Observe Collective’s Danielle Houghton has been named 2015 Amateur Photographer Of The Year by The Irish Times. She’s a friend of the site and one of my favorite street photographers so it’s great to see her keen eye and wry wit be acknowledged. Hit the jump for more info.
Danielle Houghton Wins 2015 Irish Times Amateur Photographer Of The Year
The Irish Times Photography Contest celebrates the great work done by keen amateur photographers throughout the island of Ireland and beyond. Danielle Houghton was awarded the overal prize and named Amateur Photographer of the Year which comes with a cash prize of €1000 in addition to being published in the Irish Times both online and in print.
Danielle is a member of the Observe collective. Her images have the serendipitous humor of a Matt Stuart and like Martin Parr’s Last Resort her subjects are seen as dignified citizens of the world caught mid-stride as they walk through life. But at the same time there’s a grittiness to her vision that is uniquely her own. She’s one of my favorite street photographers working today and her work inspires and challenges me to be a better photographer.
Picking up a camera in my teens I found myself automatically taking pictures of strangers without really knowing why. After a long break, I now find myself doing the same but this time with a name and understanding of my folly. I like to appreciate the odd in the mundane and find that suburban life can be nicely quirky. In Dublin I often shoot by the coast, in parks or even from the car window. While visually pleasing settings are very important to me the real beauty of photography stems from the uniqueness of people and those moments that cannot be repeated. — Danielle Houghton.
We featured Danielle’s work in our 30 Amazing Street Photographs Featuring Dogs post in addition to talking with her about confrontation in I’m Not A Pervert, I’m A Street Photographer. If you’ve never seen Danielle Houghton’s work then now’s the time to discover one of the brightest voices in street photography.
Danielle Houghton (Larking About) On Flickr.
Danielle Houghton On Observe.
Danielle Houghton Personal Website.
All photos © Danielle Houghton.
What’s your take on Danielle Houghton’s street photography? A fresh new voice that challenges and inspires? Or another street photographer doing the same old thing? Post your ideas in the comments below and keep the conversation going!