LPA FUTURES '26-'28 / AND THE WINNERS ARE... DRUM ROLL PLEASE!!!!

Over the past few months, LPA has been busy behind the scenes, running our biennial competition to discover the freshest new talent in commercial photography- LPA Futures.

Would you believe it, this popular industry competition has been running for 16 years now, and has uncovered and thrown into the limelight some incredible artists over the years.

This year, Lisa was joined by Jo Hodge (Head of Art Production at Prodigious), Rachel Rollinson (Senior Creative Services Manager at 23red) and Jack Higgins (Creative Producer at VCCP Blue) to choose the 3 winners from nearly 100 submissions. Judged anonymously, the entries were whittled down to a shortlist of standout favourites in round one before the final showdown at our new Soho office ( more on that later) , where the judges debated face to face who the final winners should be.

Not only do the new Futures win an agent for 2 years, they are also receive some other really useful prizes to help kickstart their careers, courtesy of our generous competition Partners. A showcase and directory listing from Production Paradise, insurance from Williamson Carson, creative crew, talent to work with and a location space for a personal project from CAA, Gingersnap Models and JJ Spaces ( respectively) plus a data base of 1000’s of commissioners from Bikinilists!

And now …what we have all been waiting for, we can finally reveal the 3 winners of LPA Futures ‘26-’28 are … drum roll please…

Matthew Ho

Matthew Ho is a London‑based photographer whose work lives at the intersection of fashion, portraiture and interiors. With a background in architecture informing his sharp eye for form and space, Matthew brings a distinct visual voice that’s both considered and expressive. He’s passionate about amplifying underrepresented perspectives, particularly within the British East and Southeast Asian (BESEA) creative community.

Matthew has built an impressive body of work for editorial and creative brands, often shooting fabulous hotels in Honk Kong with a signature tone that runs through all of his shoots. His work has also been included in curated showcases and digital portfolios that spotlight emerging visual talent, and he’s increasingly recognised as a fresh voice in fashion and portrait photography circles.

Bold, thoughtful and visually confident, Matthew’s imagery brings perfect framing and dreamy tones, a creative approach that helped him stand out in this year’s LPA competition.

Katie Leonard

Katie Leonard is a food and drink photographer with a gift for making every dish and setting feel fresh, delicious and full of character. Based in Kent, she specialises in natural-light imagery that’s honest, vibrant and packed with those ‘mmmm’ moments. Katie has created work for a range of well-known brands and food names, including Oven Pride, Good Snack Co, Byron, Rustlers, Willy’s, Peperami, HUG pet food, Mighty Mushrooms, Silver Mushroom and Vegan Food & Living Magazine, bringing compelling visual stories to POS, editorial, websites and social media alike.

Her work has also been recognised by industry-leading awards: she was shortlisted for Pink Lady Food Photographer of the Year 2022 and again for World Food Photographer of the Year 2024, marking her as one of the most exciting emerging voices in food photography today.

Katie’s imagery feels warm, authentic and visually recognisable as hers, we are SO excited to have her as part of our LPA Futures 2026 roster for the next two years.

Katya Ilina

Katya Ilina is a London-based photographer whose work blends portrait, documentary and cultural storytelling with real emotional impact. Her images explore identity, expression and connection with warmth, honesty and bold visual energy. Katya’s work has not only been exhibited internationally — from the Royal Photographic Society exhibitions in the UK to galleries in France, Germany and beyond — but she’s also a Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize winner (third prize, National Portrait Gallery, 2021) and took first prize in the 2024 Global Photographic Portraiture Competition “The Human Element” by TIME x American Society of Media Photographers.

Her photography has appeared in Portrait of Britain Vol.6 (Bluecoat Press / British Journal of Photography), and she’s released two self-published books, Night Shift (2020) and Rosemary & Thyme (2022), alongside her inclusion in Portrait of Britain Vol.6 (2023).

With a fearless creative voice, Katya’s images feel alive and unforgettable…welcome to LPA!

Thank you again to everyone who entered this year’s Futures, the competition was fierce but we’ve spotted some super talent who are also on our radar now. Huge congratulations to Katie, Katya and Matthew, we are really looking forward to working with you. Everyone else watch this space to see what they get up to!