Life career award for photographer
A● WIDNES photographer has been given a special award highlighting achievements throughout his long career.
Damian McGillicuddy received the Lifetime Achievement Award from Europe’s premier photographic association, the Societies Of Photographers.
He has also won the title of Avant Garde Portrait Photographer Of The Year 2017.
Damian, who has a photography studio in Widnes, is the UK’s principle photographer for the photography brand Olympus.
He has been a working commercial and portrait photographer for more than 30 years and has amassed at least 670 international awards during his career. Before retiring from professional photographic competitions a decade ago to become a senior judge, he previously won 10 Photographer Of The Year titles in a row from the Societies Of Photographers and the Master Photographers Association.
The Lifetime Achievement Award was given in recognition of Damian’s own achievements in photography but also for the help and training he has gifted the industry, and the success that his continuous development ● programme – Mentor Me On Steroids – has cultivated.
At the same awards evening, two of Damian’s mentees were also crowned Master Photographers and three won international Photographer Of The Year titles.
Other mentees of his came away with second and third places, and several were successful in securing photography qualifications.
His internationallyrenowned photography training program has coached photographers to a level that has led to them winning 20 titles.
Damian said: “The Lifetime Achievement Award is the cherry on the cake.
“It really is the pinnacle of my 35-year-long career in professional photography. But I’m most proud of my mentees who have reached incredible heights after so much hard work.
“Passing on my skills is one of my big passions in life, and I couldn’t be prouder that my students are continuing to prove that they are first-class, world-class photographers.”
After a 10-year break from entering competitions, Damian submitted his humorous take on the US President Donald Trump into the Avant Garde category of the 2017 Societies Of Photographers’ Awards.
He was crowned Avant Garde Photographer Of The Year beating thousands of other photographers from across the UK and Europe to take the title at a ceremony.
Damian has a great passion for boxing and was inspired by one of his great heroes, George Foreman, who attempted to regain his third heavyweight crown at the age of 45.
Damian said: “Winning this, my 11th Photographer Of The Year title, after a 10-year layoff, is a really proud moment.
“And it means that I’ve been able to complete my own ‘impossible dream’ and prove that I’ve still got what it takes to win!”