An award capturing the many faces of modern Britain

Portrait of Britain

Portrait of Britain is a celebration of identity; an opportunity to rejoice in the diversity of a changing nation. 

Why enter

Get exhibited nationwide

The UK’s biggest annual photography exhibition, established as an exhibition by the people, for the people, will see 100 winning images will be exhibited up and down the country in a month-long digital screen display in partnership with JCDecaux 

Get published

200 shortlisted portraits will be published in the dedicated Portrait of Britain book printed in collaboration with Bluecoat Press, sponsored by JCDecaux 

Get judged by industry leaders

Judges this year include photographer Nadav Kander,  Russ O’Connell, Picture Editor at The Sunday Times Magazine; photographer and curator,Ronan McKenzie; and editor-in-chief at 1000 Words magazine, Tim Clark.

Get featured in international press

Alongside coverage on 1854.photography, Portrait of Britain award winners have been featured by BBC, The Guardian, The Independent, Sky News, Aesthetica, It’s Nice That and many more

Prize List

  • 100 winning images will be exhibited on JCDecaux digital screens across the UK for one month

  • 200 shortlisted images will be featured in the Portrait of Britain publication, in partnership with Bluecoat Press 

  • Get the chance to be featured in British Journal of Photography

  • Your work will be shared with our extensive national and international press list

Vol.6 Judges

Each year Portrait of Britain is judged by a panel of key industry leaders from across the UK

Mick Moore

CEO & Creative Director, British Journal of Photography

Anne McNeill

Director, Impressions Gallery

Tracy Marshall-Grant

Arts Director, Curator & Producer

Nadav Kander

Photographer

Bindi Vora

Artist & Curator, Autograph

Sebah Chaudhry

Creative Producer and Curator, Co-Founder/Co-Director of ReFramed

Russ O’Connell

Picture Editor, The Sunday Times Magazine

Tim Clark

Editor-in-chief, 1000 Words

Ronan McKenzie

Photographer and Curator

In partnership with:

Hear from our past winners

Winners

Meet the photographers whose work has made waves across the nation. Many are now internationally established names.

Buy the book

Distributed worldwide, the Portrait of Britain Vol. 6 book, published in collaboration with Bluecoat Press, sponsored by JCDecaux, brings together the 200 shortlisted portraits for this year’s edition of Portrait of Britain, revealing stories of strength and diversity.

Frequently Asked Questions

Does the subject(s) or the photographer have to be from the U.K?

No – we accept images from international photographers and subjects, the image itself must have been shot within the UK (England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland)

Do I have to have a model release form?

In order to be one of the 100 winning images shown on JCDecaux screens you must have obtained written authorisation from the subject, or the parent/guardian’s permission if the image is of a minor. You need only have obtained verbal permission to be included in the Portrait of Britain publication.

I’m not an 1854 Access Member, how do I enter?

Whilst all 1854 Access members can enter Portrait of Britain Vol.6 for free, you can also purchase an entry for three images or up to ten images on the entry site.

I have lost the email with my entry link

If you have lost your entry, use the reset form here, to send a reminder to your email address.

Can I pay by PayPal / Cheque / Cash?

We can only accept Memberships and entries paid for with a credit or debit card online

Can I enter more than once?

Yes, you may enter as many times as you choose. 1854 Access Members are entitled to submit 10 free images, and have the option to purchase additional image entries following that.

I have a promotional code, how can I use it?

Please first choose the type of entry you wish to make (eg, one series entry). On the next page you will be able to enter your promotional code, and after submitting that form you will see your discount applied.

I have a promotional code, but it doesn’t work?

Please note that most codes are time-limited. If the deadline for using your code has passed, it will not be usable.

Why is there a fee?

To find out more about why there is a fee to enter our awards visit our 1854 Awards: Why is there a fee? page

I bought too many entries / ran out of time, can I get a refund?

Sorry, but all entry fees are non-refundable, as stated in the terms and conditions that you accepted on entry.

Have my images uploaded correctly?

If your images have uploaded correctly you will see a small version of each photo on the entry page, alongside the caption you entered. If you cannot see your photo, then your image has not uploaded correctly. If a caption has been stored but no image, you can delete it using the Edit option.

There isn’t enough room for my image title, or other text

Please note that maximum lengths that apply to these texts. The length limits are noted on the form used to enter them and are given in characters (letters), not words.

