London Camera Exchange launches inaugural photography competition with big prizes!

 London Camera Exchange Photographer of the Year 2024.
London Camera Exchange Photographer of the Year 2024.

London Camera Exchange will launch its inaugural Photographer of the Year, a competition with a prize fund of £12,000!

The 2024 competition will be made of 14 distinct categories and is completely free to enter, with the winners being presented at The Photography Show next year. Created and aimed toward budding photographers and enthusiasts, it is an ideal way of getting your work seen with the opportunity of winning big prizes. A perfect option to enter your first competition.

Tips on entering your first photography competition

The 14 categories cover just about every genre of photography, creating a fantastic opportunity to showcase your work. You are also allowed to enter one image in each of the categories, improving your chances further.

The available categories are: Abstract, Action, After Dark, Birds, Drone, Landscape, Macro, Music, Pets, Portrait, Street, Travel, and Wildlife.

The winners will selected by a panel of esteemed judges from the photography industry. The judging panel includes professional documentary and street photographer Peter Dench, journalist and SheClicks founder Angela Nicholson, Nick Richens, chief executive at London Camera Exchange, and our very own Chris George, Content Director at Digital Camera World. The entries will be judged based on a combination of composition, lighting, subject matter, and technical skill. There will also be a People's Choice award, an opportunity to win through the voting public.

This competition is perfect for budding photographers and enthusiasts, as professional photographers (those who make the majority of their income from photography) are unable to enter. Competitions have been an entryway to turning a hobby into a career, as many photographers get their break from entering competitions. The equipment used will not be discriminated against when judging, meaning you can use your best budget camera without fear, as we all know it's not just the latest and greatest equipment that can capture award-winning images.

The Photography Show
The Photography Show

Winners will receive a share of the large £12,000 prize fund, supported by Canon, Nikon, and OM System as well as LCE's partners - Fujifilm, Panasonic, and Sony. Winners of each category will be presented with £500 in LCE vouchers, and the overall competition winner will receive £5,000 in LCE vouchers.

The awards will be given out at The Photography Show, at the Birmingham NEC. All shortlisted photographers will have their images featured in a special commemorative book and an exhibition at the entrance of The Photography Show 2024.

The Photography Show is a conference event for all photographers, videographers, and content creators, and is a one-stop shop where you can discover, research, and buy the latest gear. Guest talks from industry professionals and new equipment from leading manufacturers make it a haven for both professionals and enthusiasts. Find out more on the official website, grab a ticket when they go on sale shortly, and then come and see the shortlisted competition winners in person!

The London Camera Exchange Photographer of the Year 2024 competition will officially open for entries on October 23, 2023, with entry online or in-store at 26 locations across the UK. The competition closes on January 21, 2024, so plenty of time to get shooting!

For more stories and tips on photography competitions, see our articles, There is never a "right time" to enter your first photo competition – just do it!, 5 biggest mistakes you can make when entering a photo competition, and Stunning image of dramatic card game wins world's biggest photo competition