Denis Ryan is seen with his breathtaking photograph capturing a view from one of the most recognized mountain ranges in the Alps – the three unique battlement-like summits located in the Sextet Dolomites of northeastern Italy.
A member of An Garda Síochána residing in NENAGH, who is enthusiastic about photography, clinched victories in a renowned competition.
Denis Ryan, affiliated with both the Killaloe Photography Group and the Limerick Camera Club, emerged as the champion in the national and international categories of this year’s Du Noyer Photographic Competition.
His remarkable captures of geological landscapes in Ireland and Italy impressed the judges of the contest, organized by the Geological Survey Ireland in partnership with the Irish Geological Association.
These achievements highlight that Denis, residing in the outskirts of Nenagh, is an amateur photographer who truly excels in his passion.
One of his award-winning images portrays a landscape from one of the most famous mountain groups in the Alps – the three unique battlement-like peaks found in the Sextet Dolomites of northeastern Italy.
Another depicts a striking stone formation at Hags Head on the Cliffs of Moher with a view of the expansive Atlantic Ocean.
When inquired about his latest accolades, Denis expressed to The Guardian: “I was astonished to have won in both categories of the contest. The organizers emailed me just over a month prior to inform me that I was selected for an award.
“I attended the award ceremony at the Geological Survey of Ireland’s offices in Dublin on the previous Friday, and to my amazement, I found out that I had won in both the national and international categories of the competition.
“I was extremely pleased, as this was a competition I had entered previously a couple of times without even receiving a mention.”
Denis stated that the contest was ideal for landscape photographers like him, “because geology is integral to what we do when composing our images and arranging our compositions.”
He pointed out that his passion lies in photography itself as a pastime rather than merely securing accolades, which is what energizes him.
OTHER AWARDS
Denis is well acquainted with prestigious accolades, holding the title of former National Shield ‘Gold’ winner in a competition organized for members of all camera clubs throughout Ireland.
Originally from Ballyferriter in West Kerry, but having married locally and resided outside Nenagh since 2006, Denis was also honored as Photographer of the Year by the Limerick Camera Club a few years back.
At the same time, the Irish Photographic Federation grants distinctions at three tiers – Licentiate, Associate, and Fellow, in ascending order.
Denis has already successfully completed the first two tiers and is now devoted to obtaining a Fellowship.
This is a significant undertaking that may take him up to three years to finalize, and he has chosen Lough Derg as the focus of his project. As far as we can ascertain, no substantial book or extensive body of work on the photography of Derg has ever been created, but now Denis is prepared for this challenge.
PROUD
Robert Fairfield, the leader of the Killaloe Photography Group, remarked that Denis is an incredibly gifted photographer. “We are immensely proud of Denis’s accomplishments, and we congratulate him on securing the two top awards in such a prestigious competition,” Robert commented.