About Sophie Howarth

Photograph by Lisa Haymes Photography
"My work is about reverence.
This is at the heart of my practice."
Sophie Howarth, during a 30-year career, specialised in commercial and rock & roll photography. She now makes her living as an exhibiting artist.
The key theme in Sophie's art is reverence - found in the environment, far-off-lands, festivals, and the everyday.
A graduate of Sydney’s National Art School, her talent emerged during the heyday of Australia's rock music festival scene.
Sophie was the official photographer for the Big Day Out (earning a coveted access-all-areas pass); toured Arnhem Land with legendary Aboriginal performers, Gurrumul Yunupingu and the Saltwater Band; and was a photographer for Rolling Stone Australia magazine.
Her rock & roll archive is an important document of Australian and international music culture (1992-2014) and featured in exhibitions such as Unpopular - Museum of Applied Arts and Sciences (2022-2023).
A solo retrospective of Sophie's work, Behind the Lens with Sophie Howarth, curated by Glasshouse Gallery Port Macquarie (2021-2022), diarised and celebrated the anthology of imagery created by Sophie - telling individual stories, capturing experiences, culture, and land. It showcased;
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Contemporary images from Sophie's visits to Mongolia as an embedded photographer for The Golden Eagle Festival.
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Wearable art from a collaboration with Hoponit Designs of Melbourne.
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Homage to Chicks - an art installation from the Sophie Howarth Photography Rock & Roll Archive that highlights women’s independent presence throughout all industries, and
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Sophie's first book Peace Love and Brown Rice A Photographic History of the Big Day Out.
Sophie's current research extends her interest in the enduring cultural traditions of Mongolia and India.
Sophie offers a Masterclass to experienced photographers who want to fine-tune their live event skills. Subscribe for updates. Click to download Sophie's CV.