LCE Photographer of the Year 2027

About this call

LCE Photographer of the Year 2027 is a free photography competition run by London Camera Exchange, the UK photographic retailer founded in Guildford in 1956. It has 14 categories, including a People's Choice award decided by public vote and an Emerging Talent award for photography students. A shortlist, including favourites from the public vote, is judged by a panel of four experts on composition, lighting, subject matter and technical skill, with images viewed anonymously. Each category winner receives £500 worth of LCE vouchers and a trophy, the overall winner an additional £2,500 worth of vouchers, and the place of study of the Emerging Talent winner receives £500. Shortlisted entries are included in an awards book, and shortlisted entrants are invited to the awards ceremony at The Photography & Video Show 2027 at ExCeL London, 13 to 16 March 2027.

Who can apply

• Open to applicants of any nationality
• Medium: Photography
• Free entry
• Open to photographers of any skill level aged 18 or over, from anywhere in the world. Prizes go only to entrants resident in the United Kingdom at the time of entry; winners based elsewhere get the same exposure but no prize or alternative. Maximum one entry per category, each with a title and a description of up to 280 characters, and the same photograph (or an altered version of it) may be entered in only one category. JPEG or PNG, at most 2,500 pixels on the longest edge; shortlisted entrants must be able to supply a high-resolution JPEG or RAW file. Editing is not restricted as long as the image stays the entrant's own work; excessive sharpening, noise reduction and saturation should be avoided. Any device may be used and there is no limit on when the photo was taken or where. AI-generated imagery is not permitted; all photographic elements of a composite must be the entrant's own. An image that was a winner or runner-up in an earlier edition of this competition cannot be entered. The Emerging Talent award is for photography students currently studying in the UK, who give their university and course on the entry form. Entries are approved before they appear in the public voting gallery, and proof of eligibility may be required. Employees or agents of London Camera Exchange, their immediate families and anyone directly connected with the competition cannot enter.