Cate Blanchett – Woollahra, Sydney. 1994

The portrait that changed everything - for Cate, for the magazine, and for me.

Photographed in 1994 in Woollahra, Sydney, this was Cate Blanchett’s very first editorial photo shoot - created just before she left for the United States. This rare work is now available to collectors in strictly limited editions, each hand-signed, numbered and produced to museum standards on archival Hahnemühle fine art paper.

She was quietly anxious about the move. I had just returned from New York myself, and there was a quiet camaraderie in that moment before our paths diverged.

We worked outside a recently burnt-out church near her home, using a single studio flash powered by an extension cord from a neighbour’s house. I handed Cate a Polaroid of the scene and asked, “Who’s this character? What’s she thinking?” That simple invitation - to think like an actor rather than pose like a subject - unlocked something powerful. Her presence, expression and body language told a story far beyond the frame.

The lighting technique came directly from my time assisting Annie Leibovitz in New York. She had developed it for Rolling Stone magazine when it was still printed on low-grade newsprint. That paper’s porous, grey surface caused ink to bleed and photographs to dull on the page. To overcome this, she combined warm studio flash outdoors with a deliberately underexposed, sunlit background - creating rich, saturated tones and strong separation between subject and background so the images would hold their impact in print.

In 1994, Who Weekly faced the same printing limitations and was searching for a more sophisticated, image-led visual style. Applying this technique here gave the photograph clarity, depth and cinematic quality, even on their poor paper stock. It became a proof of concept for a new editorial direction - one that helped shift the magazine toward more narrative-driven photography in line with its American and European counterparts. Owning this print is not only to hold one of Cate Blanchett’s earliest portraits - it is to own the image that proved Australian editorial photography could stand alongside the world’s best.

A rare chance to own a museum-grade print from the very beginning of one of the world’s most celebrated acting careers - and one that marks a pivotal moment in Australian editorial photography.

Works from The Sellick Archive are held in the collections of the National Portrait Gallery of Australia, the State Library of South Australia and other major institutions - a reflection of their cultural and historical significance.

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Edition Options

105.3 × 90 cm - Limited Edition of 8

• Edition Size: 8 prints only
• Signature: Signed and numbered by Robin Sellick
• Image Size: 105.3 × 90 cm (on 118 × 100 cm Hahnemühle fine art paper)
• Certificate: Certificate of Authenticity included

Framed: $12,000
Museum-quality hardwood frame with archival mount board and UV-protective glazing - handcrafted to conservation standards to ensure long-term stability and colour integrity. Each frame is produced using acid-free materials, sealed to protect against dust and humidity, and finished to gallery specifications for both private and institutional display. Ready to hang.

Unframed: $9,500

Worldwide shipping available - packed to museum standards and fully insured.

Recorded in The Sellick Archive for authenticity and future provenance.

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80 × 68.4 cm - Limited Edition of 15

• Edition Size: 15 prints only
• Signature: Signed and numbered by Robin Sellick
• Image Size: 80 × 68.4 cm (on 92 × 78 cm Hahnemühle fine art paper)
• Certificate: Certificate of Authenticity included

Framed: $6,500
Museum-quality hardwood frame with archival mount board and UV-protective glazing - handcrafted to conservation standards to ensure long-term stability and colour integrity. Each frame is produced using acid-free materials, sealed to protect against dust and humidity, and finished to gallery specifications for both private and institutional display. Ready to hang.

Unframed: $4,500

Worldwide shipping available - packed to museum standards and fully insured.

Recorded in The Sellick Archive for authenticity and future provenance.

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Edition Policy

Two distinct editions are available - 80 × 68.4 cm (15 prints) and 105.3 × 90 cm (8 prints). Each edition is strictly limited, signed and numbered, and will never be produced again in these sizes or formats. Each work is formally registered in The Sellick Archive for authenticity and provenance.
View Collector’s Edition Standards →