Remarks at the Press Photographers’ Association of Ireland Awards
Dublin, 17th February 2011
Good evening everyone.
Firstly I want to thank the President of the P.P.A.I., Michael Chester, for the invitation to this prestigious award ceremony here this evening. I would have been here much earlier except that I had made a prior commitment to attend and speak at the Ireland Japan Association dinner.
However, I was keen to get here, to your 34th consecutive awards ceremony, as I wanted to recognise the important work done by our Press Photographers. The work you do ever since the art of photography was invented some 150 years ago is not just important in the immediacy which drives your work, but also in the irrefutable historical record created.
All of us recognise the important role of television in presenting news and events in real time. Nevertheless, the still photograph, capturing that vital split-second image, will always have a real communication value, not just in print but also in the vast array of digital media now emerging.
The pictures taken by press photographers inform us and assist us in understanding the often complex news stories, which are presented alongside, poverty, injustice, politics, sport, war, people, the arts and everyday life is presented to us by the press photographer. In Ireland we have been very fortunate with the quality of the people who paved the way in the profession and who currently provide us with the pictorial news each and every day.
In looking back at your previous winners, I note among the names people such as Colman Doyle, Austin Finn and Tom Lalor and I can only say that this is a fine standard to follow by all the young photographers here this evening! It constitutes a proud legacy.
Press photographers deal with local, national and international events and this creates issues not just for the photographer but for your editors, many of whom are here this evening. The important decisions, which often must be taken at short notice, in relation to what can be covered with available resources, are critical to the overall presentation of news and various events. And of course vital decisions must be made on which pictures to use and where and how to place them within the publication. These are important decisions. The reader who is depending on the integrity of the editor’s judgement is entitled to a reality that is fair, insightful, but not distorted.
We have nine award categories here this evening; News, Daily Life & People, Sports Action, Sports Non-Action, Portrait, Nature & the Environment, Politics, Arts & Entertainment and Reportage and, of course, the Photojournalist of the Year 2012.
I want to sincerely congratulate all of the winners in all of the categories who were announced earlier; you have been selected by an expert judging panel, as having taken the best pictures of 2011. This is a great honor and worthy recognition of your motivation, skill and professionalism. I will be presenting the main award very shortly – and this similarly is wonderful recognition for the person who has so excelled in 2011.
I also take this opportunity to compliment your Judging Panel here this evening, which was Chaired by former picture Editor, Dermot O’Shea and included two international photojournalists – Peter MacDiarmid, of Getty Images and Eddie Mulholland of The Telegraph Group. I can appreciate that you had a difficult and challenging and important task as the standard was particularly high this year.
Later I will officially open the AIB Photojournalism Exhibition, which is made up of 121 images from the entries to the awards ceremony here this evening – and I wish this exhibition every success on its subsequent travels to different centres around the country.
Finally, I want to thank you again for the invitation here this evening. I hope the remainder of the evening is enjoyable and relaxing. I thank all of you for the work that you do and wish you every success in 2012 and in the years ahead.
Ends