The Great Winners of the LCE Photography of the Year Competitors

The London Camera Exchange has introduced the winners of its LCE Photographer of the Year 2026 (LCE POTY) competitors.

Now in its third 12 months, the free-to-enter LCE POTY competitors includes 14 totally different classes, together with the publicly voted ‘People’s Choice’ and ‘Emerging Talent’ devoted to pictures college students.

The total winner is Sophia Spurgin for her humorous portrait of a fisherman, captured
spontaneously on a ship in Hoi An, Vietnam. ‘Fish Eyes’ was shot on a Canon EOS R5 Mark II. Sophia was awarded £3,000 ($3,980) in LCE vouchers as the general competitors winner and Travel class winner.

“I was keen to dedicate some time to serious travel photography during a family holiday and had been taking photos of this fisherman at work alongside a local photographer. This was the playful end of the photography session and a genuinely entertaining moment. I especially like that his fishing net is visible in the background, adding context and authenticity to the image,” says Spurgin, a retired faculty trainer from the U.Okay.

“I am absolutely delighted to win the London Camera Exchange Photographer of the Year 2026. Photography has brought me immense joy—not only through the places it has taken me, but also through the wonderful friendships I’ve made along the way. To be recognized in this competition means a great deal, as it shows that my photography resonates with others.”

The competitors attracted 14,500 entries this 12 months, and the winners had been revealed at The Photography Show.