Judges

Meet this year’s international judging panel.


The judging process will comprise two stages. First, our Submission Panel led by Rolling Stone Photo Editor Sacha Lecca, alongside acclaimed photographers and 2022 MPAs alumni Yana Yatsuk and DeShaun Craddock will review every single entry and create a shortlist to be presented to the Judging Panel.

Our judging panel, helmed by photographer, publisher and director Rankin, together with Cat Burns, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Vicky Grout, Karen Binns, Eric Johnson, Matthew Josephs. Nakyung Han and Mae Muller will review the shortlisted entries and award the defining photograph of each category.

Abbey Road Studios photographer in residence Simon Wheatley will join the judging panel for the Underground Scenes category.

Click below to discover more about each judge.

Photography: Rankin | Artist: Debbie Harry

Judges

Rankin

Rankin is a British photographer, publisher, and film director.

Cat Burns

Cat is a platinum-selling singer-songwriter. Her artistry is defined by elegant, frank, conversational lyrics and melodies so instantly familiar they feel like they’ve been plucked from the sky.

Sophie Ellis-Bextor

Initially gaining recognition as the lead singer of indie rock band Theaudience, Sophie embarked on her solo career in 2001 with her double-platinum debut, Read My Lips, propelling her to international stardom and selling over 2 million copies.

Vicky Grout

One of London’s leading street culture photographers, Vicky is known for her documentation of the music and fashion scenes through portraiture.

Karen Binns

Legendary stylist, creative director and fashion consultant Karen Binns is a native New Yorker, born and raised in Brooklyn.

Eric Johnson

Eric Johnson is an award winning photographer raised in Newark, New Jersey, and is now based in New York City.

Matthew Josephs

Based in London, Matthew Josephs is regarded as one of the most interesting and exciting fashion stylists to emerge from the capital in recent years.

Nakyung Han

Nakyung is a Deputy Photo Editor for Features with The New York Times.

Mae Muller

A bold voice for a frustrated generation, Mae Muller makes pop music that packs a real punch. With a deft ability to celebrate the female experience and capture a generational mood, she has amassed a huge following, garnering millions of listeners.

Guest Judge: Simon Wheatley

Acknowledged as one of the most influential UK photographers of the 21st century, Simon Wheatley emerged as an authoritative chronicler of London’s youth culture with the publication of his book, DON’T CALL ME URBAN The Time of Grime in 2010.

Shortlisting Panel

Sacha Lecca

Sacha Lecca is a photographer and a photo editor. He is currently the Deputy Photo Editor at Rolling Stone magazine.

Yana Yatsuk

Yana Yatsuk is a Ukrainian born photographer based in between Los Angeles and New York.

DeShaun Craddock

DeShaun Craddock is a photographer from Brooklyn, New York.