Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize

The 'Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize' honors the best in contemporary portrait photography from around the world. National Portrait Gallery, London. The exhibition is on view until 21 February, 2016.

David Stewart has won the 'Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2015' for a group portrait of his daughter and her friends. The prestigious £12,000 award was presented to the London-based photographer. Born in Lancaster, England, David Stewart began his career photographing punk bands, including The Clash and The Ramones, and the colourful characters seen on Morecambe Promenade. After graduating at Blackpool and The Fylde College, Stewart moved to London in 1981 and now works on a mix of personal projects and commissions.

Second prize has been awarded to Anoush Abrar’s photograph of a young boy, inspired by Caravaggio’s painting 'Sleeping Cupid'; third prize has gone to to Peter Zelewski’s photograph of a woman he spotted on Oxford Street whilst working on his series 'Beautiful Strangers'; and fourth prize was awarded to Ivor Prickett’s photograph of a displaced Iraqi family who had fled their village near Mosul after Isis took control of the area. The 'John Kobal New Work Award', worth £5,000, was won by Tereza Červeňová for her portrait of her friend Yngvild.

New for 2015, previously unseen prints from a recent body of work by the award-winning South African photographer Pieter Hugo (born 1976 in Johannesburg) will be exhibited as part of the inaugural 'In Focus' display. 'In Focus' will become an annual showcase for new work by an internationally-renowned photographer, which will be exhibited alongside the photographs selected anonymously from the competition entries.

The Photographic Portrait Prize, sponsored by Taylor Wessing since 2008, is one of the most competitive photography awards in the world and showcases the work of some of the most exciting and cutting-edge contemporary photographers. Since the international competition began in 1993, it has remained a hugely important platform for portrait photographers and offers an unparalleled opportunity for celebrated professionals, emerging artists and amateurs alike.

Entry for the 'Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2016' will open in May 2016. Entry is open to everyone aged 18 and over from around the world.

Please find more information at NPG