The Nikon-Walkley Press Photo Exhibition opened yesterday, and Grono's image of Order of Australia winner Colonel James Hodgson from The Herald was on show.

Grono's brief had been to get a generic head-shot, but she arrived at the 85-year-old's Valentine house last year to find him in uniform, with his medals pinned to his chest and clutching an Australian flag.

"He just looked so good that I got him to come out to the front yard because it was a bright, sunny day," Grono said.

"His dog kept running into the shot, and he leant down to pat it. I told him to leave [the dog] in."

Walkley judges felt the photograph told the colonel's story even without showing his face, and named it Best Portrait.

Grono said it won because of the many elements it brought to life.

She knew it was "a great shot" the moment she took it.

The display includes moments captured by more than 100 photographers. There are harrowing images of the Black Saturday bushfires and the outpouring at the funeral of North Epping's murdered Lin family.

The gallery also showcases the life-affirming and bizarre, including sweaty rev-heads revelling in burn-out smoke and a couple on a south coast beach sheltering from a storm.

The exhibition ends on June 19.