‘Hairy Times’ takes first place prize for Mark Condren
Castletownroche native and photographer, Mark Condren is celebrating once again following a first-place award in the Daily Life and People Category at the 43rd annual ‘Press Photographer of the Year Awards’.
Mark’s photo entitled ‘Hairy Times’, captured the judge’s attention with his snapshot of two brothers, Ben and Aaron, who are Mark’s sons, giving each other haircuts at home during the second Covid-19 lockdown of 2020 at their home in Dublin.
“A beautifully observed shot of our times. The nuances in the image, of the younger brother’s grimace to the older brother’s concentration, illustrate a pandemic lockdown which brought families closer in a struggle to live through an awful time. All composed and beautifully shot,” read the judges comments of the award winning shot.
‘NEWS DOESN’T STOP’
Having won the overall ‘Press Photographer of the Year’ prize last year for the fifth time, Mark, who worked with TheAvondhu in his younger days, says the award is something he does not take for granted.
“It’s always great to be recognised by my peers. These awards are hard to come by and precious to win. I definitely don’t take it for granted.
“This time was made even more special because it’s a picture of my own kids. I’m sure Granny and Grandad in Castletownroche are delighted,” Mark said.
Now living in Dublin, Mark works for The Independent, photographing news and media events as they occur, and despite the lockdowns, he notes that work has been as busy as ever.
“Being a press photographer, it’s just bizarre, it’s totally different but we’re still as busy as ever because the news is still going. News doesn’t stop,” he said.
Mark attended St Colman’s College in Fermoy, before making waves in journalism where his work has taken him all over the world, from the aftermath of the earthquakes in Haiti and Nepal to war zones in Syria, the Gaza Strip and Western Sahara.
In 2011, when Mark released his first photography book, ‘The Guards’, a collection of photographs of the Irish police force at work, the book went straight to number one and sold out in two weeks.
CROMBIE TAKES OVERALL AWARD
The annual Press Photographers Association of Ireland awards were announced on Friday last during a specially directed live stream ceremony.
Broadcaster Miriam O’Callaghan presented the ceremony alongside Crispin Rodwell, president of the Press Photographers Association of Ireland.
James Crombie of Inpho Photography took the 2021 title of Press Photographer of the Year.
James also 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 ‘He is Risen’, a photo taken as a fan watches St. Brigid’s play Boyle in the Roscommon GAA Senior Football Championship semi-final over a graveyard wall.
HISTORIC 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 donated 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 affected by the pandemic.