A host of Irish celebrities and figures are lending their support to the 43rd annual ‘Press Photographer of the Year Awards’, the annual awards of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland, which will be streamed live on 26th February 2021 in a specially directed awards ceremony presented by broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan.
The ten award categories along with the overall title of the ‘Press Photographer of the Year’ 2021 will be introduced by some familiar faces from the world of entertainment, literature, politics, health, media and sport. The awards, which will be opened by Miriam O’Callaghan and Crispin Rodwell, President of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland, will include an address by Minister for Tourism Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht and Media Catherine Martin TD. Following the opening of the awards, renowned film producer Lord David Puttnam will speak about his experience with the art of photography throughout his epic career.
The first category, Daily Life and People, which includes a broad variety of images of Irish society will be introduced by Professor Luke O’Neill, Professor of Biochemistry, Trinity College Dublin. Introducing the next category, Sports Non-Action, featuring striking sporting images of the year gone, is former Leinster and Ireland rugby star Jamie Heaslip. The third category, Arts and Entertainment, will be welcomed by international star of the small and big screen Gabriel Byrne. The politics category, featuring images of a year of government spotlight like no other, will be led by another globally recognised Irish actor Liam Cunningham.
The fifth category, Sports Action, which is packed with shots of active sporting moments, will begin with a message from Leitrim senior county hurler Zak Moradi. Reportage, the category which involves photographers submitting picture essays of a chosen subject, will begin with an introduction from Dr. Marian Keyes, Senior Executive Librarian, DLR Lexicon. The seventh category and, without doubt, one of the most striking is Nature and the Environment, which will be introduced by Irish novelist Joseph O’Connor. The Multimedia category, which recognises excellence in the use of video, will begin with an introduction by Editor in Chief for US Glamour Magazine, Samantha Barry. Containing striking and carefully crafted images the Portrait category will be introduced by Irish actor, comedian and writer Pat Shortt. The final category, News, will be introduced by Irish CNN reporter Donie O’Sullivan. Finally, the overall award of the ‘Press Photographer of the Year’ will be led by Pulitzer prize-winning author and former US Ambassador to the United Nations Samantha Power.
Judging for the awards, which generally takes place in Dublin in January, was deliberated online led by chair of the judging panel, former Irish Times picture editor, Frank Miller, alongside judges Eddie Keogh, international photographer and Edmond Terakopian, international photographer and multimedia category judges Philip Bromwell, Broadcaster and Michael Lee, former RTÉ cameraman.
Covid-19, A Visual Record
To mark the profound and tragic events of the past year, shaped by the Covid-19 pandemic, members of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland are forming a historic visual record of Ireland during the past unprecedented year. The collection, which will be shortlisted by the judging panel, will go on display online as well as being offered to the National Archives and National Library System. This stark collection of historic images will pay homage to those who have sadly lost their lives, those working tirelessly on the front line and all effected by the pandemic.
The 43rd annual Press Photographers Association of Ireland ‘Press Photographer of the Year Awards’ will be broadcast at 8p.m. On Friday, 26th February 2021 via www.ppai.ie/livestream
