News Photography

20 award-winning images chosen in a global vote of over 800,000 – from birds and landscapes to street photography

November 6, 2026

More than 800,000 voters from around the world have chosen the People’s Choice winners at the British Photography Awards 2026.

Spanning 20 categories, from Portrait and Landscape to Drone, Documentary, Birdlife and Sports, this year’s awards saw engagement double compared to last year.

Take a look at all 20 images below, and visit the British Photography Awards website for more information.

People’s Choice Winner highlights – British Photography Awards 2026

Two silhouetted birds fly against a warm golden sky, wings spread wide and feathers illuminated by sunlight — ‘Flight of Icarus’ – Category: Birdlife (Image credit: Julie Smith, British Photography Awards)

Smith highlighted, “Two kestrels hunting at dawn on the Northumberland Fells. I watched them twist and turn as they interacted with each other early on August 08.

“Just as the golden hour was coming to an end I waited patiently, willing them to position themselves against the rising sun to create some stunning backlighting through their plumage.

“Seeing them was a lovely consolation on my way home having been out at 05:00 for barn owls that didn’t appear. I used my Sony A1 on a 200-600mm lens handheld, with settings at f/6.3, 1/2000 sec, ISO100, at 600mm. Post processing involved some cropping, noise reduction, and some tweaks to contrast, white balance, highlights and shadows.”

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A lone hiker walks along a dark mountain ridge beneath a glowing orange light, surrounded by vivid crimson fog and deep shadows, creating an eerie, otherworldly mood — ‘The Hill’ – Category: Low Light Photography

(Image credit: David Miller, British Photography Awards)

A towering cluster of brown-capped mushrooms dwarfs three tiny colorful figures at its base, creating a whimsical, dramatic scene against a dark background — ‘The way through the woods’ – Category: Macro

(Image credit: Jacki Gordon, British Photography Awards)

Inside a curling ocean wave, white foam arches overhead toward a sunny sandy beach framed by rocky headlands, with a few swimmers; an exhilarating view — ‘Summer Glimpse’ – Category: Landscape

(Image credit: Thomas Harper, British Photography Awards)

A male ballet dancer in a pale pink tutu balances on pointe in a sunlit stone colonnade, arms outstretched beside a classical statue — ‘Pan’ – Category: Fine Art

(Image credit: Jef Gilgannon, British Photography Awards)

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A lone hiker walks along a dark mountain ridge beneath a glowing orange light, surrounded by vivid crimson fog and deep shadows, creating an eerie, otherworldly mood

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A towering cluster of brown-capped mushrooms dwarfs three tiny colorful figures at its base, creating a whimsical, dramatic scene against a dark background

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Inside a curling ocean wave, white foam arches overhead toward a sunny sandy beach framed by rocky headlands, with a few swimmers; an exhilarating view

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A male ballet dancer in a pale pink tutu balances on pointe in a sunlit stone colonnade, arms outstretched beside a classical statue

Portrait of a serious man with tousled dark hair, wearing a white collared shirt and dark sweater against a brown background — ‘Matty’ – Category: Portrait (Image credit: Neil Ferry, British Photography Awards)

Ferry explained, “Time is often the greatest luxury in portrait photography, yet it is rarely available. This portrait of Matty Healy was created during a brief photographic sitting, demanding instinct as much as preparation.

“The final image was carefully refined to realise my vision of a timeless portrait, using light, tone and texture to create an atmosphere that feels removed from contemporary publicity photography. My intention was to produce an image where expression and presence take precedence over celebrity.”

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A polar bear clings to a small white ice floe amid dark, ice-speckled Arctic water — ‘Holding On’ – Category: Water Life

(Image credit: Rhiannon Lawler, British Photography Awards)

A glossy red Honda SUV sits against a black background, surrounded by flowing red and green dotted light waves — ‘Christmas with Honda’ – Category: Commercial: Product

(Image credit: David Gilliver, British Photography Awards)

Tilted view through a moss-stained concrete bunker doorway to a rocky shoreline and calm sea at sunset, creating a quiet, weathered mood — ‘Sinking Bunker’ – Category: Architecture

(Image credit: Matt Emmett, British Photography Awards)

Black-and-white wedding portrait of a laughing bride and groom standing beside a pool table — ‘Fluke’ – Category: Wedding

