Our man is nation’s top photographer

TWO Irish Mail on Sunday photographers snapped top awards at the annual press photography awards in Dublin on Friday night.

Tom Honan, right, 47, from Trim, Co. Meath won the overall Press Photographer of the Year award after winning first place in the Portrait, Politics and Arts & Entertainment categories as well as a second place in the Daily Life and People category.

Mr Honan, who has previously won nine PPAI awards, said he was ‘shocked and honoured’ to win the coveted award. ‘It’s great to be recognised by your peers and to be among other great photographers who have won the award. It’s taken years and years to win so it’s great to finally have won it,’ he said.

The judges paid tribute to Mr Honan’s imaginative range and true professionalism. ‘This collection stood out from the rest of the entries by a long way,’ they said.

Another MoS photographer, Michael Chester, picked up the Best Sports Feature of the Year award for his imaginative snap of a Liffey swim contestant entitled ‘Shower Power’.

‘shOckeD’: Tom Honan, inset below, won first place in the Portrait category for this image of his son, 12-year-old Rory, during last year’s storms

DAILy LIFe: Tom’s photo taken on Dollymount Strand was placed second