‘It felt celebratory’: Portrait of Britain winners – in pictures

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‘A difficult journey’ … Liela, London by Adam Docker.

From charity workers to synchronised swimmers via a young lad having tea with his nan, these people all inspired award-winning photographs

‘A difficult journey’ … Liela, London by Adam Docker.

Tue 20 Jan 2026 08.00 CET

Bimini, Brixton, London by Jennifer Forward-Hayter ‘Bimini Bon-Boulash, about to go on stage at Mighty Hoopla, Europe’s largest LGBTQIA+ music festival in Brockwell Park. Mighty Hoopla was almost cancelled this year after a battle for Brockwell Park with local residents. This argument, which played out in the papers, local courts and the park itself, epitomised a much broader fight over the future of London, gentrification and LGBTQIA+ pride.’ Portrait of Britain Vol 8 is available from Bluecoat Press

Breckin and Dan, Cardiff by Francesca Jones ‘I’ve been attending the Big Queer Picnic in Bute Park for several years and was drawn to Breckin and Dan by the ease and closeness between them. This portrait was taken in June 2025. Together for six years, they prefer the picnic to the main Pride event, finding it a more supportive and comfortable space as gender non-conforming, neurodiverse people. Breckin uses he/they pronouns and Dan uses they/he’

Letter from the NHS, Stevenage by Vivek Vadoliya ‘My mother Sumitra awaiting results for her illness.’ Vadoliya’s work spans documentary, fashion, and portraiture

Threads of Home – A Portrait of Kate, Brixton, London by Kirtana Rajeev ‘Kate talked about her Guyanese-Caribbean heritage and what it meant to grow up British while carrying the truth and beauty of her roots. The feeling of in-betweenness, of navigating multiple identities while always being drawn back to home, resonated with me. As a south Indian woman living in the UK, I understood that quiet negotiation between cultures, the constant balancing act, the pride in where you come from, and the moments of disconnection that make you search for home in unfamiliar places’

Princess Julia in Red, east London by Rebecca Zephyr Thomas ‘I have been photographing fashion, art and music icon Princess Julia for almost 20 years. We often shoot together, just the two of us, in locations around Julia’s east London flat, no stylist, no hair or makeup, just the two of us collaborating. Julia first found fame as one of the faces of the New Romantic movement, and her outfit in this image, at Fellows Court in Hoxton, harks back to that era of fashion’

Elvira, Clapham, London by Jack Lawson ‘Elvira owned an independent shop on Clapham High Street. Anyone who has walked along that road would recognise her impeccable dress sense and infectious smile. Unfortunately, like many independent shops, it has now closed and is another vacant store-front on a high street’

Henry, Barras Market, Glasgow by Stuart Edwards Henry, 78, is a familiar face at the Barras Market. He’s always dressed sharp. ‘How you doing, Henry, you good?’ ‘Better than good – I’m lucky’

a fleeting moment where innocence and self-expression intertwine. Where becoming oneself is less a sudden change, and more a slow, uncertain unfolding. She’s beginning to find her own identity, yet still holding gently to the comforts of childhood she’s not quite ready to leave behind’

Emily in Their Room, London by Katie Burdon ‘Emily is a well-celebrated and photographed model, known for their long brown hair and feminine face. This portrait was taken in the midst of their transformation into a new, truer form of themselves. Fresh cut, freshly departed from the modelling world, sun shining. It felt celebratory!’

On Becoming, Manchester by Kymara Akinpelumi ’Released from prison in 2019, Mannie wanted to make a change and set a better example for his children but when Covid-19 hit, he faced job loss, grief and social isolation. In 2023, he set up his own youth running club in Manchester, coaching people like Mateo to be stronger, more resilient and fit. “Mannie made us strive to be better runners but also better people,” says Mateo. This photograph demonstrates the lift up Mateo has because of Mannie, rising tall on a block, the two rooted in protection, unity and resistance’

Jounaid, Go Back To Where? Dartmoor National Park by Jaiyana Chelikha ‘Go Back to Where? explores identity and belonging through the lens of second-generation immigrants. The subject, half-Moroccan and half-French, was born and raised in the UK, yet his identity is often questioned. Shot against the vast British moors, a landscape deeply tied to national identity, he wears a gandoura, a traditional Moroccan garment. This contrast represents the duality of his experience, balancing heritage with the reality of growing up in Britain’

Occupying Lesnes Estate, Thamesmead, London by Yvonne E MaxwellThis commission for Vittles magazine documents the residents and Housing Rebellion activists opposing Peabody Housing Association’s plans to demolish the estate, which threaten to displace the community

Dave the Rave, Jaywick, 2025 by AboveGroundAboveGround is a Lithuanian-born, London-based director and photographer known for music videos, documentary work and unapologetic story telling

Liela, London, by Adam Docker ‘Liela was born, raised and educated in Sudan, but settled in London at the end of 1990. She is the founder and chairperson of the You Are Not Alone community organisation. She has been the secretary general of the Sudanese Women’s Union UK, a member of Black and Minority Ethnic Group Consortium and its Health Forum in Westminster, the former vice chair person of the Westminster Women’s Forum, and former treasurer to the Bahr El-Ghazal emergency relief fund. In 2023 she was caught up in Sudan’s war, but returned to London after a difficult journey’

Taking Nan for Tea, Norwich by Tom Barrett ‘I met Adam and his nan Janet after they’d just had tea together at a Norwich department store. They agreed to a street-style portrait. They were thrilled with the photo. I eventually plucked up the courage to ask if I could photograph them again. They kindly agreed, and months later, we met at Janet’s house. We drank tea, ate biscuits and spent time getting to know one another. Their closeness and ease with each other was a true cure to the modern anxieties we all face, offering a beautiful example of the family bond’

Faith – Islam, Water of Leith, Edinburgh by Ritchie Elder ‘Alaa is a member of the Muslim Women’s Association of Edinburgh. This image is from my documentary project Faith, which examines the diversity of religious experience and identity in Edinburgh. This work seeks to foster a deeper understanding of how spirituality shapes daily life, culture and community. It highlights the unique expressions of religion across different communities, exploring the intersection of faith and personal identity’

Almost Synchro, Portishead lido, Bristol by Jonathan Cherry ‘Almost Synchro formed in 2019 for a mass synchronised performance marking the centenary of Henleaze swimming lake. Through their quiet persistence, a smaller core emerged as a dedicated ensemble. Their performances, staged both in open water and on dry land, combine playfulness with purpose. While they celebrate the beauty of collective movement, they also use their work to draw attention to urgent issues – from the fight against water pollution to the campaign for safe and accessible bathing spaces for all’

Crystal Marshall, London by Stephanie Siân Smith Part of the Changing Faces Charity campaign. After studying photography in Bristol, Stephanie studied at the London College of Communication. She has produced work for many UK publications. Changing Faces provides support and promotes respect for everyone with a visible difference

Venus of Pain, Augustine’s home, London by Margaux Revol‘Part of a documentary portrait series of Augustine, a young woman with ravaging endometriosis – a chronic pain condition still overlooked and underdiagnosed. Flanked by two friends, Augustine is a Venus of Pain, holding her hot water bottle and trying to sit despite the agony of her endometriosis. But this Venus is not a celebration or a vision of idealised beauty – only the raw truth of pain and the sisterhood of witnessing and holding space for what can’t be fixed. A stillness that says, I believe you. I’m here’

Cowboys, north London by Lesley Lau Skhona and Kwame outside Beyoncé’s Cowboy Carter concert

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