APOY 2026 Colour Winners Showcase Diverse Photography

The winners of the Celebrating Colour category in the International Amateur Photographer of the Year (APOY) 2026 competition have been announced. Amateur Photographer has shared favourite images from the shortlist, including those that did not make the top ten.

APOY is a free competition for non-professional photographers worldwide, running over ten monthly rounds. A separate Young Amateur Photographer of the Year contest is free for photographers aged 13 to 21.

Selected Street and Portrait Images

Project manager Peter Dench selected 'The Girl in the Yellow Dress' by Feldore McHugh from Belfast. Dench praised the image's graphic quality, noting the vivid yellow of the girl's clothing against turquoise seats and a blue-green pillar. He highlighted the repetition of yellow in her accessories and the contrasting texture of peeling surfaces. The girl's direct gaze and the balanced composition with empty space give the image room to breathe, he said.

Editor Nigel Atherton chose 'Leake Street Colours' by Graeme Youngson of Aberdeen. Atherton commended the clever composition of London street art, which avoids simply reproducing the artwork. He noted the photographer shot a post wide open with a Fujifilm X-T5 to blur the background, creating an in-camera triptych effect. "I admire the lateral thinking behind it," Atherton said, also praising the inclusion of artists in the background to humanise the scene.

Deputy editor Geoff Harris selected 'Women at the Stepwell' by Erika Howard from London. Harris was taken with the timeless quality of the image showing two women getting water in Bundi, Rajasthan. He praised the composition, the wait for perfect subject placement, and the capture of reflections. The editing made the colours of the saris punchy without being garish, and a square crop was a smart move, he noted.

Nature and Still Life Highlights

Deputy online editor Jessica Miller chose 'Dahlia' by Yvone Kon of Pittsburgh. Miller described the flower as vibrant, bold, and exquisite. She highlighted the beautiful lighting, with brightness focusing around the centre while petals drift into shadow. The intense purple contrasts with yellow, creating a harmonious colour combination from opposites on the colour wheel. Miller loved the square crop, which draws the viewer into the tightly closed centre bud.

Features editor Amy Davies selected 'Underrated Beauty' by Jon Morris from Ellesmere. Davies loves that the image shows an underappreciated side of a common starling. The photograph made her realise the bird's beauty and wonder if the same could apply to other common birds like pigeons or seagulls. "It's taught me to try and look for the beauty in the mundane," Davies said.

The selected images demonstrate a range of photographic techniques and equipment used to capture colour effectively.

Judges focused on how colour interaction, composition, and light defined each successful photograph. The competition remains open for new entries each month.