Three local photographers win at 2023 IPPVA Awards
Westmeath photographers won three prizes at the Irish Professional Photographer and Videographer (IPPVA) Awards 2023. Colm Kerr was announced as the Irish Professional Photographer of the Year; Catherine Walsh was awarded The Chairpersons Award; and in the videography section Noel McIntyre of Motion Picture Media won Commercial Videographer of the Year and was nominated for Irish Professional Videographer of the Year.
The annual awards are a showcase for the industry and this year’s gala event was at Clontarf Castle on Sunday March 26.
Work is judged based on criteria of technical excellence, impact and creativity.
Photographers who have won four or more awards in the same category throughout the course of the year progress as finalists.
Colm Kerr won the title of Irish Professional Photographer of the Year 2023, having earlier in the evening been announced as Fine Art Photographer of the Year, finished runner-up in the Commercial Photographer of the Year category and being nominated for the Architectural Photographer of the Year award.
Based in Raharney, Colm runs ARC Studios (arcstudios.ie) with his wife and business partner Aisling. Colm thanked the award organisers, his wife and family: “Photography is something we do out of love and passion and it is fantastic to have one’s expressions of this passion recognized with such a prestigious award,” he said.
“Thank you to the event organisers, the IPPVA, who are always great champions of local photographers, Aisling, as well as my two children Darci and Mason, who make even the longest of days worth it all.”
The Chairperson’s Award was presented to Catherine Walsh of Kelly Photography (kellyphoto.ie) for the best single image. The photograph, described by the judges as “incredible” and “amazing”, was a clear winner of this unique prize having caught the conditions of the world we all lived in during the Covid-19 pandemic.
The image shows Rachel and Derek Ruane’s reflection in a window leaving a nursing home having visited Derek’s granny en route to a reception from their wedding in Gainstown church. Derek’s granny, who now proudly displays in the image in her room, is behind the window looking on as they leave.
Catherine, who won a number of awards for various photographs throughout 2022, has a studio in Mullingar and focuses primarily on portrait, wedding and commercial photography.
In the videography section Noel McIntyre of Motion Picture Media (motionpicture.ie) won Commercial Videographer of the Year and was nominated for Irish Professional Videographer of the Year.
The Irish Professional Photographers and Videographers Association (IPPVA) is Ireland’s representative association for professional photographers and videographers, and has been serving the business and networking needs of the industry since 1949.