Samir Hussein was the winner in the Royal Category and was also named UKPEG Press Photographer of the Year.
UK Picture Editors’ Guild Awards 2026
Samir Hussein was the winner in the Royal Category and was also named UKPEG Press Photographer of the Year.
The prestigious UK Picture Editors Guild Awards have just been announced, with a selection of the top images from the past twelve months being celebrated at a major event held in the heart of Westminster.
PRESS PHOTOGRAPHERS SO often find themselves overlooked and under-valued, as they perform their crucial role of documenting and adding crucial insight into events taking place around the world, often at considerable personal risk. The transient nature of press imagery ensures that only a handful of shots make it into print within the time frame within which a story might be topical, meaning that many might subsequently never be widely seen and appreciated.
It’s one of the key reasons why awards such as those offered by the UK Picture Editors Guild are so important, highlighting the exceptional work that’s being created while ensuring the widest-possible audience over a sustained period of time. One of the most prestigious prizes on offer to the UK press, the presentation evening is always fully attended, with this year’s special guest at Church House, Westminster, just round the corner from No 10 Downing Street itself, none other than the Mayor of London, Sir Sadiq Khan.
This year’s head judge Sophie Batterbury was supported by Jason Green, picture editor of the Daily Telegraph, Jane Sherwood, news editor EMEA for Getty Images, Matthew Fearne, head of pictures for The Times and Sunday Times, Alan Hamilton, picture editor for The Independent, freelance picture editor Helen Healy, Steven Lawrence, Metro, Jon Mills SWNS, Fiona Shields, head of photography for the Guardian News and Media Group and Flora Smith Managing Partner from Topfoto Agency.
The top honour of Press Photographer of the Year Award went to freelancer Samir Hussein, who won both the Dave Benett Agency Arts and Entertainment Photographer of the Year and PA Media Royal Photographer of the Year sections. Having made his first appearance in the awards in 2015 when winning the Dave Benett-sponsored section, Samir – whose father is award-winning photographer Anwar Hussein – repeated his victory in 2017, followed by more success in the same category in 2018.
ABOVE: Image by Ben Gilbert winner in the Young Photographer of the Year
Lifetime Achievers
Two more lifetime achievers were announced at this year’s awards, Arthur Edwards (left), photographer for The Sun, and former i picture editor Sophie Batterbury.
Arthur has a career spanning over fifty years, having joined The Sun in 1974. An early challenge by his editor took him down the route of the royals, when he was tasked to find out who was the latest girlfriend of the Prince of Wales. His determined and dedicated approach led to a success, as he came back with pictures of Lady Diana Spencer.
During his career as royal photographer for The Sun he’s been on 200 international tours in 120 different countries, and photographed 11 royal weddings four royal funerals and a multitude of royal births. His closeness to the Royal family saw Diana knowing him as ‘our Arthur,’ while the present king often introduces him on tours to world leaders, including the Pope in 2025, a highlight for devout catholic Arthur.
Sophie, meanwhile, joined The Independent at 21 as a junior darkroom technician, and subsequently set her mark as an accomplished picture editor for over twenty years, also becoming a Fellow of the Royal Photographic Society (FRPS), and she served as this year’s chair of judges.
Other recipients of the Guild Lifetime Achievers awards have been Sunday Mirror Photographer Phil Coburn (2010), double Pullitzer prize winner Horst Faas (2011) Kent Gavin (2012) Tom Stoddart (2018) and Terry O’Neill (2019).
BELOW: UKPEG Business Photographer of the Year – James Glossop – The Times
UK Picture Editors’ Guild Awards 2024
UKPEG Press Photographer of the Year
Samir Hussein Freelance
Alamy Portrait Photographer of the Year
Natasha Pszenicki DMG Media
Highly Commended: Jack Taylor Freelance
Commended: Leon Neal Getty Images
Dave Benett Agency Arts and Entertainment Photographer of the Year
Samir Hussein Freelance
Highly Commended: Jane Barlow Press Association
Commended: Anthony Devlin Freelance
Canon Sports Photographer of the Year
David Davies Press Association
Highly Commended: Mike Egerton Press Association
Commended: Adrian Dennis AFP
EPA News Photographer of the Year
Stefan Rousseau Press Association
Highly Commended: Dan Kitwood Getty Images
Commended: Jeff Mitchell Getty Images
Fleet Street’s Finest Essay Photographer of the Year
Simon Townsley Daily Telegraph
Highly Commended: Richard Pohle The Times
Commended: Charles McQuillan Freelance
Genesis Imaging Regional Photographer of the Year
Jeff Mitchell Getty Images
Highly Commended: Jane Barlow Press Association
Commended: James Hardisty Yorkshire Post
Getty Young Photographer of the Year
Benjamin Gilbert Freelance/Bob Martin Photography
Highly Commended: Anthony Hanc Freelance/WiredPhotos
Commended: Ben Montgomery Freelance
Nikon Student Photographer of the Year
Max English Falmouth University
Highly Commended: Harry Murray London College of Communication
Commended: Jack Tyler Falmouth University
PA Media Royal Photographer of the Year
Samir Hussein Freelance
Highly Commended: Aaron Chown Press Association
Commended: Jonathan Brady Press Association
Sony National Newspaper Photographer of the Year
Richard Pohle The Times
Highly Commended: Jack Hill The Times
Commended: Eddie Mulholland The Telegraph
UKPEG Business Photographer of the Year
James Glossop The Times
Highly Commended: Chris Furlong Getty Images
Commended: Jose Sarmento Matos Freelance
ABOVE: Image by Stefan Rousseau winner in the EPA news category Picture Editors Guild
ABOVE: Image by Canon Sports Photographer of the Year David Davies.
