David Cossini

Australian Documentary & Portrait Photographer

David Cossini is an award-winning Australian documentary and portrait photographer, renowned for his immersive “Gonzo” style. His long-form approach often involves embedding himself in subcultures for years, capturing raw, intimate, and unflinching portraits of society’s outliers. Through his lens, Cossini brings a humanistic perspective to marginalised communities, subcultures, and individuals on the fringes of contemporary society.

In 2023, David Cossini won the prestigious Head On Portrait Award for Ugandan Ssebabi, a striking portrait of Godfrey Baguma, a man who transformed physical hardship into a career as an entertainer. The same work earned him the Art Handler’s Award at the 2023 National Photographic Portrait Prize. His prior accolades include the Percival Photographic Portrait Prize (2022) and the Gomma Photography Grant “New Flavour” Award (2021), cementing his reputation as one of Australia’s leading portrait and documentary photographers.

Cossini’s work is defined by personal, gritty storytelling. Grande Bruto is an intimate look at his father’s struggles with mental health and addiction, showcased in a solo exhibition at the Head On Photo Festival. I’m here to see grown men in underwear explores Sydney’s underground wrestling scene, while In my dreams I’m dirty, broke, beautiful and free captures the raw energy of the Camden punk scene, celebrating the freedom, rebellion, and spirit of the subculture.

Recently presenting I’m here to see grown men in underwear at the 2025 Head On Photo Festival, David Cossini continues to be a prominent figure in the Australian photography scene. His work bridges stark documentary realism with evocative portraiture, offering viewers a raw and honest window into the lives of those often overlooked. His ability to combine immersive long-term documentary work with evocative portraiture has made him a vital voice in contemporary storytelling, recognised both nationally and internationally for his immersive approach and humanistic vision.

www.davidcossini.com
@david.cossini
A man falls backwards into a crowd while a priest watches on at a religious festival in Spain.
Elderly gentleman lifts his female dance partner onto his shoulders while ballroom dancing.
Two gentlemen and one lady participate in Australia’s last wet t-shirt competition.
Enthusiastic crowd members place money in the underwear of a Bangkok go go dancer.
An elderly man and lady throwing their hands in the air and dancing as Elvis impersonator Ricky Graceland serenades them at the Parkes Elvis Festival.
Laughing man sits with two huge dirty feet over his shoulders.
A professional bronc rider at a rodeo in Australia sits astride a Bucking horse as it leaves the gates.
Spanish matador Javier Cortés is thrown in the air by the bull in Las Ventas Bullring in Madrid, Spain.
Zombie Punk, Anderson Garcia Rodrigues, fighting with his partner Joshua in Camden Town, London.
An Obese disabled man dressed as Elvis sits on a chair while his companion on crutches falls on the ground in front of him at the Parkes Elvis Festival.
African wife standing over her white husband who lays on the floor in their humorous wedding photos.
A boda bod driver drives on the road in Uganda carrying a coffin on the back of his motorbike.
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