway Exhibition, Urban List Sydney
2014 Gateway publication by Simon Bernhardt, Showcases 16
contemporary engaging portraits of cannabis users,
Beautiful Pages
2014 The Marijuana, Gateway by Simon Bernhardt,
Interview 2SER Breakfast Radio
2014 Gateway exhibition by Simon Bernhardt, Giving a face to
the debate on cannabis legalization,
Head On Photo Festival
2014 Is cannabis a gateway drug?
Photographer Simon Bernhardt’s controversial exhibition
opens the debate, Daily Telegraph
2014 Photographer Simon Bernhardt starts a conversation about
illegal drug use in exhibition, Capture Magazine
2014 Showing cannabis isn’t just for dopes,
The Wentworth Courier
2014 Simon Bernhardt and the taboo topic of cannabis,
Sydney Chic – Sydney Lifestyle Blog
2014 Reefer Madness or Just Recreation?
Exposition of cannabis use, The Inner West Courier
2014 Simon Bernhardt’s portrait exhibition launches at
Black Eye Gallery Sydney, Central Magazine
2014 Gateway exhibition and publication by photographer
Simon Bernhardt, Picuki
2014 SnapShot Series, Photographer Simon Bernhardt’s
Gateway exhibition, Iconic and Vintage
2014 Simon Bernhardt’s exhibition Gateway,
The controversial portrait exhibition explores
stereotypes about cannabis users,
Desktop Magazine
2014 Cannabis in the spotlight in Simon Bernhardt’s exhibition,
Marijuana Market News
2014 Gateway? Cannabis users demystified in
photographic exhibition, Backyard Opera
2014 Smoke and Mirrors, Photographer Simon Bernhardt
explores cannabis, The so-called gateway drug,
City Hub Newspaper
2014 Photo Exhibition of Simon Bernhardt,
Cannabis use comes to limelight, Marijuana.tm
2014 Gateway, The cannabis debate rehashed,
Alternative Media Group
2014 Cannabis in the spotlight in Simon Bernhardt’s exhibition,
The Sydney Morning Herald
2014 The National Treasures Series, Interview with
Photographer Simon Bernhardt - Gateway Publication,
Iconic and Vintage
2014 Simon Bernhardt’s Polaroid Holiday and Square Scapes
publications are now part of The Asia-Pacific
Photobook Archive, Photo Book Archive
2013 Artists in a Minute, Simon Bernhardt by Tullulah Godard,
Vimeo
2013 The Collective 01, Exhibition at Kaleidoscope Gallery,
Daily Telegraph
2013 Personal Projects, Collective 01,
Australian Photography & Digital Magazine
2013 The Collective 01, Exhibition at Kaleidoscope Gallery,
Strobed
2013 Artistic Angle, Works detach stigma,
The Inner West Courier
2013 The Collective 01, Commercial photographers creativity
showcased at Head On Photo Festival, Campaign Brief
2013 The Rorschach Effect at Kaleidoscope Gallery,
Head On Photo Festival Review
2013 PH The Final Six, Guest artist and speaker
Simon Bernhardt at Yellow Bungalow
2013 Instagrams & Instant Photography Panel Interview,
By Design ABC Radio National
2013 33 Degrees exhibition features Elektro Magnetisch
Radiation by Simon Bernhardt, Ciao Magazine
2013 Square Scapes exhibition and book launch by
Simon Bernhardt, Unless You Will Studio
2012 Square Scapes, Central Magazine
2012 Square Scapes, Everguide Sydney
2012 Square Scapes, Mr Jason Grant Blog
2012 Bernhardt gets smart, Display honours artist,
The Inner West Courier
2012 Square Scapes, CatchPig Blog
2012 Square Scapes exhibition pays homage to
Jeffrey Smart, What’s On Sydney
2012 Square Scapes, Desktop Magazine
2010 Polaroid Holiday, Sydney AlterEgo Blog
2010 Polaroid Holiday, Stop.Edit.Design Blog
2010 Polaroid Holiday, Side Street Sydney Blog
2010 Polaroid Holiday, The Galeries Blog
2010 Polaroid Holiday, Mr Jason Grant Blog
2010 Polaroid Holiday, 24 Hours The Arts Diary,
The Sydney Morning Herald
2010 Simon leads Polaroid revival, The Inner West Courier
2010 Polaroid Holiday by Simon Bernhardt, Spectrum,
The Sydney Morning Herald
2010 A flash back to the Polaroid camera,
The Inner West Courier
2010 Bringing Cotton to Canvas, Side Street Sydney Blog
2010 Bringing Cotton to Canvas, Sydney AlterEgo Blog
2010 Bringing Cotton to Canvas, SpiceNews
2010 Bringing Cotton to Canvas, WeAREtheIMAGEmakers