The BPPA Press Photographer of the Year 2020 – RESULTS

Inside a COVID-19 ward, New York.

Photo: ©Adam Gray/SWNS for Daily Mail |


The results are in for the first British Press Photographers’ Association Press Photographer of the year competition.

We were delighted to receive more than 2400 photographs from 183 photographers, members and non-members, into the ten categories.

The competition was then judged by our members, 140 of them took part, viewing the 408 entries. The photographer with the most votes in each category went through to be voted on by members of The BPPA board to become ‘The BPPA Press Photographer of the Year’.

We are delighted to announce that The BPPA Press Photographer of the Year 2020 is Adam Gray of SWNS.

Adam took first place in two categories, Photo Essay and the Covid-19 Essay. The board members who voted thought his Covid-19 folio in particular stood out and that he deserved the top award in this, out first, Press Photographer of the Year competition. You can see Adam’s winning folios along with the rest of the winners at thebppa.pixelrights.com

The winning portfolios, voted for by members of The BPPA are:

  • News Photographer of the Year – Dylan Martinez – Reuters
  • Arts and Entertainment Photographer of the Year Neil Hall – EPA
  • Portrait Photographer of the Year – Christopher Furlong – Getty Images
  • Royal Photographer of the Year – Samir Hussein
  • Business Photographer of the Year – James Hardisty – The Yorkshire Post
  • Sport Photographer of the Year (Action) – Tom Jenkins – The Guardian
  • Sport Photographer of the Year (Away from the action) Lee Smith – Action Images/Reuters
  • Young Photographer of the Year – Peter Summers
  • Covid-19 Photo Essay of the Year – Adam Gray – SWNS
  • Photo Essay of the Year (non-Covid-19) Adam Gray – SWNS

Highly Commended :

  • News – Hannah McKay – Reuters
  • Arts and Entertainment – Samir Hussein
  • Portrait Photographer – Dan Charity – The Sun
  • Royal Photographer – Chris Jackson – Getty Images
  • Business Photographer – Christopher Furlong – Getty Images
  • Sport Photographer (Action) – Clive Mason – Getty Images
  • Sport Photographer (Away from the action) Carl Recine – Action Images/Reuters
  • Young Photographers – Molly Darlington – Action Images/Reuters, James Speakman – Mercury Press, Jordan Pettitt – Solent News
  • Covid-19 Photo Essay – Christopher Furlong – Getty Images
  • Photo Essay (non-Covid-19) Kiran Ridley

Lindsey Parnaby, Chairman of The British Press Photographers’ Association, said: “We’ve had an amazing response from photographers entering our first Photographer of the Year competition. It really is a showcase of fantastic press photography from what really was a very memorable year. 2020 will be remembered for many reasons and these collections of photographs document it in a very special way.Many thanks to everyone who entered and thanks must go to our sponsors Canon and Pixelrights. I really hope you enjoy viewing the galleries.”

Adam Gray makes his acceptance speech from New York.