From dramatic harvest scenes and characterful livestock to a beautifully captured moment on a Kenyan coffee estate, the winners of the 2026 British Guild of Agricultural Journalists Photography Awards have been revealed.
The awards were presented at the Guild’s annual Harvest Lunch, celebrating the skill, creativity and storytelling of BGAJ’s photographer members.
Commercial and rural photographer Faye Kenny-Broom, of A Northern Heart Photography, and BGAJ chairman Caroline Stocks judged the three categories, selecting the winners from a strong field of high-quality entries.
Arable award
John Eveson took the top prize in the arable category for his photograph of a combine harvester, published in Farmers Guardian.
Faye described the image as “absolutely epic”, praising the way it captured both the scale of the machinery and the atmosphere of the scene.
“The clouds and sky are beautifully balanced, while the colours are rich without being overdone,” she said. “The depth of field is expertly controlled and every element is perfectly placed within the frame. Brilliant work.”
Caroline highlighted the photograph’s colours, light and composition, adding: “The leading lines draw your eye through the image, while the yellow of the combine contrasts beautifully with the sky. It’s a great shot.”
Wayne Hutchinson was runner-up with his photograph of a field being prepared for potato planting near Stamford Bridge, North Yorkshire.
The judges praised the image’s crispness, balance and vibrant use of colour.
“The reds and blues work wonderfully together, while the two tractors create a clean, beautifully balanced composition,” Faye said. “It is perfectly exposed and shows a superb eye for colour.”
Caroline particularly liked the inclusion of the second tractor in the distance, which helped to convey the scale of the work taking place. “The colours are gorgeous and the whole scene feels so crisp that you can almost taste the air.”
Livestock award
The livestock category was won by Farmers Guardian photographer Marcello Garbagnoli for his striking image of a herd of Belted Galloways on the Askerton Castle Estate near Brampton, Cumbria.
Faye praised the light falling across the cattle’s coats, which gave them a beautiful softness, as well as their positioning and gaze.
“The composition is incredibly pleasing, while the contrast and colour balance are spot on,” she said. “It’s a beautiful photograph.”
Caroline said the photograph made an immediate impact: “I gasped when I saw it. Belted Galloways are photographed often, but this image is different to anything I’ve seen before – the size of the herd is incredible to see.
“The detail captured is really impressive, too. You can see exactly how fluffy and drooly they are. I love it. Beautiful work.”
Craig Stephen was runner-up with his photograph of some less conventional livestock transport, taken while leaning from the window of a moving bus during the International Federation of Agricultural Journalists Congress in Kenya.
The judges praised the image’s storytelling, colour, light and humour, with Faye describing it as “a fabulous piece of photojournalism”.
“The goat looking directly at the camera makes it,” she added.
Caroline said capturing such a strong image from a moving vehicle was no mean feat. “It immediately made me smile. I love the reflection in the van and the fact that the goat is looking straight at the camera. It’s a great photograph.”
Environment award
Craig Stephen also took the top prize in the environment category with his photograph of a coffee picker walking among the plants at the Karanguru Coffee Estate in Kenya. The image was also captured during the IFAJ Congress.
Faye described it as “absolutely top-class”, adding: “It has composition, colour, sharpness and storytelling, all executed exceptionally well.”
Caroline agreed that the colours, lines and use of focus worked beautifully together. “It’s a lovely image and difficult to fault.”
Ruth Rees was runner-up with her dramatic photograph of a ewe and lamb silhouetted against a wildfire raging through the Elan Valley near Rhayader, Radnorshire. Taken to highlight the growing impact of wildfires on the environment, the image was published by the Powys County Times.
Faye praised Ruth’s control of the difficult lighting conditions, with the sky, river and flames all clearly visible.
“The reds and oranges tell the story and convey the sheer power of the fire,” she said. “Using the car headlights to illuminate the animals was incredibly clever. It’s a powerful image.”
Caroline highlighted the photograph’s drama, composition and reflections, adding: “Using the headlights allowed Ruth to place the ewe and lamb at the centre of the story, while the fire and its reflection show the scale and intensity of what was happening around them.”
Thank you to everyone who entered this year’s awards, and to Faye for the time and expertise she brought to judging the entries and providing detailed feedback.
