Here comes the bride: Joanne O Connor (nee Fitzgibbon), from Newcastle West at St Bartholomew s church in Dromcollogher last year. (Picture: Dermot Culhane)
AS the old saying goes, there’s no recession in weddings and funerals.
For acclaimed photographer Dermot Culhane of Castletroy, weddings may be his bread and butter, but they’re also bringing him plenty of critical acclaim.
The wedding photographer recently scooped a staggering seven awards in the latest rounds of the Irish Professional Photographers Association (IPPA) awards. The IPPA currently lists just seven photographers in the Limerick area on its books, who are regarded as among the best in the country.
Mr Culhane said he was “astonished” to receive seven awards in the latest round, which will culminate with the overall photographer of the year awards early next year. “I am absolutely delighted. I received two awards for classic wedding photography, and five for alternative wedding photography, which is more like reportage. It’s what I like to do - telling the story of the day. It really means a lot, because that’s what I’m passionate about,” he told the Limerick Leader.
There are two more ‘heats’ before the major awards ceremony, but he said “anything after this is just a bonus”. “I never take it for granted when I’m photographing someone’s wedding. I love what I do and in 20 years time the story of the day is all there in front of them. It’s a great privilege to be able to do that for people,” he said.
Fathers warmly embracing daughters, and young children licking their dessert plates are among the heart-warming images from Limerick photographers which have made the grade. Not only is business booming this year, but he is already taking bookings for 2014. He received three silver and four bronze awards, and is close to being booked out for this year and next year. Other local photographers, who each scooped several awards, included Peter O’Donnell, from Castleconnell, who is their current photographer of the year and an acclaimed landscape photographer; Cormac Byrne in Dooradoyle, who received five silver and four bronze, and Paul Dorrell in Annacotty.
Mick Quinn, photographer and chairman of the judging panel, said the awards in the latest heat were “hard won”, due to new rules recently introduced.
He said they received more than 350 entries across the board.
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