{
  "id": 19795996,
  "title": "These intimate photos are a masterclass in portrait photography – and they have fascinating stories",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/13/these-intimate-photos-are-a-masterclass-in-portrait-photography-and",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-11-13T11:00:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Amateur Photographer",
    "slug": "amateur-photographer",
    "url": "https://amateurphotographer.com/latest/exhibitions/these-intimate-photos-are-a-masterclass-in-portrait-photography-and-they-have-fascinating-stories/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "The Winston Taylor Photo Portrait Prize competition, known formerly as Taylor Wessing, highlights the finest examples of contemporary portrait photography by emerging photographers, amateurs, and seasoned professionals. From a record-breaking 3,977 entries submitted by 1,338 photographers, Katie Hitchcock-Smith emerged victorious in the 2026 competition with her striking image titled \"Moroccan (Amazigh) Cowboys.\" This photo, part of Hitchcock-Smith's series \"Tajine Westerns,\" is now on display at the National Portrait Gallery alongside over 50 other captivating photographs until January 17, 2027.\n\nFirst Prize: \"Moroccan (Amazigh) Cowboys\" by Katie Hitchcock-Smith\nHitchcock-Smith's portrait captures the essence of Nour and Mohmed in eastern Morocco - a Western-themed tableau reimagining the stoic American cowboys of John Wayne and Clint Eastwood. The duo is adorned in a mix of contemporary and traditional attire, with Mohmed confidently puffing a cigarette while Nour dons a classic white tee and Levi jeans. The inclusion of an indigenous Amazigh marriage blanket, draped over Mohmed and secured by a French colonial chain, juxtaposes the polished aesthetic against the rugged backdrop of sand dunes and a camel. Hitchcock-Smith's photograph deftly subverts the traditional cowboy image, transforming it into a multicultural art form.\n\nSecond Prize: \"Havannah, Lee Moor\" by Max Pattenden\nMax Pattenden's winning photograph, \"Havannah, Lee Moor,\" is part of his series \"Men May Come and Men May Go, But I Go On Forever.\" The image features a lively ten-year-old Havannah at a Halloween party in Lee Moor, a village on the outskirts of Dartmoor National Park. Pattenden's portraits delve into the complex interplay between time, identity, and landscape. Through his patient integration into the village, Pattenden captured Havannah's enigmatic visage, with her gaze both averted and intensely focused, compelling viewers to ponder the photograph's meaning.\n\nThird Prize: \"Neisser, Pinar del Río, Cuba\" by James Clifford Kent\nCuban photographer James Clifford Kent secured third place with his evocative portrait of Neisser, a 16-year-old aspiring pentathlete from Pinar del Río. While shooting stills for a documentary film, Kent encountered Neisser and built trust through conversation in Cuban Spanish. Their brief interaction gave rise to a deeply emotive photograph of Neisser in fencing regalia, strikingly contrasted against his family's living room. The open shutters and daylight pouring in from above create a harmonious balance in the composition, emphasizing Kent's mastery in capturing emotion within a single frame.",
  "summary": "The winners of the Winston Taylor Photo Portrait Prize have been revealed and we look at some of the incredible images The post These intimate photos are a masterclass in portrait photography – and they have fascinating stories appeared first on Amateur Photographer .",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}