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Skip to contentThe opening date for this competition is 16th October 2023. Closing date for entries is 24th January 2024 at midnight. The overall winners will be announced at a special event at The Photography & Video Show 2024 and will be announced via social channels and through National and Specialist media.
LCE Photographer of the Year 2024 is free to enter and is open to photographers of any skill level, excluding professionals, aged 18 or over. ‘Professional’ in this context means that photography is your primary source of income.
Can photographers worldwide enter LCE Photographer of the Year 2024?
Yes, LCE Photographer of the Year 2024 is open to photographers based anywhere in the world, but please note that prizes are only able to be given to photographers based in the UK.
Any photographer based elsewhere is eligible to enter, and if they have winning images then they will receive the same exposure as all other winning images, but due to unavoidable logistical issues prizes will not be given, and no other compensation will be given in lieu of the advertised prizes.
The easiest way to enter the competition is via this standalone competition website. The competition cannot be entered on Facebook, Instagram, or X (formerly Twitter) although you can share your entries and tag it with #LCE_PotY24 and encourage people to vote for your image on the competition site. If you need help uploading your images, visit us in-store and a member of staff will be able to assist.
How much does it cost to enter?
The competition is free to enter.
Can I enter the same image into multiple categories?
No. The same image can only be entered into one category. And by ‘image’, we mean the same original file – so a manipulated/altered version of the same file can’t be entered in a different category. Doing so will result in disqualification from both categories.
Image descriptions
Please include a description about your work during the upload process. This is a great way to tell a story or other interesting facts about your image. The panel will be able to read this while judging to give them insight into how you came about the shot.
Metadata
We would advise all entrants to add copyright information in the metadata of all submissions.
How should I prepare my images for submission?
Images submitted to the LCE Photographer of the Year competition must be submitted in JPEG at a maximum size of 2,500px on its longest edge, with a colour profile attached. Either the RGB or sRGB colour profiles are recommended. Digital scans from film are also eligible providing they meet these technical guidelines.
Image Manipulation
There are no restrictions regarding the manipulation of images using software or other techniques in these awards, provided that all imagery is the exclusive work of the submitting photographer and does not include any element that is the copyright of another. That includes not using any image elements such as skies that are available in some image editing software.
Image sharpening, noise reduction and colour saturation
Excessive sharpening, noise reduction and colour saturation techniques should be avoided. We appreciate that entrants will attempt to prepare their entries to optimise appearance and appeal on screen, and this may include these techniques. Excessive use of any or all of them can result in an entry that will be unsuitable for printed media and therefore become invalid as a result.
Can images be taken on a phone?
Yes, images can be taken on any device capable of producing a digital image of sufficient size for entry. For full guidelines on minimum image requirements see the submission requirements on the entry page.
How recently do submitted images have to have been taken?
There is no rule regarding how recently an image must have been taken.
Can I enter a photo that has previously won another photo awards?
Yes, you are allowed to enter photos that have won other photo awards previously.
Do images have to be taken in the United Kingdom?
No. You may enter photographs taken anywhere in the world.
Are AI generated images allowed?
No, all images uploaded to LCE Photographer of the Year 2024 must have been shot by the photographer uploading them and be their copyright. This extends to all the elements within an image, if the image is a composite of any kind.
How will the submissions be judged?
A shortlist of submissions will be drawn including a selection of favourites from votes cast in the gallery. This will be judged by our panel of experts based on composition, lighting, subject matter and technical skill. We do not discriminate on the equipment used to take the image and view the photos anonymously to avoid any potential bias. The voting section will be activated one month after the competition begins and we will advertise this feature when it is available. The People’s Choice category winner will be based solely on votes received. The overall winner will be chosen from the 14 category winners by the judging panel.
What is the breakdown of prizes?
The winner of each of the 14 categories will be awarded £500 and the overall winner will receive £5,000 worth of LCE vouchers. Winners of each category and the overall prize winner will also receive a trophy. Shortlisted entrants will be contacted via email and invited to the awards ceremony, and will be included in an awards book, which all shortlisted entrants will receive free of charge.
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