We are delighted to share some incredible news from this weekend’s Irish Photographic Federation National Shield which was held at the Barbican Centre in Drogheda on Saturday, November 15th.

The National Shield is a major national photography competition designed to showcase the best emerging photographic talent across Ireland.

This year our club achieved its strongest-ever result in this competition:

✨ Monochrome Panel – 1st Place
✨ Colour Panel– 2nd Place

 Overall National Shield Champions 2025

Across both panels, our photographers scored *230 out of a possible 240 points*, placing Blackwater Photographic Society at the very top of the national rankings. The quality and consistency across the both panels was exceptional and we’re thrilled to see the hard work of our members recognised by the judges.

A special congratulations goes to John Ward, whose image in the Colour Section received an Honourable Mention in the individual awards, a fantastic achievement on a national stage.

We would also like to extend a sincere thank you to Niamh Barrett from Mallow Camera Club, who kindly transported our prints to Drogheda on the day. Your help is very much appreciated.

Finally, a huge thank you to all our members who submitted images, supported the panel selection process and helped prepare the prints. And many thanks to the IPF, the judges, and Drogheda Photographic Club for hosting such a great event. A huge well done to our friends at Solas Club on their achievements and Mallow, Blarney both scoring strong results on the day.

We’re incredibly proud of this result and proud to share our Colour and Mono panels with you below.

Feature Photographer of the Week – Geraldine Dennehy

This week we’re delighted to feature Geraldine Dennehy, a wonderfully diverse photographer whose work spans sports, portraits, families, and children.

Geraldine is an active member of our BPS Committee, where she plays a key role in organising many of our model shoots. If she had to pick a favourite subject, it would no doubt be horses — a passion clearly reflected in her stunning equestrian images.

Known throughout the show jumping community, Geraldine isn’t afraid to brave any weather to capture the perfect shot.

Below is a selection of her beautiful work over the years