Portraits of all-female teams of drum majorettes have won a major photographic portrait prize.

Alice Mann scooped the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2018 for her images taken in South Africa.

The £15,000 award was presented to the South African photographer, who is based in London, at an awards ceremony at the National Portrait Gallery.

Cybil McAddy with daughter Lulu from the series Clapton Blossom by Enda Bowe
Cybil McAddy with daughter Lulu from the Clapton Blossom series (Enda Bowe)

A portrait of a London mother cradling her daughter, by Irish photographer Enda Bowe, won second prize.

Portraits of a pair of shoppers, by Max Marstow, and Joey Lawrence’s image of a child from a remote village, struggling with water-borne illnesses, in the jungle of Sierra Leone’s Eastern Province, jointly won third prize.

Strong Joe Smart from the series Tombo's Wound by Joey Lawrence
Strong Joe Smart from the series Tombo’s Wound (Joey Lawrence)

It is the first time in the competition’s history the judges have awarded the first prize to a series of pictures rather than an individual photograph.

The judges said the “pristine and vibrant outfits” of the girls in Mann’s images “jar with the rundown surroundings, lending a surreal and enigmatic atmosphere to the portraits.”

Londoners by Max Barstow
Londoners won joint third prize (Max Barstow)

The winning portraits will be on display at the National Portrait Gallery, London as part of the Taylor Wessing Photographic Portrait Prize 2018 exhibition from Thursday to January 27, 2019.