‘Photograph what interests you, that's how you'll succeed' – Striking photo wins Ireland's image of the year
Arthur Carron, council member of the Irish Photographic Competition, said the competition is an opportunity for beginners to 'help develop their craft'.
Charlie O'Donovan, of Cork Camera Group, won Image of the Year with his photo of the rowers in front of Blackrock Castle, titled 'The Race'.
Virtual beginners have entered and done very well
According to Mr Carron, it's important for photographers to focus on capturing what they enjoy.
He said: 'Lots of people like capturing seascapes or people. Photograph what interests you, that's how you'll succeed in the competition.
'Virtual beginners have entered and done very well for themselves. The competition can help people develop their craft, it's an inclusive, enjoyable experience. I would encourage people to get involved in their local camera club and give it a go.'
Mr Carron took home a second-place prize in the people section for his photo of an older man and a horse.
The federation aims to help Irish photographers 'advance the standard of their photography'. Along with running its annual championships, the organisation also hosts lecture tours by international photographers.
Its annual national competition, which has been running for over 30 years, is an all-Ireland event, with regional qualifiers in the north-east, mid-east, mid-west and in the south run by the Southern Association of Camera Clubs.
The competition requires entrants to be a member of a camera club, with the overall winner chosen from gold medal winners of each of its six categories: people, landscape, creative, activity, macro and urban. Popular categories in the last number of years include portrait and landscape.
There were 1,600 entries to the qualifying rounds, with 700 entries in the final round held at the Westgrove Hotel in Clane, Co Kildare, and judged by members Gabriel O'Shaughnessy, John Mischelly and Ann Cassidy.
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