LCE Photographer of the Year 2027 Opens for Entries
The LCE Photographer of the Year 2027 competition is now open, offering a £10,000 prize pool and global entry.
The LCE Photographer of the Year 2027 competition is now open for entries. This free-to-enter contest, run by London Camera Exchange, offers a total prize fund of £10,000 and is open to photographers worldwide aged 18 and over. Entries opened on 12 October 2026 and will close at midnight on 20 January 2027.
Photographers of all levels can participate. No purchase is necessary. While entry is global, the monetary prizes are limited to UK residents. The competition is backed by headline sponsors Canon, Fujifilm, and OM System, with additional support from Nikon, Sony, CEWE, Lexar, and Sigma.
Prize structure and rewards
The £10,000 prize pool is distributed across several awards. Each of the 14 category winners will receive £500 in LCE vouchers and a trophy. From these champions, the judging panel will select an overall LCE Photographer of the Year, who gains an additional £2,500 in vouchers.
A separate Emerging Talent category exists for photography students. Its winner gets £500 in vouchers, and their college or university photography department receives an additional £500 grant.
Entry process and rules
Participants can submit one image per category across the 14 themes. Images must be the entrant's own work, and AI-generated imagery is expressly prohibited. Photographs can be taken anywhere in the world using any digital device, including cameras, drones, smartphones, or tablets, provided the image is of sufficient quality.
Entries can be made online via the LCE website or in-person at any of London Camera Exchange's 26 retail shops across the UK. All submissions will be judged anonymously.
| Category | Prize for Winner |
|---|---|
| Each of 14 categories | £500 LCE vouchers + trophy |
| Overall Photographer of the Year | Additional £2,500 LCE vouchers |
| Emerging Talent Winner | £500 LCE vouchers + £500 department grant |
Judging, exhibition and recognition
A panel of four expert judges will assess the shortlisted images based on composition, lighting, subject matter, and technical skill. The 2027 judging panel comprises Angela Nicholson, founder of SheClicks; Chris George, content director of Digital Camera World and Creative Bloq; award-winning portrait and travel photographer Jimmy Cheng; and internationally acclaimed street photographer Peter Dench.
All finalists will be invited to a prize-giving awards ceremony at The Photography & Video Show 2027. Their images will be displayed in a high-profile exhibition at the show's entrance. The event takes place at ExCeL London from 13 to 16 March 2027. A selection of shortlisted work will also feature in a commemorative book, with complimentary copies provided to those included. Winners will be announced at the ceremony and promoted via LCE's social channels and media.
The competition includes a People's Choice category, which allows for public voting on a favourite image.
Support and context
London Camera Exchange, which operates 26 stores in the UK including a site on Lincoln's Silver Street, is running the competition. The retailer is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2026. Managing director Lee Harasyn oversees the initiative.
The 14 categories span a wide range of photographic disciplines, offering numerous avenues for entry. They are Action, After Dark, Birds, Creative, Emerging Talent, Events, Landscape, Macro, People’s Choice, Pets, Portrait, Street, Travel, and Wildlife. The final entry deadline is 20 January 2027.