(Image credit: Stacey Jones, British Photography Awards)

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A polar bear clings to a small white ice floe amid dark, ice-speckled Arctic water

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A glossy red Honda SUV sits against a black background, surrounded by flowing red and green dotted light waves

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Tilted view through a moss-stained concrete bunker doorway to a rocky shoreline and calm sea at sunset, creating a quiet, weathered mood

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Black-and-white wedding portrait of a laughing bride and groom standing beside a pool table

A vast, tightly packed crowd fills the frame, many people wearing pale clothing and raising their arms, creating an energetic, celebratory atmosphere — ‘Where’s Bald-E’ – Category: Event (Image credit: Connor Baker, British Photography Awards)

Baker stated, “On July 10 2026, 22,141 people gathered at Hyde park’s BST festival to break the world record for the most amount of people wearing a Bald cap at Pitbulls headline show, so I headed up in a cherry picker to get this where’s wally-esque image.”

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Two passengers embrace inside a train, seen through a rain-speckled window — ‘Never let me go’ – Category: Street

(Image credit: Olly Headey, British Photography Awards)

A young lynx sits on dry earth as an adult nuzzles its head, a tender moment of affection against a softly blurred golden woodland backdrop — ‘Endangered Affection’ – Category: Land Animal

(Image credit: Hang Ross, British Photography Awards)

Silhouetted Gothic cathedral spires against a glowing sunset, with a person standing beneath the central arches — ‘The Guardian Within’ – Category: Drone

(Image credit: Thomas Lamont, British Photography Awards)

Dancer in a dramatic red feathered costume poses with raised arms against a dark background, illuminated by blue and red lighting — ‘Red delight’ – Category: Fashion

(Image credit: Natasha Everson-Williams, British Photography Awards)

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Two passengers embrace inside a train, seen through a rain-speckled window

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A young lynx sits on dry earth as an adult nuzzles its head, a tender moment of affection against a softly blurred golden woodland backdrop

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Silhouetted Gothic cathedral spires against a glowing sunset, with a person standing beneath the central arches

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Dancer in a dramatic red feathered costume poses with raised arms against a dark background, illuminated by blue and red lighting

A towering desert tree&rsquo;s massive trunk and sprawling canopy shelter two children in colorful clothes amid rocky, arid ground beneath a bright, cloud-filled sky — ‘The daughters of the trees’ – Category: Documentary (Image credit: Andreea Selagea, British Photography Awards)

Selagea said, “Two young girls, curious yet shy, peek out from behind the iconic Blood Dragon Trees of Socotra. Their quiet presence contrasts beautifully with the otherworldly landscape, where the ancient, umbrella-shaped trees create a natural backdrop.

“The moment captures a sense of innocence and curiosity, while reflecting the unique character of Socotra, a place that feels almost untouched and far removed from the familiar.”

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A glossy red high-heeled shoe overflows with ripe tomatoes and red chili peppers against a vivid red background — ‘Red Hot’ – Category: Food & Drink

(Image credit: Daisy May, British Photography Awards)

Black-and-white mountain scene with a lone hiker silhouetted beneath a towering rock overhang, evoking solitude and adventure amid rugged slopes — ‘Le Chemin du Curé’ – Category: Sports

(Image credit: David Miller, British Photography Awards)

Aerial view of a person in a bright orange jacket beside a bicycle on a dark beach, as white surf rolls in — ‘Black sand selfie’ – Category: Self Portrait

(Image credit: Mat Price, British Photography Awards)

A curious brown-and-white dog licks a bright rainbow-swirl lollipop against a vivid, paint-splashed backdrop, creating a playful, cheerful scene — ‘Lick me’ – Category: Pets & Domesticated Animals

(Image credit: Nigel Wallace, British Photography Awards)

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A glossy red high-heeled shoe overflows with ripe tomatoes and red chili peppers against a vivid red background

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Black-and-white mountain scene with a lone hiker silhouetted beneath a towering rock overhang, evoking solitude and adventure amid rugged slopes

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Aerial view of a person in a bright orange jacket beside a bicycle on a dark beach, as white surf rolls in

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A curious brown-and-white dog licks a bright rainbow-swirl lollipop against a vivid, paint-splashed backdrop, creating a playful, cheerful scene

Author: Kim Bunermann
Source: DigitalCameraWorld
Reviewed By: Editorial Team

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