My image was created as part of a collaboration, how do I ensure that all collaborators are credited?

In the description of your image(s), please clearly state that the image was created in collaboration with another artist, and give their name and email address.

I can’t see the option to submit my entry

The Submit button appears at the top of your entry page once you have uploaded at least one image.

What happens when I submit my entry?

Your entry will be confirmed on a web page after submitting, and then we will send you a confirmation email, and your images (along with their captions, statements etc) are stored, ready to be viewed by the judges.

I have submitted my entry – can I change it?

No, once your entry has been submitted you may no longer alter it in any way.

Could you please check my images / text / entry?

I’m afraid this isn’t possible – our system receives thousands of images, so we can’t check individual ones. Please ensure that you are happy with your images and statement before submitting it.

Portraits must have been taken after 1st January 2022, and depict subjects in the UK (England, Scotland, Wales & Northern Ireland) at the time of the photograph

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Portraits may be of individuals or groups of people

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Written consent must have been obtained for the use of the photographs in the outdoor exhibition. In the case of minors (persons under 18) parental / guardian written consent must be obtained.

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All photographers should adhere to the 1854 Awards Standard of Practice

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Professional and non-professional photographers of all ages are eligible to enter

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Both UK-based and international photographers are welcome to enter

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Portraits can be shot using any camera model (film or digital), and images may be portrait, landscape or square in format. Portraits can also be shot on any camera phone.

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Whilst AI-generated imagery is permitted, it must be clearly stated upon application. All undeclared AI images will be disqualified.

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Images that are deemed to breach the CAP code or ASA statement on sexual imagery may not be appropriate for the outdoor advertising screen display, in particular images which feature (or reference) swear words, nudity, partial nudity/sexualised imagery, as the images will be shown widely and will be seen by children. However, images to be published in the Portrait of Britain book will not be subject to these constraints.

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Each entrant will be deemed to warrant they own the entire copyright for the work or that they have permission from the licensee and/or copyright owner/s for the uses and that they agree to the use of the work as outlined in the terms & conditions and as outlined during the calls to entry. Please familiarise yourself with the terms here.

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Each image can be a maximum of 10MB in size. All images must be submitted as JPEG files – any files submitted in any other format (including TIFF, PDF, PSD etc) will be discarded.

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You may submit a short statement for each photograph entered. Statements must be under 250 characters in length, and written in English.

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The deadline for entries is 6 September 2023 – 23:59 (UK Time).

Judging will take place shortly after the deadline.

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Once your images and statement have been uploaded to the system you will see an option to submit your entry. Once submitted your entry cannot be altered. Only submitted entries will be viewed by the judges.

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The winning and shortlisted photographers must be available to supply high-res files promptly for publication (Adobe 98 RGB, 300dpi, tiff, 8 bit, full resolution and minimum 3000px on the longest side).

Digital files of the winning images will be created for press and publicity purposes.

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BJP and JCDecaux cannot be responsible for any loss or damage to submitted work.

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No copyright is transferred to the BJP or JCDecaux in respect of any works entered or accepted.

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BJP and JCDecaux reserve the right to display, reproduce and publish in any media, any entry, without payment, for the sole purpose of Portrait of Britain – this year and in future – and its promotion and publicity.

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The exhibition will run on JCDecaux digital screens across the United Kingdom.

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Some images may be published in BJP and JCDecaux’s print and digital channels and in the Portrait of Britain book.

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You will be asked to pay for your entry by Credit Card. All payments are handled securely by our payment partner Stripe. After payment, you will receive an email containing a personal upload URL where you may submit your images and statement.

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All entry purchases are final. Having purchased an entry, it is your responsibility to upload and submit your images and statement before the deadline. No refunds will be issued.

If through to the shortlist of Portrait of Britain, we may make small editorial changes to text.

In order to receive your award status, you must be subscribed to the Awards Communications list on our mailing system. If you have not received your status after the deadline, you must simply resubscribe by filling out a form to our newsletter list. 

Please note that 1854 Access members entering awards as part of their membership (as opposed to a paid entry) will be required to remain a member throughout the periods when awards are judged and exhibitions/outputs are planned, for their entries to be eligible.

Portrait of Britain is a celebration of identity; an opportunity to rejoice in the diversity of a changing nation.