Record entries, two new categories and a “very high standard” of pictures have made the photography categories at the 2015 SJA British Sports Journalism Awards among the closest ever contested.
The Association is today publishing the short-listed contenders for five photography categories, including the new Football Picture of the Year and the Rugby World Cup portfolio award, both of which generated keen interest and excellent entries, according to the chairman of photography judges, Brendan Monks.
The winners and highly commended entries in all of the categories will be announced at our gala awards dinner, sponsored by BT Sport, at the Lancaster London on Monday, February 22.
And that is when the SJA Sports Photographer of the Year, chosen from among the category winners, will be revealed.
This year’s shortlisted contenders include several former award-winners and has entries from the major agencies and newspapers, but notably every category includes the work of a freelance photographer whose work caught the judges’ eye at their day-long session held last week.
“This has been another good year for sports photography, with a very exciting football season, a winning Ashes series and particularly with a Rugby World Cup on our doorstep,” Monks said.
“The rugby produced some fine pictures, which can be seen in the RWC category and the standard and quality throughout the various groups of the competition was high.
“In particular, the Sports Specialist section was of a very high standard, and the judges deliberated at length to finally find the winner. A very good year indeed.”
The shortlists
Football Picture
Stu Forster – Getty Images
Richard Heathcote – Getty Images
Eddie Keogh – Reuters
Mark Pain – Freelance
John Sibley – Action Images
Kirsty Wigglesworth – Associated Press
Rugby World Cup Portfolio
Marc Aspland – The Times
Andrew Boyers – Action Images
Tom Jenkins – The Guardian and Observer
Daniel Mullan – Getty Images
Rebecca Naden – Reuters
Paul Thomas – Freelance
Specialist Sports Portfolio
Philip Brown – Reuters
Clive Brunskill – Getty Images
Alan Crowhurst – Getty Images
Richard Heathcote – Getty Images
John Sibley – Action Images
Peter Spurrier – Freelance
Sports Picture
Peter Cziborra – Action Images
Mike Egerton – Press Association
Jordan Holder Mansfield – Getty Images
Tom Jenkins – The Guardian and Observer
Eddie Keogh – Reuters
Carl Recine – Action Images
Sports Portfolio
Andrew Boyers – Action Images
Adrian Dennis – AFP
Eddie Keogh – Reuters
Ian MacNicol – Freelance
Dean Mouhtaropoulos – Getty Images
Daniel Mullan – Getty Images
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- This year, the SJA’s nominated good cause is The Journalists’ Charity. To find out more and how you can donate on a one-off or regular basis, go to www.journalistscharity.org.uk