Four Shortlisted Artists Stand to Win the Winston Taylor Photo Portrait Prize 2026

From nearly 4,000 entries submitted by 1,338 photographers around the world, a striking selection has been shortlisted for the Winston Taylor Photo Portrait Prize 2026. The handpicked images represent some of the finest photographic portrait work being made today, from intimate settings in which figures meet the viewer’s eye to candid scenes on city streets and rural expanses alike.

Open to professionals and amateurs alike, the competition will select one winner to receives a £15,000 award plus a commission to be added to the collection of London’s National Portrait Gallery. An exhibition of the best entries will also be shown at the museum from November 5 to January 17, and the winner will be announced on November 3.

a photographic portrait of two Amazigh cowboys with their camel at dusk — Katie Hitchcock-Smith, “Moroccan (Amazigh) Cowboys” from the series ‘Tajine Westerns’ (2025)

The four shortlisted images include Max Pattenden’s tender “Havannah, Lee Moor,” James Clifford Kent’s “Neisser, Pinar del Río, Cuba,” Marcie Docherty’s “PE,” and Katie Hitchcock-Smith’s dusky “Moroccan (Amazigh) Cowboys.” Learn more and plan your visit on the museum’s website.

a photographic portrait of a young Black man named Neisser, wearing a fencing uniform — James Clifford Kent, “Neisser, Pinar del Rio, Cuba” from the series ‘Yuma’ (2025)

a black-and-white photographic portrait of a young girl with long hair who looks just off to the side — Max Pattenden, “Havannah, Lee Moor” from the series ‘Men May Come and Men May Go, But I Go On Forever’ (2025)

a photographic portrait of four young man in England wearing t-shirts that read "Black River Falls Phys Ed" and holding red helmets — Marcie Docherty, “PE” from the series ‘In Pursuit of Muscle’ (2026)

a photographic portrait of a young Black boxer next to a concrete wall, with seagulls flying overhead against a blue sky — Tom Parker, “Venice Boxers” from the series ‘Venice Beach’

a photographic portrait of a young redheaded boy standing in a barn, holding a lamb — Felicity Crawshaw, “Huw” (2026)

a photographic portrait of a young child dressed up as 1970s Elvis, standing in front of a concession stand — Ellie Ramsden, “A Young Elvis” from the series ‘The Elvies’ (2025)

a photographic portrait of two androgynous identical twins wearing white tank tops — Nora Obergeschwander, “In the space of becoming” from the series ‘Threshold moments’ (2026)

a photographic portrait of a young Black man whose face is half submerged in water — Ron Timehin, “Surface” from the series ‘We Who Belong’ (2025)

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