Tullamore man named ‘Press Photographer of the Year’ 2021

The ‘Press Photographer of the Year’ 2021 title was awarded to midlands photographer James Crombie of Inpho Photography, on Friday evening at the 43rd annual ‘Press Photographer of the Year Awards’.

The judges cited James’s portfolio as, “a marriage of superb features work, creative portrait work and solid sports photography”.

James received two category awards – first prize in sports action for his image ‘Foggy Semi-Final’ as fog descended during the All-Ireland Senior Football Championship Semi-Final between Mayo and Tipperary, and second prize in sports non-action for his iconic image ‘He is Risen’, taken as a fan watches St Brigid’s play Boyle in the Roscommon GAA Senior Football Championship Semi-Final over a graveyard wall.

What the judges said about James Crombie:

This is a great portfolio of images, from which pictures appeared time and time again across multiple categories during the judging, and won through the various rounds of culling and into the final shortlists.

Here is the workof a creative and observant photographer who approached every assignment with great energy to create unique, captivating images which go way beyond ‘just’ a well taken photograph.

A marriage of superb features work, creative portrait work and solid sports photography.

We really got the impression that this photographer worked incredibly hard to raise their game and push the range of their work during this most difficult Covid year.

This portfolio won through against exceptional competition in the shortlist and is the unanimous choice of the judging panel.

Bravo.

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The awards, which were presented in 10 categories, opened with a special address by Minister for Tourism, Culture, Arts, Gaeltacht, Sport and Media Catherine Martin TD and featured appearances by well-known figures including Lord David Puttnam, Professor Luke O’Neill, Jamie Heaslip, Gabriel Byrne, Liam Cunningham, Zak Moradi, Dr Marian Keyes, Joseph O’Connor, Samantha Barry, Pat Shortt, Donie O’Sullivan and Samantha Power.

The event is the annual awards of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland, and this year it took the form of a live stream awards ceremony presented by broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan alongside Crispin Rodwell, president of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland.

Mr Rodwell said: “Many congratulations to our colleague James Crombie on being named the ‘Press Photographer of the Year’ 2021 with his tremendous portfolio of images. Tonight’s awards have been very different to how they are usually marked, but we are delighted to share the awards with such a wide audience online.

“I would also like to thank everyone who took part in the ceremony and really brought it alive. It has been an extraordinary last 12 months in the country’s history, during which the members of the PPAI have served their vital role in producing a visual record of the pandemic, which will be preserved in the nation’s archives.”

Judging for the awards was deliberated online this year, 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.

To view the winning and highly commended images, which form the Press Photographers Association of Ireland ‘Press Photographer of the Year’ Exhibition, see www.ppai.ie .

Depending on government and HSE guidelines, the exhibition may go on tour to various libraries and venues around the country throughout the year.

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