Exploring the power of press photography with Yorkshire's top shots in the running for prestigious UK Picture Editors' Guild Awards

A striking picture holds the strength of 1,000 words, to shift perceptions or halt the presses with its power. These images - nominated in the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards - are among the very best in British press photography this year.
Ruby Kitchen
By Ruby Kitchen
Published 21st Aug 2023, 06:00 GMT

Each one tells its own story, or marks a moment in history. There’s the last picture of a late Queen, the first of an incoming Prime Minister.

And for The Yorkshire Post, a spotlight on regional heritage. Tony Johnson, staff photographer, makes the shortlist for both Business and Regional Photographer.

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There’s his image of Dan Wilding in Harrogate, playing the last post for a Candlelit Christmas Remembrance. Then craftsman Steven Bulcock, of Yorkshire Rocking Horses, in his workshop in Hebden Bridge.

Handout photo taken by Tony Johnson from the Yorkshire Post of SLt (SCC) Dan Wilding RNR playing the last post at the Candlelit Christmas Remembrance event held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Stonefall Cemetery in Harrogate, which has been shortlisted in the Genesis Imaging Regional Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023. Tony Johnson/PA Wire.Handout photo taken by Tony Johnson from the Yorkshire Post of SLt (SCC) Dan Wilding RNR playing the last post at the Candlelit Christmas Remembrance event held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Stonefall Cemetery in Harrogate, which has been shortlisted in the Genesis Imaging Regional Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023. Tony Johnson/PA Wire.
Handout photo taken by Tony Johnson from the Yorkshire Post of SLt (SCC) Dan Wilding RNR playing the last post at the Candlelit Christmas Remembrance event held at the Commonwealth War Graves Commission's Stonefall Cemetery in Harrogate, which has been shortlisted in the Genesis Imaging Regional Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023. Tony Johnson/PA Wire.

Picture editor Marisa Cashill is among those who sits on the national judging panel, assessing entries from across Fleet St, regional press, agencies and freelance photographers.

This is a “biggie”, she said, when it comes to awards. Taking in all the talent of UK press photographers, and with judges such as The Times’ picture editor Sam Stewart.

“We’re not artists but we can be artistic in execution,” she said. “Press photography is raw. It’s real, it’s not digitally altered in the way so much is on social media.

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“It’s authentic, and it is trusted. And that picture has to tell you something, it has to tell a story.

Handout photo taken by Tony Johnson from the Yorkshire Post of craftsman Steven Bulcock, owner of Yorkshire Rocking Horses, busy in his workshop in Hebden Bridge, which has been shortlisted in the Business Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023. Tony Johnson/Yorkshire Post/PA WireHandout photo taken by Tony Johnson from the Yorkshire Post of craftsman Steven Bulcock, owner of Yorkshire Rocking Horses, busy in his workshop in Hebden Bridge, which has been shortlisted in the Business Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023. Tony Johnson/Yorkshire Post/PA Wire
Handout photo taken by Tony Johnson from the Yorkshire Post of craftsman Steven Bulcock, owner of Yorkshire Rocking Horses, busy in his workshop in Hebden Bridge, which has been shortlisted in the Business Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023. Tony Johnson/Yorkshire Post/PA Wire

“It’s not about the assignment, it’s about the execution. About the imagination, and everything that goes on in the background with lighting and composition - to make one photograph.”

And competition is fierce - not least among Yorkshire’s talent. Also on the shortlist is Danny Lawson from the Press Association - with an incredible image of a vet at Yorkshire Wildlife Park gently operating on a lioness called Julie. Then beekeeper Joe Priestley, tending to the rooftop apiary at Ripon Cathedral.

James Glossop, from The Times, makes an entry with Portrait of the Year for an image of Wakefield’s Shabana Laher covered in rhubarb, ahead of the city’s annual festival. Then for Entertainment, with dancers from Northern Ballet at Leeds Grand.

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Nationwide, a high number of entries this year centred around the war in Ukraine and of the Queen’s funeral.

Handout photo taken by James Glossop from The Times of model and Wakefield resident Shabana Laher posing covered in rhubarb to promote the city's rhubarb festival, which has been shortlisted in the Portrait Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023.James Glossop/The Times/PA Wire.Handout photo taken by James Glossop from The Times of model and Wakefield resident Shabana Laher posing covered in rhubarb to promote the city's rhubarb festival, which has been shortlisted in the Portrait Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023.James Glossop/The Times/PA Wire.
Handout photo taken by James Glossop from The Times of model and Wakefield resident Shabana Laher posing covered in rhubarb to promote the city's rhubarb festival, which has been shortlisted in the Portrait Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023.James Glossop/The Times/PA Wire.

One entry, from the Daily Telegraph’s Julian Simmonds, sees Ukrainian soldiers in their foxhole defending the north of the city of Kharkiv on the second day of the war,

Another, from the Press Association’s Aaron Chown, features the ceremonial procession of the late Queen’s coffin as it arrives at Windsor Castle.

“These photographs are iconic,” said Ms Cashill. “These are images in history that without press photographers we would never see. It’s really important to capture that moment in time.”

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Categories range across Business to Sport, Portrait, Royal and Arts and Entertainment. Photo of the Year will be decided by a public vote before an awards ceremony on October 16, and people can vote at imago.ws/IMAGOPhotographoftheyear.

Handout photo taken by James Glossop from The Times of dancers of Northern Ballet performing a matinee of their production of Casanova at the Leeds Grand Theatre, which has been shortlisted in the Dave Benett Arts and Entertainment Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023. James Glossop/The Times/PA WireHandout photo taken by James Glossop from The Times of dancers of Northern Ballet performing a matinee of their production of Casanova at the Leeds Grand Theatre, which has been shortlisted in the Dave Benett Arts and Entertainment Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023. James Glossop/The Times/PA Wire
Handout photo taken by James Glossop from The Times of dancers of Northern Ballet performing a matinee of their production of Casanova at the Leeds Grand Theatre, which has been shortlisted in the Dave Benett Arts and Entertainment Photographer of the Year category at the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards 2023. James Glossop/The Times/PA Wire

A spokesman for the UK Picture Editors Guild Awards said: “Photographers working on behalf of the press risk their lives in war zones and bring us the news as it breaks. Their work fills the pages of the newspapers daily and so often their work goes unrecognised.”

Related topics:YorkshireQueen