{"id":538981,"date":"2026-03-15T23:53:09","date_gmt":"2026-03-15T23:53:09","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/538981\/"},"modified":"2026-03-15T23:53:09","modified_gmt":"2026-03-15T23:53:09","slug":"this-amateur-photographer-beat-14500-entries-to-win-top-prize-with-this-playful-portrait-of-a-vietnamese-fisherman","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ca\/538981\/","title":{"rendered":"This amateur photographer beat 14,500+ entries to win top prize with this playful portrait of a Vietnamese fisherman"},"content":{"rendered":"

Amateur photographer Sophia Spurgin has just been crowned the overall winner of the LCE Photographer of the Year 2026 competition<\/a> live at The Photography & Video Show<\/a> \u2013 and anyone who was there will certainly have felt the excitement among the participating photographers….<\/p>\n

The portrait captures a genuine slice of local life \u2013 authentic and unposed \u2013 emerging from a photography session that was drawing close. In a spontaneous and playful exchange, retired teacher Spurgin<\/a> engaged with a fisherman, who responded by lifting two caught fish in front of his face.<\/p>\n

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Titled Fish Eyes, the image carries a subtle sense of humor. The fisherman holds the fish in perfect alignment with his own eyes, creating a striking, symmetrical focal point that immediately draws the viewer’s attention. The title itself is a clever visual wordplay, and the fishermen’s playful pose transforms a travel moment into a memorable and now award-winning photograph.<\/p>\n

Article continues below <\/p>\n

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LCE Photographer of the Year \u2013 Overall Winner<\/p>\n

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\"Canon
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The Canon RF 24-105mm f\/4 L IS USM is a sharp kit lens punches well above its aperture and pairs perfectly with the Canon EOS R… (Image credit: Future)<\/p>\n

Fish Eyes by Sophia Spurgin
Category: Travel<\/p>\n

Tech info
Gear: Canon EOS R5 Mark II<\/a> + RF 24-105mm F4 L IS USM<\/a>
Exposure: 1\/320 sec; f\/5.6; ISO 640<\/p>\n

Spurgin explains, “The photo shows a Vietnamese fisherman holding two fish in front of his eyes. There is a fishing net behind him. I took this on a boat in Hoi An, Vietnam.<\/p>\n

“I had been taking photos of him fishing, and this was the playful end of the photography session.”<\/p>\n

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She wins a total of \u00a33,000 to spend on photographic gear at LCE – having beaten the other other category winners.<\/p>\n

The LCE POTY Awards<\/p>\n

The LCE Photographer of the Year 2026 Awards, organized by photo retailer London Camera Exchange, celebrate outstanding photography across 14 diverse categories, including landscape, portrait, macro, street, and more.<\/p>\n

Open to photographers of all experience levels, the free-to-enter competition features a \u00a310,000 prize fund, a People’s Choice Award, and an Emerging Talent Award.<\/p>\n

For more information, visit the LCE POTY website.<\/a><\/p>\n

The Photography & Video Show<\/a> continues at the NEC, Birmingham, until Tuesday March 17<\/p>\n

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