Editorial Photography student wins Nikon Student Photographer of the Year
02 July 2026
Second-year BA(Hons) Documentary & Editorial Photography student Max English has been awarded Nikon Student Photographer of the Year after visiting Westminster for this year’s UK Picture Editors Guild Awards.
“It honestly feels surreal,” Max shared with us. “It’s been a massive honour to have my work both seen and judged by some of the biggest names in the industry.”
For Max’s entrants, there wasn’t a theme surrounding the images selected. “Last year I was lucky to have been given access to multiple events across sports and music, and it was tough narrowing it down to just five images. I entered photos covering football, boxing, motorsport and even music, as I included my shot of Craig David, which is a photo that ended up being featured on his Instagram.”
Reflecting on how his time at Falmouth has supported his imagery, Max added: “Throughout my time at Falmouth, I’ve been fortunate to have been put into contact with many industry professionals, which has really helped me shape where I want my career to go. Being able to do so with friends who have similar goals has also been very helpful, with us encouraging each other to reach them.
“To have been shortlisted for the award alongside a classmate of mine makes me feel even prouder.”
Fellow student Jack Tyler had also been shortlisted for the award, with the pair being recognised for their strong visual storytelling, real-world experience and professional development, with their images showcasing the skill and experience gained through their course.
“One of the images I submitted was of a beach soccer event held in St Ives, which was run by the Cornwall FA,” Jack told us, when asked about being shortlisted. “The image features England’s International Women’s Beach Soccer team playing against the Cornwall FA team.
“Another one of the photos I submitted was of a baby in a buggy seat in the middle of a huddle in the changing room. This is one of my favourite documentary shots I’ve ever taken; I love how the image really gives an insight into what it’s like in lower league women’s football. It shows what mothers do to keep on playing football. The run-down changing room shines a light on how much further women’s football has to go in terms of being treated equally to men’s. I also like the idea that the baby looks like the manager in the image, as it’s the centre of attention.”
Jack also submitted photos of Mousehole AFC players meeting Prince William on a visit in November, and two separate Premier League games he recently had the opportunity to photograph. “I wanted to really showcase my ability as a photographer with these photos,” Jack shared, speaking of the variety within his sports photography.
Following on from their nominations, Jack has secured eight weeks of work at Wimbledon across the summer. “I’ll be working as a Photo Library Assistant during both the build-up and the Championships themselves, an opportunity that arose after reaching out earlier this year. I’m halfway through the experience as we speak and I can safely say it’s an experience I’ll look back on.
“It’s also been great to see some big names in the industry; watching them do what they love has been amazing. I can’t wait to work during the Championships!”
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