Young Kennel Club Artist of the Year Competition 2026

Are you a photographer in the making? Do you love to take pictures of your dog or a dog you know? Are you always trying to get that perfect shot? Then make sure you take part in this year's competition! 

You can choose either one of the following themes for your photo of your /the dog/s: 

Urban Exploration 

1. Urban Silhouette – Silhouette against a city skyline at dusk. 

2. Street Vibe – urban lifestyle vibes, street art and favourite cafe/restaurant 

3. City Landmarks - well-known building or bridge 

4. Textures & Patterns - Look for brick walls, cobblestones, or metal fences to create an edgy backdrop. 

Nature / Natural World  

1. Golden Silhouette – Silhouette at sunrise/sunset. 

2. Natures Finest – exploring nature, forests, coastline and countryside. 

3. Natural Wonders - well-known natural landmark 

1. 4. Macro World - A close-up with natural textures (flowers, leaves, moss, sand). 

• • In both themes, the dog/s should be the main subject of your image. 

  • The layout must be portrait. 

  • You don’t need to add titles or wording to your image 

   

Neil Freeman is a highly experienced photographer and photography educator whose passion for photography began in childhood. His early exposure to photography came through using his father’s SLR camera, sparking a lifelong interest in both photography and technology. Over the years, Neil has developed extensive expertise in various camera brands, imaging software, photography techniques, with a particular emphasis on Nikon equipment. Neil’s photography portfolio is diverse, covering genres such as high-end weddings, portraits, landscapes, astrophotography, wildlife and macro photography.

After running his own professional photography business for ten years, he joined Nikon to setup Nikon School where Neil shares his wealth of knowledge by leading in-person and online photography workshops, writing instructional photography books, and speaking at major photography events. His approachable teaching style and deep technical understanding enable him to help photographers of all levels enhance their photography skills.

The photos entered in the competition will be judged on how well they show the theme, as well as how creative you have been 

The judges will look at three key areas:  

• Creativity 

• Composition 

• How well the themed is expressed 

• Tell a story with your photo—urban shots can show adventure, while nature ones show serenity. 

• Pay attention to colours—city shots often benefit from strong contrasts, while nature loves soft, earthy tones. 

• Play with scale—tiny dog in a big city street, or small dog against a vast mountain backdrop. 

• Entries should be portrait only 

• One image/picture only that best reflects the theme 

• Please don’t modify the image 

• Size of image your photos should be no bigger than 10MB, in JPEG format and no smaller than 600 x 600 

• The photo must be taken by the person entering 
   

Please include in your email: 

1. Your full name 

2. Age 

3. Email address 

4. Title of image 

5. Describe your image. 

6. Entrants should email their image to: ykc@thekennelclub.org.uk  

Remember: the closing date for your entry is 30 March 2026 

Open to all members aged 6-24 years.  

1^st Prize  

£80 prize money 

2^nd Prize                                                      

£50 prize money 

3^rd Prize 

£30 prize money  

1st Place (Joint)

Rosanna Webb

Chloe Clarke

2nd Place

Fenella

3rd Place

Hannah

When does the competition open? 

The competition is open from November 2025 

Who can enter the competition? 

All Young Kennel Club members aged 6-24 years 

Does it cost money to enter or a fee to register? 

No, it’s free to all Young Kennel Club members 

I entered last year; can I enter again? 

Yes, if you took part last year you can enter the competition again 

When does the competition close?