Results of the September Competition ‘Portrait’
On Friday 25 September, we gathered at Connect Church for the judging of the September round of our monthly photography competition, this time on the theme of ‘Portrait’.
Portraiture is one of photography’s oldest traditions, but the twelve entries this month demonstrated just how many different ways there are to photograph a subject. We saw everything from carefully controlled and styled portraits to candid moments, character studies, movement and even an interpretation of the theme from the natural world.
As usual, members took part in the judging, with points awarded to produce our final results. It proved to be another enjoyable competition, with three very different approaches to portraiture taking the top three places.
First Place – 9pts – ‘Eloise’ by Stewart Wall
Stewart Wall took first place with ‘Eloise’, a portrait in which the environment becomes as important as the person being photographed.
Eloise was originally photographed in a studio environment and then, in Photoshop, embedded into a photograph of an old window covered in dirt, cobwebs and the traces left by time. Her face emerges through these layers, with her eyes and red lips providing strong points of connection with the viewer.
The result is a portrait that goes beyond simply recording appearance. The window becomes part of the story, creating a sense of separation and mystery while giving the finished photograph its distinctive atmosphere.
Second Place – 7pts – ‘Simon’ by Andrew Bullen
Andrew Bullen took second place with ‘Simon’, a strong character portrait built around expression, texture and light.
The close composition places all our attention on Simon’s face, while the directional lighting brings out the texture of his beard and features. His cap and the direction of his gaze add to our impression of the person rather than simply presenting a straightforward likeness.
A beautifully observed portrait with plenty of character.
Third Place – 5pts – Phil Hope
Phil Hope took third place with a very different approach, producing a highly styled portrait in which costume, pose, colour and lighting all contribute to the finished photograph.
The black top hat and veil frame the face, while the rich reds and more subtle coloured lighting create a theatrical quality. The direct gaze provides a strong connection with the viewer and completes a carefully constructed image.
Together, the three placed photographs demonstrate just how broad the idea of portraiture can be — from environmental storytelling and character study to a completely styled and controlled interpretation.
The other entries – all receive 3 Points
Special mention should go to David Smith, Julie Smith, and Michael Barwick who all just missed being in the top three places. The scoring was high for all photographers this month
Michael Barwick’s ‘David’ offered a warm and approachable traditional head-and-shoulders portrait, while Julie Smith’s ‘Harry’ used dramatic low-key monochrome lighting to create a very different mood.
David Smith’s “She Walks in Beauty”, taking its title from Lord Byron’s famous poem, uses the grace and movement of the dancer and her flowing dress to create a contemporary photographic interpretation of beauty in motion.
Elsewhere we saw candid family moments, formal and informal character studies, monochrome portraiture and an older photograph that reminds us that portraits can also become important records of people and time.
Simon Feane even turned the camera towards the natural world with his close portrait of a swan — demonstrating that perhaps a portrait doesn’t necessarily have to be of a person.
It made for a wonderfully varied collection and showed just how differently twelve photographers can respond to a single word: Portrait.
Photographer of the Year 2026
September’s Portrait competition has made the battle near the top of our 2026 Photographer of the Year competition even closer.
Julie continues to lead the competition and, after adding another 3 points this month, moves onto 51 points.
Behind her things are becoming particularly interesting. David S is second on 38 points, Mick is just one point behind on 37, while Stewart’s September win takes him from 27 to 36 points and fourth place.
Simon remains strongly placed on 31 points, while Noel, Susan and Phil are now tied on 27 points. Andrew’s second place this month moves him up to 25 points, while Phil Hope’s third place takes him to 11 points.