UK Picture Editors Guild Awards Public Vote
The public was invited to vote on a shortlist of news images from the past twelve months, compiled by a panel of top newspaper picture editors. Nearly four thousand people took part, and the winner by a small margin was PA photographer Jordan Pettitt, who took 25.72% of the vote. Jordan’s relaxed image caught the moment when King Charles III joined 101-year-old Second World War veteran Ruth Barnwell at a tea party in Buckingham Palace, following the military procession to mark the 80th anniversary of VE Day (above).
More information:
Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award
Photographer Johanna Alarcón has been awarded the prestigious Marilyn Stafford FotoReportage Award for 2026, for her photo essay When the Earth Gives Birth. The winning project documents Indigenous maternal healthcare in Ecuador through the stories of midwives, apprentices and patients from AMUPAKIN and Partera di Anaku – the first Indigenous midwifery schools and hospitals in the Amazon and Andes (right).
The Award, facilitated by FotoDocument and supported by Nikon Europe, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year, and to mark the occasion a special event will be taking place from 18–20 September at POST, Brighton & Hove’s new centre for photography and film. The programme will feature a retrospective display showcasing highlights from the past decade of winning projects, including an exhibition of work by the latest Award Winner, accompanied by an Artist Talk.
“Johanna Alarcón’s inspiring work shines a light on Indigenous women’s resilience and the preservation of vital cultural knowledge, and exemplifies the kind of storytelling we are committed to supporting,” comments Ruby Nicholson, senior communications manager for Nikon Northern Europe. “We celebrate her dedication and look forward to seeing her project spark meaningful conversations worldwide.”
Tom Stoddart Award for Excellence
In further news photography-related news, the Ian Parry Photojournalism Grant (IPPG) has announced the second edition of The Tom Stoddart Award for Excellence in collaboration with GOST Books. This unique award offers established photographers working in long form documentary photography the opportunity of having a photo book produced by GOST, along with £5000 in expenses and travel to oversee the printing in Verona, and publicity for the final outcome from media partner The Guardian.
Entrants need to supply a short biography, a description of the book project and a selection of up to 40 images, and no AI generated imagery is permitted. Each separate entry will be charged £50 and for full details head to the application site here.
Professional Photo Online Issue 245 July 2026
The Lisa Devlin Column – Improving with age
How emotion at the time of a wedding becomes embedded in the way clients respond to their images – and why the same photograph can look completely different twenty-five years later.
The Friday Fix Competition – Win DxO’s PureRAW 6 worth £120
One of the best RAW processors on the market has just been improved still further, as DxO unveils PureRAW 6, complete with a raft of useful upgrades. Read on to find out more, and get your name in the hat for a chance to win a copy, valued at £120!
Pro Lighting Masterclass: Classic Hollywood Butterfly
For his column this month Paul is talking through a stylish over-the-shoulder portrait defined by delicate lighting that’s created a subtle butterfly shadow, delivering a classic Hollywood-style sculpted look that highlights a clean jaw and strong cheekbones.
On Test: Manfrotto ONE Photo Tripod
Manfrotto’s multi award-winning ONE platform has expanded recently to bring a stills-focused model to market, which features all of the innovative style of the original hybrid version while cutting down on the cost and weight. Has it got what it takes to appeal to the pro market?
Tamron Solve the Missing Link!
Lens technology is being taken to the next level by Tamron as the company unveils its latest Link device which, when plugged into the USB socket on compatible Tamron lenses, enables wireless lens control through a smartphone via the Tamron Lens Utility app, opening the door to a whole host of handy pro features.
WEX Photo Video Glasgow – The Power of Portraits
Portraiture is one of the most popular genres of photography and Michael Fraser, store manager for Wex in Glasgow, is a seasoned exponent, having spent years creating a striking portfolio and a great reputation around the city for the quality and diversity of his work.
On Test – The Lomo MC-A
For wedding photographers looking to offer the increasingly popular retro film approach, a point-and-shoot 35mm model such as the newly-arrived Lomo MC-A looks like an attractive proposition. Marianne the Photographer tested it out to see if it might have a role to play in her business.
Fly Me to the Moon
The Artemis II mission to fly astronauts around the moon, in the process giving them the status of being the furthest travelled humans from Earth, was hi-tech at every stage, but remarkably the cameras that recorded this historic voyage were actually a decade old.
Witness to the World
The winners of the 2026 World Press Photo Award have recently been announced, and in a monumental year for international news they emphasise the importance of the role photography plays, often under testing and dangerous circumstances, in terms of ensuring a witness to events.
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