Calling all emerging Black British photographers: a new competition is searching for images of what Black identity means to you.

The Power of__ Black Identity competition, in partnership with Nikon, aims to uncover the best in Black British talent by inviting photographers to submit work that showcases the power, vulnerability, courage, strength, and beauty of the Black community.

Launching today (April 23) and running until May 9, the competition asks entrants to submit four original images. The overall winner will receive a Nikon Z Series camera and lenses of their choice, as well as 1-1 sessions at the Nikon School and four mentoring sessions with the competition judges.

The judges include photographer Neil Kenlock, (Fashion) Minority Report founder Daniel Peters, Elizabeth Ellis, who works in marketing and events at Nikon, Emma Clackson, the director of advertising agency JACK, producer Julie Vergez, and artist Pogus Caesar.

“This competition is designed to create space for minority creative talent to thrive,” Peters said in a press release, “and we are truly excited to see all the fresh, exciting perspectives and different photographic interpretations of our Power of__ Black Identity brief.” 

The winning photos will be showcased at Lambeth’s Power of__ Festival exhibition in June before being displayed on billboards across London in September. As well as marking the 40th anniversary of the 1981 Brixton riots, the exhibition honours one year since 2020’s historic Black Lives Matter protests. 

The Power of__ Festival exhibition celebrates the power of Black identity and its lasting impact on British culture, and will run for two days from June 12 to 13 at Lambeth Town Hall. Alongside the display of competition winners’ photographs, the festival will see workshops by Black Girl Knit Club, Step Now, and Fred Perry, speeches about protest, Black culture, and the power of the next generation, and more.

Other photographers exhibiting are Adama Jalloh, Amber Pinkerton, Henry Kamara, Holly Cato, Lou Jasmine, Olivia Lifungula, Philipp Raheem, Wunmi Onibudo. While Yazmin Lacey, Ego Ella May, Goya Gumbani, and Demae join the line-up of the weekend’s closing concert.

Find out more about the Power of__ Festival here, and enter The Power of__ Black Identity photography competition here. Submission will close at 12AM on May 9.