Want extra color in your life? These are our favorite avenue, nature and portrait images that includes the entire rainbow

We’ve revealed the winners of the Celebrating Colour class of the International Amateur Photographer of the Year (APOY) 2026 competitors. Here we share our favorite images that didn’t make the highest ten, plus extra nice photographs from the shortlist.

In APOY, one of the best non-professional photographers on the planet compete over ten rounds all year long to win some implausible prizes. The competitors is now open, with every month asking for entries on a brand new class theme. Entry is free to photographers aged 13-21 within the Young Amateur Photographer of the Year competitors.

The Girl within the Yellow Dress by Feldore McHugh, Belfast – chosen by Peter Dench, APOY venture supervisor

Olympus E-M1, 35-100mm at 100mm , 1/80sec, f/2.8, ISO 2000

Peter says: I really like the immediacy and graphic high quality of this picture, with the vivid yellow of the lady’s clothes set in opposition to the turquoise seats and deep blue-green pillar. It’s the best way these colors work together that makes the {photograph} notably profitable for me. The repetition of yellow in her garments, hair clips and basket peeking from beneath the seats, provides the body its robust visible construction. The battered, peeling surfaces present a pleasant contrasting texture. The lady’s direct, barely quizzical gaze provides one other dimension, each comfy and conscious of Feldore’s lens. The composition is balanced, the empty area round her and the sweep of the seats, provides the picture room to breathe. A vibrant {photograph} with character, texture and compelling human presence.

Leake Street Colours by Graeme Youngson, Aberdeen – chosen by Nigel Atherton, editor

Fujifilm X-T5, 16mm F1.4, 1/1000sec at F1.4, ISO 500

Nigel says: Graeme deserves a shout-out for this cleverly composed shot of avenue artwork in London. Many street-art photographs are merely reproductions of the paintings itself, with all of the heavy lifting completed by the artwork and no inventive enter from the photographer. The most blatant approach to keep away from that’s to indicate an interplay between the paintings and its surroundings, maybe by capturing an fascinating juxtaposition with somebody strolling previous.Graeme’s photograph takes a unique route, and it initially confused me. At first, I believed it was a triptych, however on nearer inspection I realised he had gone in shut on a publish, positioned it lifeless centre, and shot broad open to blur the road behind, and create separation. The result’s an in-camera triptych impact that’s fairly jarring, however I love the lateral considering behind it. I additionally like the best way he has included a few avenue artists within the background, which humanises the scene.

Women on the Stepwell by Erika Howard, London – chosen by Geoff Harris, deputy editor

Canon EOS R5, 24-70mm at 70mm, 1/250sec, f/8, ISO 200

Geoff says: I used to be actually taken with this picture of two ladies getting water in Bundi, Rajasthan. It has a timeless high quality, and there’s nothing about it to recommend it was taken not too long ago – fairly an achievement in our depressingly homogenous and globalised world. The composition is spot on: I can think about how lengthy the photographer needed to watch for the themes to be positioned so completely, with the tiered stone partitions descending on either side, and their reflections are completely captured. The enhancing is acceptable too, with the colors of their saris punchy and saturated with out being garish. Deciding on a sq. crop was one other sensible transfer. It’s a winner in my e-book!

Dahlia by Yvone Kon, Pittsburgh – chosen by Jessica Miller, deputy on-line editor

Jessica says: Dahlias are my favorite flower. So naturally, after I noticed this throughout judging I might really feel myself rework into the ‘heart eyes’ emoji. Vibrant, daring and beautiful are all phrases I’d use to explain this. The lighting is gorgeous, with the brighter part focusing round surrounding the centre and the open petals drifting into the shadows. The depth of the purple can’t go unmissed with its distinction in opposition to the yellow. As purple and yellow are opposites on the color wheel they complement one another nicely and are an amazing instance of color in concord. I really like that Evie has cropped this to sq.. The crop actually emphasises the intention of drawing us into the centre of the bud; which remains to be tightly closed and the remaining petals solely simply beginning to ease out. At any given time, the petals will burst open and I can really feel the strain hitting the sides of the {photograph}. I’ve not too long ago grown dahlias and really feel impressed to {photograph} them in another way too.

Underrated Beauty by Jon Morris, Ellesmere – chosen by Amy Davies, options editor

Canon EOS R5, 500mm, 1/1250sec, f/4, ISO 2000

Amy says: What I really like about this stunning picture is that it’s displaying a unique or underappreciated aspect to a generally seen chicken. I didn’t realise simply how stunning a starling might be earlier than I noticed this, and it’s obtained me questioning if the identical might be utilized to different widespread feathered pals that we exit of our approach to ignore – pigeons, seagulls, magpies and so forth. It’s taught me to try to search for the sweetness within the mundane, and I believe that’s one thing we might all do with remembering.

More superb images from our shortlist:

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