London Camera Exchange chain of UK camera stores has officially opened entries for its Photographer of the Year 2027 competition, giving photographers the chance to win a share of £10,000 in prizes and have their work showcased at one of the UK’s biggest photography events.
The competition is free to enter and welcomes photographers of all experience levels, from beginners to professionals. There are 14 categories covering everything from landscape and wildlife to street, portrait, travel and macro photography, with entries open until 20 January 2027.
Each category winner will receive £500 worth of LCE vouchers and a trophy, while the overall Photographer of the Year will take home an additional £2,500 in vouchers.
There’s also a dedicated Emerging Talent category for photography students studying in the UK. The winner will receive £500 in vouchers, with another £500 awarded to their university or place of study. Meanwhile, the returning People’s Choice category will allow the public to vote for their favourite image.
One of the biggest draws is the opportunity to have your photography displayed at The Photography & Video Show 2027, taking place at ExCeL London from 13 to 16 March. Finalists’ images will be exhibited at the show’s entrance, with selected shortlisted photographs also featured in a commemorative book.
The judging panel includes SheClicks founder Angela Nicholson, Digital Camera World content director Chris George, portrait and travel photographer Jimmy Cheng, and street photographer Peter Dench.
LCE is also keeping entry requirements fairly accessible. Photographs can be taken using anything from a DSLR or mirrorless camera to a smartphone, tablet or drone, provided the image meets the required quality standards. AI-generated images, however, are not permitted.
The competition coincides with LCE’s 70th anniversary, with Canon, Fujifilm and OM System among its headline sponsors.
Entries are open worldwide to photographers aged 18 and over, although prizes are restricted to UK residents. Photographers can submit one image per category online or at any of LCE’s 26 UK stores.
Submissions are open now through the official LCE Photographer of the Year, with winners set to be announced at the March awards ceremony.
Press release
Open for entries: LCE Photographer of the Year 2027
- London Camera Exchange annual photography competition returns with £10,000 prize fund – now open for submissions
- Quick, easy and free to enter for photographers of all levels and experience
- 14 diverse categories from Landscape and Street to Wildlife, Portrait and Travel, plus publicly voted ‘People’s Choice’ and ‘Emerging Talent’ for photography students
- Exhibition and awards presentation at The Photography & Video Show at ExCeL London, with winning and shortlisted works featured in a special commemorative book
London Camera Exchange is calling for entries to its LCE Photographer of the Year 2027 contest, inviting photographers to showcase their creativity and compete for a share of a £10,000 prize fund and gain national recognition for their work.
Now established as a major platform for photographic talent – and celebrating creativity, skill and inspiration – LCE Photographer of the Year is free to enter and open to photographers of all experience levels, aged 18 and over. Images can be taken anywhere in the world.
Entries open on 12 October 2026 and close at midnight on 20 January 2027. Photographers can submit a maximum of one image per category, with 14 categories offering opportunities to depict everything from dramatic action and landscapes to wildlife, portraits, creative scenes and everyday events. Participants can submit their images in-store at any of LCE’s 26 retail shops around the UK, or online at https://poty.lcegroup.co.uk/.
Lee Harasyn, managing director of LCE, commented, “London Camera Exchange is celebrating its 70th anniversary in 2026, so we are aiming for this year’s competition to be our biggest and best yet. LCE Photographer of the Year has developed into an exciting platform for photographers to showcase their talent and compete for major prizes. With a £10,000 prize fund, 14 categories and an exceptional panel of judges, there are more opportunities than ever for photographers to achieve recognition for their shots.”
Following the success of the Emerging Talent category in previous years, photography students studying in the UK are again eligible in this dedicated section, with the winner receiving £500 worth of LCE vouchers and an additional £500 awarded to their photography department, university or other place of study.
The popular ‘People’s Choice’ category will also return, giving photographers the chance to put their images directly in front of the public and encourage friends, family and fellow photography enthusiasts to vote for their work. The image receiving the most eligible votes will become the People’s Choice winner.
The competition offers a substantial prize for every category winner, with each of the 14 category champions receiving £500 worth of LCE vouchers and a trophy. The overall LCE Photographer of the Year will be presented with an additional £2,500 worth of LCE vouchers, while the Emerging Talent winner’s place of study will receive a further £500.
2026 overall winning image, ‘Fish Eyes’ by Sophia Spurgin
Finalists will be invited to the LCE Photographer of the Year awards ceremony at The Photography & Video Show 2027, taking place at ExCeL London from 13 to 16 March 2027. All the finalists’ images will be displayed at a high-profile exhibition in the show entrance.
A selection of shortlisted entries will also be included in a stunning LCE Photographer of the Year special edition commemorative book, with a complimentary copy provided to featured entrants. The winning images will be announced at the awards ceremony, and via London Camera Exchange’s social channels and national and specialist media, delivering further opportunities for photographers to share their work with new audiences.
The 2027 competition will be judged by four distinguished photography experts: Angela Nicholson, founder of SheClicks, Chris George, content director of Digital Camera World and Creative Bloq, award-winning professional portrait and travel documentary photographer Jimmy Cheng and internationally acclaimed street photographer Peter Dench.
Lee Harasyn continued, “We want LCE Photographer of the Year to celebrate photography in all its forms. From emerging photographers developing their style to experienced professionals, we’re looking forward to seeing the creativity, originality and different perspectives that photographers bring to this year’s competition.
“Being able to honour the winners at The Photography & Video Show at ExCeL London makes the 2027 competition particularly exciting. We can’t wait to discover the images that will make this year’s shortlist and share them with photography audiences across the UK and beyond.”
Images can be captured using any device capable of producing a digital image of sufficient quality and resolution for entry, including cameras, drones, smartphones, tablets and other digital imaging devices. Images must be the entrant’s own work and AI-generated imagery is not permitted. The judges will assess shortlisted images based on composition, lighting, subject matter and technical skill, with photographs judged anonymously. The overall winner will be selected by the judging panel from the 14 category winners.
Categories:
- Action
- After Dark
- Birds
- Creative
- Emerging Talent
- Events
- Landscape
- Macro
- People’s Choice
- Pets
- Portrait
- Street
- Travel
- Wildlife
The competition is generously backed by major photo industry brands including headline sponsors Canon, Fujifilmand OM System, as well as partners Nikon and Sony, and affiliates Cewe, Lexar and Sigma.
LCE Photographer of the Year 2027 is open to photographers worldwide, although prizes are limited to photographers who are resident in the UK. No purchase is necessary to enter or win. Full competition terms and conditions, rules and FAQs are available at https://poty.lcegroup.co.uk/. LCE Photographer of the Year is free to enter and attend.
LCE Photographer of the Year 2027 key dates
- Entries open: 12 October 2026
- Entries close: Midnight, 20 January 2027
- The Photography & Video Show 2027: 13 to 16 March 2027, ExCeL London
- Awards ceremony: Timings to be confirmed and communicated to shortlisted entrants.