“The Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2016 is the leading international competition, open to all, which celebrates and promotes the very best in contemporary portrait photography from around the world.

Showcasing talented young photographers, gifted amateurs and established professionals, the competition features a diverse range of images and tells the often fascinating stories behind the creation of the works, from formal commissioned portraits to more spontaneous and intimate moments capturing friends and family.

The selected images, many of which will be on display for the first time, explore both traditional and contemporary approaches to the photographic portrait whilst capturing a range of characters, moods and locations. The exhibition of fifty-seven works features all of the prestigious prize winners including the winner of the £15,000 first prize.”

Visiting the exhibition demonstrated a human ability to capture a image that says so much about its subjects. The concept of the exhibitions intrigued me as unlike most, I was unaware of any of the artists history looking at each image said a great depth about both the photographers and the subjects. Personally, looking at the imagery said a great deal about the culture we observe and how they are recognisable by colour and expression. I loved the variety throughout the room and the curating of the images was impeccable.

The photography I witnessed I found to be really inspirational and adaptable. By observing others around you and how they see the world gives you fresh takes on how you can replicate an entire sub culture through one or two images. Sian Davey featured two incredible photographs taken of her daughter and her friends and what they do when they ‘go out’; the artist observed as her subjects smoked and drunk at a local park, but captured there movements impartially as a viewer, not  a mother.