Falmouth graduate wins Portrait of Britain for second year running
10 February 2026
Photography graduate, Niamh Shergold has been named a winner of Portrait of Britain for the second year in a row, cementing her place as one of the UK’s most exciting emerging photographers.
We caught up with Niamh to hear about her evolving work, the story behind this year’s winning image, and the lasting impact of her time studying BA(Hons) Photography at Falmouth.
Congratulations on winning Portrait of Britain for the second-year running! Can you tell us the story behind the winning portrait?
"This year’s Portrait of Britain winning image is of a lovely gentlemen called Maurice, who I photographed in his beautiful garden. The image was taken as part of my personal photographic project ‘Green Grass’, which focuses on finding inspiration in my hometown. It’s all thanks to my mum for putting me in touch with Maurice, as he is her work colleague's father."
"When finding subjects to photograph for any of my projects, I’m always drawn to a person’s unique quirks. Whether that be their backstory, their character, the way they express themself or in their physical features. At 95-years-old, Maurice is no exception. He is the epitome of a true English gentleman. His dress sense alone tells a story: a smart shirt and polka dot tie worn beneath a well-loved jumper, paired with a smart blazer and trousers, a tartan flat cap and a traditional wooden crook cane. Beyond his appearance, his sincere facial expressions and body language reveal the gentleness of his soul, which I was determined to capture through my work."
I always left my lectures feeling so hopeful and excited about where my creative practice could lead to, and I have my lecturers to thank for encouraging me to enter the Portrait of Britain in the first place.
What have you been working on over the past year since your last win, and how do you feel your practice has evolved in that time?
"Since my first Portrait of Britain win in 2025, I have been continuing my ‘Green Grass’ series. The purpose of this project is to remain consistent with my creative practice, staying motivated and inspired to get outside with my camera and make new connections through my photography."
"I’ve learnt a lot since last year, and most importantly, I’ve learnt that you must be your biggest cheerleader because moments like this, where I get huge recognition, exposure, support and encouragement feel amazing, but they are also fleeting. After the huge high I experienced from winning the Portrait of Britain at the start of 2025, I fell into a bit of a rut, because of overthinking how to navigate life after university. However, this led to a key turning point where I learnt just how important my creative practice is to my mindset and mental health."
"My photography helps me to feel positive; it gives me a sense of direction and purpose in my life. I may not wake up every day feeling motivated and inspired to create, but it’s important that I push through that resistance and remain consistent regardless, because I can almost guarantee I’ll feel 100% better as a result."
"I’ve recently started a new project with the intention to be consistent with nurturing my practice. This new photo series, titled ‘Women by me’, explores the beauty in all women, celebrating our differences, as well as embracing what connects us."
How has winning Portrait of Britain previously impacted your career, and has this second award changed things again?
"Portrait of Britain is a fantastic competition for which I feel so grateful to have been selected as a winner twice. Both awards have helped me to grow my audience, with coverage from the BBC being a huge help too. I feel that being named a winner means that people see you as more established in your creative practice and, as a result, I am taken more seriously as a photographer. I have also made some unbelievable connections through the Portrait of Britain. I have had the opportunity to meet some of my biggest influences in the industry –photographers I admire immensely and even researched whilst studying!"
"I strive to create work for myself, purely because it brings me immense joy to take photographs, while making connections through the process. But gaining a larger audience also excites me for the future as I hope to take my work further into the physical world- through making prints, creating photobooks and, hopefully, being a part of exhibitions."
Those three years studying resulted in astronomical growth, shaping not only my creative practice but also my character and who I am today.
Looking back, are there particular experiences, projects, or influences from your time studying photography at Falmouth that you feel fed into this work?
"I will be forever grateful to my lecturers at Falmouth University for their support and encouragement. They inspired me, challenged me and gave me that push I needed – something, I believe, got me to where I am now in my career. Falmouth University radiates such positive energy, but the teaching staff on the BA(Hons) Photography course had a special kind of energetic presence, full of passion and enthusiasm for our shared love of photography."
"I always left my lectures feeling so hopeful and excited about where my creative practice could lead to, and I have my lecturers to thank for encouraging me to enter the Portrait of Britain in the first place. I still use the critical thinking techniques and skills I learnt on the course to reflect on my own practice and how to improve and grow."
"I feel truly blessed that I was able to study at Falmouth. I think those three years studying resulted in astronomical growth, shaping not only my creative practice but also my character and who I am today."
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