Photographer of the year James Crombie of Inpho. Paul Sherwood Paul Sherwood

SPORTS PHOTOGRAPHER JAMES Crombie has won photographer of the year at the Press Photographer of the Year Awards 2021.

The Inpho photographer won for photos like his black and white shot of a trainer with two horses. 

The judges called his portfolio “A marriage of superb features work, creative portrait work and solid sports photography.”

A selection of photos from the @PPAI_IRL 'Press Photographer of the Year' 2021 James Crombie's winning portfolio @INPHOjames @Inphosports #PPAIAWARDS #CapturingHistory pic.twitter.com/Qr80Mlw8HG

— PPAI (@PPAI_IRL) February 26, 2021

Crombie also won the top prize for Sports Action shot. The judges said of it:

“We saw several really superb sports entries containing fantastic action but this image jumped out as arguably the defining image of the Irish sports year – a real sense of drama is added by shooting from such a low angle to emphasise the emptiness of the huge stands behind. Sporting history is defined here.”

He's only gone and done it again! @INPHOjames takes home the top prize in the Sports Action category at the @PPAI_IRL awards with this amazing shot from the @officialgaa All-Ireland semi-final between @MayoGAA and @TipperaryGAA, congrats James! #CapturingHistory #PPAIAwards pic.twitter.com/XkY5H7dFuA

— Inpho Photography (@Inphosports) February 26, 2021

First prize for the News category went to freelance photographer Michael O’Neill; first prize for the Portrait category, and the Multimedia category, went to Irish Times photographer Bryan O’Brien; and first for the Nature & Environment award went to freelancer Damien Eagers.

The judges said: “While there were many utterly beautiful images entered in this category the judges were really stuck by this very sad image. This picture perfectly illustrates the intrusion of our polluting society into the natural world and the threat to our environment by human activity.”

BRIGHT SPARK! DAMIEN EAGERS DAMIEN EAGERS

First in the Reportage category was Clodagh Kilcoyne of Reuters, and first prize for the Politics category was freelance photographer Gary Ashe.

1st Politics - THE CAT THAT GOT THE CREAM - Gary Ashe, Freelance @Gasheman #PPAIAWARDS #CapturingHistory pic.twitter.com/eBUqBtjN3K

— PPAI (@PPAI_IRL) February 26, 2021

The judges said: “An absolutely terrific capture of a delighted Sinn Féin leader Mary Lou McDonald TD after an historically successful election. The photographer nailed the moment by capturing the somewhat self-satisfied expression of the Sinn Féin leader and her fellow TDs.”

First in the daily Life & People category was Mark Condren of Independent News & Media, while the first prize in the Sports Non-Action category was Bryan Keane of Inpho.

Freelancer Michael McLaughlin won first prize in the Arts & Entertainment category for this image:

SAVAGE BEAUTY: the shores of Loch na Fuaiche in Connemara for Galway 2020 European Capital of Culture. Michael McLaughlin Michael McLaughlin

The judges said of this image: “Quite simply, wow. What a shot! A creative image paying homage to the equally creative light installation itself. The composition and extremely creative choice to shoot it as a long exposure to bring a stillness to the water make this a worthy winner. It’s one thing making a good shot from a great assignment, but something else to make an exceptional picture.”

You can see all the winning entries on the Press Photographers Association of Ireland’s Twitter account, as well as the photographers who came in second and third place.