The British Journal of Photography, in partnership with JCDecaux UK, has announced the 100 winning portraits of Portrait of Britain Vol. 8, marking the return of the UK's largest and most visible photography exhibition.
From 12 January to 8 February 2026, digital screens across high streets, rail stations, London bus shelters, shopping centres, and an airport will display the images, transforming everyday public spaces into a nationwide celebration of contemporary portrait photography.
Selected from 200 shortlisted images, the winning portraits capture the breadth of life in Britain today. Rather than crowning a single overall winner, Portrait of Britain presents 100 individual stories chosen by a jury of photography professionals, forming a collective and deeply human portrait of the nation.
All 200 shortlisted images appear in the Portrait of Britain Vol. 8 photobook, published by Bluecoat Press and sponsored by Wepresent, WeTransder's art platform. The book is available now, priced at £27.00 – £39.50.
This year's collection includes stories from Glastonbury to Glencoe, Royal Festival Hall to Barras Market, to veterans, scientists, fishmongers, ballerinas, and farmers. The portraits encompass those born here, those who arrived as children, and those who are passing through.
Launched in 2016, Portrait of Britain has become one of the most prestigious portrait photography contests in the world, and the UK's largest photography exhibition, reaching millions of people annually by placing powerful photographic storytelling directly into public space.
More information about the winners, details of the project, visit 1854.photography.
Discover 10 winners
Dance Student by Andrew Love
Location: Oxford
"Alana is a passionate ten-year-old dance student who spends countless hours of her free time rehearsing and competing in dance competitions."
Lily Shaila Smith at Glastonbury 2024 by Emma Stoner
Location: Glastonbury, Somerset
"Lily Shaila Smith, performs in the inclusive and LGBTQ friendly ‘Everyone Choir’ at Glastonbury in 2024. The choir are on stage at Scissors, a new venue at Glastonbury Festival. Scissors is a femme Queer space, envisioned as a “queer wonderland” with vibrant design, powerful performances, and an atmosphere that celebrates Queer identity and femme creativity. Image commissioned by Sam Moyo."
Henry by Stuart Edwards
Location: Barras Market, Glasgow
"Henry, 78, is a familiar face at the Barras Market — always dressed sharp. "How you doing, Henry, you good?" "Better than good — I’m lucky."
Daisy by Ethan Parker
Location: Salisbury
"The sun was just breaking through the clouds at Stonehenge when I photographed Daisy. She is a London based Chinese Shaman and green Witch, with over a decade in spiritual practices. She currently resides by a forest and is deeply connected to nature and its energies."
Is There Instagram on Mars North by Neil Bedford
Location: Yorkshire Moors
"My niece Florence, photographed as part of an on going series, Is There Instagram on Mars? A reactionary project about our obsession with social media, in the same way I was obsessed with aliens and UFO’s as a child. Neither make sense but both bring an idea of a different life."
Taking Nan for tea by Tom Barrett
Location: Norwich
"This is Adam, a tattoo artist from Norwich, and his Nan, Janet. I met them both in the city center after they'd just had tea together at a local department store. I was on my lunch break and happened to cross paths with them. With my camera in hand, I approached, focusing on Adam: tall, handsome, and heavily tattooed. Janet, on the other hand, was small, neat and compared with Adam, conservative looking.
"A fine pair indeed. They agreed to a street-style portrait, which I later sent to Adam to share with his family. They were thrilled with the photo. I eventually plucked up the courage to ask if I could photograph them again, explaining that I thought they would be perfect subjects for the Portrait of Britain exhibition (...)."
Bimini Mighty by Jennifer Forward-Hayter
Location: Hoopla, Brockwell Park
"Drag Queen, Bimini Bon-Boulash, about to go onstage at Mighty Hoopla; Europe's largest LGBTQIA+ music festival held in Brockwell Park, South London.
"Mighty Hoopla was almost cancelled this year, after a battle for Brockwell Park with local residents. This argument, which played out in the papers, local courts, and on the plains of the temporary high fences which lock off Brockwell Park June-August, epitomised a much broader fight over the future of London and politics - gentrification, culture, and LGBTQIA+ pride."
Almost Synchro by Jonathan Cherry
Location: Portishead Lido
"Almost Synchro is a collective of twenty Bristol-based swimmers, bound by a shared passion for outdoor swimming and the art of moving together in water. The group first formed in 2019 for a mass synchronised performance marking the centenary of Bristol’s Henleaze Swimming Lake. In the years that followed, through the quiet persistence of a smaller core, Almost Synchro emerged as a dedicated ensemble. Their performances, staged both in open water and on dry land, combine playfulness with purpose.
"While they celebrate the beauty of collective movement, they also use their work to draw attention to urgent issues — from the fight against water pollution to the campaign for safe and accessible bathing spaces for all. This project was originally commissioned by The Simple Things magazine as part of their series on Modern Eccentrics."
Amaya, from 'A Sofa Story' by Alex Elton-Wall
Location: Lydbrook, Forest of Dean, Gloucestershire
"Hundreds flock to abandoned sofa after it becomes village's biggest tourist attraction" The Metro
Princess Julia in Red by Rebecca Zephyr Thomas
Location: Fellows Court, Hoxton, East London
"I have been photographing fashion, art and music icon Princess Julia for almost twenty years. We often shoot together, just the two of us, in locations around Julia's East London flat, no stylist, no hair or makeup, just the two of us collaborating. Julia first found fame as one of the faces of the New Romantic movement, and her outfit in this image, at Fellow Court in Hoxton, harks back to that era of fashion."
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