After receiving entries from students across the Midlands, we’re delighted to announce the results of the 2026 PicTours Midlands UK Phone Photography Competition.

This year’s competition challenged students to capture a unique perspective of life in the Midlands using only a smartphone. The standard of entries was exceptionally high, with students demonstrating creativity, technical ability, and a strong understanding of photographic storytelling.

🏆 Overall Winner

Thomas Partridge

Congratulations to Thomas Partridge, whose photograph was selected as the overall winner of the 2026 PicTours Midlands UK Phone Photography Competition.

The judges were impressed by the image’s composition, creativity, and ability to capture a compelling moment. Thomas’s photograph stood out from a strong field of entries and demonstrated excellent photographic awareness and storytelling.

Highly Commended Shortlisted Entries

The judges were extremely impressed by the quality of submissions received. The following students were selected for the competition shortlist:

• Zoe Gardner

• Archie Challis

Each shortlisted photographer demonstrated a strong eye for composition, creativity, and visual impact.

Thank You

We would like to thank every student and teacher who took part in this year’s competition. The quality of entries made judging incredibly difficult, and it was inspiring to see so many young photographers sharing their perspective through photography.

At PicTours, we believe photography is one of the best ways to encourage creativity, observation, and storytelling. We look forward to running more competitions and photography experiences for students across the Midlands and across the UK in the future.

Congratulations once again to Thomas Partridge and all of our shortlisted photographers.