Joyous “Train to Glastonbury” shot wins Event Photography Awards 2026 while Marc James is crowned the inaugural Event Photographer of the Year.

The twelfth annual Event Photography Awards culminated in an enormously enjoyable event at the Central Hall Westminster with over 250 guests enjoying superb catering by Green & Fortune while perusing an extensive gallery of some 140 short-listed shots, expertly printed and presented by the EPA’s production partner, Visions Group.

The not-for-profit competition was founded to highlight the importance of great photography to the sustenance of the events industry by Philip Atkins, CEO of event staffing and recruitment agency Off To Work. It attracted over 2,300 images of events held all around the world from photographers in over 20 countries.

The awards featured 18 core categories plus a new Black & White Award, sponsored by the UK’s best-selling photography publication, Digital Camera magazine. However, the big new element of this year’s ceremony was the additional accolade of Event Photographer of the Year, which was bestowed in conjunction with the Best Portfolio award and won by first time entrant, Marc James, who along with the new trophy received a cheque for £1,000.

The prestigious Overall Winner trophy, which also came with a cheque for £1,000, was won by last year’s Overall Runner-Up, David Parry, whose joyous shot Train to Glastonbury captured Sam Ryder performing an impromptu gig onboard a service travelling from Paddington to Glastonbury, ahead of his Saturday set at the music festival. The surprise performance was part of the ‘I came by train’ campaign supported by Trainline, which encouraged sustainable travel to the festival.

Marc James provided the perfectly titled Overall Runner-Up shot came from the insightful Behind the Scenes category and depicted a ‘Headless Chicken’ performer getting relief from the heat of an event and his mascot costume by cooling off in a back of house refrigeration truck.

The two Overall Highly Commended images were the winners of the of the highly-competitive Music Events – Category and always popular Wedding categories. The first by twice past Overall Winner (2022 & 2025), Luke Dyson, with a spectacular image skilfully captured in the Royal Albert Hall, the second was also by a past Overall Winner (EPA 2024), Steve Grogan, who great fun shot is appropriately entitled Bounce!

The sort-after Best Amateur trophy was won outright by Anthony Black, who was one of the joint winners last year and entered a commendable range of excellent images across several categories. While the Peoples’ Choice Awards, which is voted for guests at the awards event, was won by Mac Praed’s Leap of Faith, which was also runner-up in the Music Events – Audiences category.
Competition founder, Philip Atkins, CEO of event staffing agency Off to Work, commented: “Photography does so much to amplify, justify and sustain the events industry, which itself is an increasingly important element in marketing budgets, let alone economies and society as a whole! It was generally agreed amongst the judges that the competition was the toughest yet to adjudicate, as a plethora of inspiring, amusing and moving images encapsulated the importance and impact events.”

Competition & Event Director, Graham Hill, commented: “As ever, especially as a not-for-profit exercise, we owe huge debts of gratitude to our sponsors and event partners for making the competition possible and awards event enormously enjoyable, especially the new venue and catering partners. Central Hall’s adjacent Library & Lecture Hall worked perfectly for the event, while the venue’s in-house caterers Green & Fortune frankly knocked the food out of the park!

“Guests also enjoyed Petrossian Caviar, a Jellybean fountain care of Lick Me I’m Delicious and musical entertainment from Sternberg Clarke’s fabulous event troubadours Wandering Hands. Moreover, a slick new badging system was facilitated by One World Group.”

EPA 2026 Award Winners

Major Award Overall Winner David Parry Train to Glastonbury
Major Award Overall Runner-up Marc James Headless Chicken
Major Award Overall Highly Commended Luke Dyson Albert Hall Constellations
Major Award Overall Highly Commended Steve Grogan Bounce!

Major Award – NEW Best Portfolio & Event Photographer of the Year Marc James Selection Included

Major Award Best Amateur Award Anthony Black Selection Included

Major Award – NEW Black & White Award Afra Gethoeffer-Gruetz Black Ink

Major Award Peoples’ Choice Awards Mac Praed Leap of Faith

Category Winner A Listers David Parry Train to Glastonbury
Category Winner Behind the Scenes Marc James Headless Chicken
Category Winner Brand Activation & Experiential Events Luke Dyson Beneath the Glacier
Category Winner Catering, Food & Drink Clare Hannan Three Waiters
Category Winner Christmas Parties & Seasonal Events Jack Boskett The Boogie Lights Express
Category Winner Corporate Events & Conferences Marc James Old Friends
Category Winner Cultural Events Paul Nicholls Touching Distance
Category Winner Music Events – Audience Brian Robinson Slayer Fans
Category Winner Music Events – Concerts Luke Dyson Albert Hall Constellations
Category Winner Music Events – Performers Javier Bragado Benson Boone
Category Winner Music Events – Performers Afra Gethoeffer-Gruetz Deep Growl – Yukina
Category Winner Portraits Chris Morgan Chaotic Energy
Category Winner Private Events Fran Hales Between Generations
Category Winner Royal Occasions Samir Hussein Neck Craning Royals
Category Winner Speakers Valeriia Milenina Err… Not Sure?!
Category Winner Sporting Events Andrews Matthews Cheering on a Winner
Category Winner Trade Shows & Exhibitions Alistair Veryard Pluck
Category Winner Venues Stephen Cain Pavorotti’s Place
Category Winner Weddings Steve Grogan Bounce!