The Finalists for the LCE Photographer of the Year 2026 Awards have been announced – and the winners will be revealed live at The Photography & Video Show 2026 in Birmingham.
LCE Photographer of the Year 2026 Awards will be announced on March 15, 2026, from 14:00 to 14:45 on the Creator Stage at the Photography & Video Show.
If you're visiting the show before the big reveal, you'll also get a chance to see the shortlisted images in a dedicated exhibition on the show floor. The display offers a sneak preview of the photographs competing for the top prize – before the category winners and overall Photographer of the Year are announced on stage.
The real moment – and one of the highlights of the show – comes with the live announcement, when the judging panel unveils which images take the titles and the £10,000 prize fund.
Article continues belowNow, let's take a look at some of the shortlisted images digitally – and see if your pick matches the judges' choice... Discover the full list of Finalists on the LCE POTY website.
- The Photography & Video Show 2026: everything you need to know
- Get 20% off tickets of your tickets with our exclusive money-saving code!
- Download your FREE Photography & Video Show guide and get prepared…
Shortlisted images
Category: After Dark
Interstellar Radiant by Joao Serralheiro
Tech info
Gear: Sony A7 III + FE 20mm f/1.8 G
Exposure: 30 sec, f/1.8, ISO 640.
"This star trails image is the result of two hours of long exposures under the steerable 60-foot diameter dish antenna of the One-Mile Telescope at the Mullard Radio Astronomy Observatory, Cambridge UK.
"The result reflects planet Earth's rotation on its axis. The One-Mile Radio Telescope was the first to use Earth-rotation aperture synthesis to explore and create high resolution radio maps of the universe."
Category: Portrait
Brothers by Paul Anthony Wilson
Tech info
Gear: Nikon D3x + 70-200mm f/2.8
Exposure: 1/125 sec, f/4.0, ISO 200
"Two lads watching me shoot the 'Reading of the Charter' at Seamer Horse Fair, were consistently begging for a photo. I was too close to focus, so backed up a little, spun around and snapped. The older boy lifted the younger’s head – his gap-toothed smile made the shot."
Category: Street
The Euros by Ethan Parker
Tech info
Gear: Sony A7C II + FE 28mm f/2
Exposure: 1/160 sec, f/13, ISO 50
"During the build up to the 2024 Euros final, cheers, chants and chaos filled the air. This shot captured the juxtaposition of all the chaos and cheers with the subject in the bottom corner of the frame who had likely had enough of all the noise that day."
Category: Travel
The Crossing by Uku Sööt
Tech info
Gear: Canon EOS 6D + EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS USM
Exposure: 1/500 sec, f/5.6, ISO 800
"I photographed this moment from a small boat on Taung Tha Man Lake (Myanmar), gently drifting while waiting for the scene to align. As the sun dropped behind U Bein Bridge, I watched the silhouettes move across the weathered teak, waiting for the brief instant when the spacing, gestures and rhythm of the people made sense as a single story.
"Some walked in pairs, others alone, one paused mid-step. From a distance, they became shapes rather than identities."
Category: Macro
Milking Bonnets by Tony North
Tech info
Gear: Nikon D500 + 105mm f/2.8
Exposure: 1/160 sec, f/8, ISO 1000.
"I shot these Milking Bonnets at Marbury Country Park in Cheshire. I lit them from behind with an LED panel and sprayed water to create the rain effect. Mushrooms can only grow after rain as the fungus needs the water. The mushrooms were focus stacked."
Category: Landscape
Into the Cave by Filip Hrebenda
Tech info
Gear: Sony A7R V + FE 12-24mm f/2.8 GM
Exposure: 1/30 sec, f/8, ISO 100
"Photo from an expedition to a remote desert in Saudi Arabia. Upon arriving in this area, I was surprised by how sharp and dominant the mountains rise from the endless sandy wasteland. The photo was taken on the first day of the trip during a windy sunset.
"There were no clouds in the sky, so I decided to climb to the middle of the opposite hill and find a small cave to make the scene more interesting. After a bit of searching, I managed to find one. Additionally, during sunset, the wind beautifully lifted the sand from the dunes beneath the peaks, adding a unique atmosphere to the photo."
The LCE POTY Awards
The LCE Photographer of the Year 2026 Awards, organized by London Camera Exchange, celebrate outstanding photography across 14 diverse categories, including landscape, portrait, macro, street, and more.
Open to photographers of all experience levels, the free-to-enter competition features a £10,000 prize fund, a People's Choice Award and an Emerging Talent Award.
For more information, visit the LCE POTY website.
You might like...
Browse the best professional cameras, the best photography lighting kits, and the best photo editing software.
Looking for competitions to enter? Here are 10 global photo contests now open for entries from March to July.
You must confirm your public display name before commenting
Please logout and then login again, you will then be prompted to enter your display name.
