Polly Borland was born and raised in Melbourne. A leading portrait photographer before moving to the United Kingdom in 1989, Polly has earned her reputation for specialising in stylised portraiture and off-beat reportage. She shoots regularly for numerous UK and United States publications, including The New Yorker, The New York Times, Esquire, Marie Claire, The Independent, Dazed & Confused and i-D.
In 1994, she won the prestigious John Kobal Photographic Portrait Award. The National Portrait Gallery in London and Australia has acquired a number of Polly’s photographs for its collection, and in 2000, both exhibited a solo show of her work. Powerhouse published her first book, The Babies, in 2001 with an essay by Susan Sontag. That same year, she was one of eight chosen photographers to shoot the Queen for her Golden Jubilee.
Last year, Polly spent three months in the middle of the Australian outback creating an exquisite and haunting set of images of the entire cast of the film The Proposition. The film was directed by John Hillcoat, written by Nick Cave and starred Guy Pearce, Emily Mortimer, Danny Houston, John Hurt, David Wenham and Ray Winstone.
As well as having just shot an award-winning campaign for More4, Polly has several books in production, including a children’s book for Puffin and a photographic novel concerning a giant girl called Gwen.
In 1994, she won the prestigious John Kobal Photographic Portrait Award. The National Portrait Gallery in London and Australia has acquired a number of Polly’s photographs for its collection, and in 2000, both exhibited a solo show of her work. Powerhouse published her first book, The Babies, in 2001 with an essay by Susan Sontag. That same year, she was one of eight chosen photographers to shoot the Queen for her Golden Jubilee.
Last year, Polly spent three months in the middle of the Australian outback creating an exquisite and haunting set of images of the entire cast of the film The Proposition. The film was directed by John Hillcoat, written by Nick Cave and starred Guy Pearce, Emily Mortimer, Danny Houston, John Hurt, David Wenham and Ray Winstone.
As well as having just shot an award-winning campaign for More4, Polly has several books in production, including a children’s book for Puffin and a photographic novel concerning a giant girl called Gwen.
