Portadown<\/a> photographer-extraordinaire, Kirsty-Lyn began her life as a self-employed snapper around 15 years ago, aged in her 20s. But even before that, she had long been a follower of the craft.<\/p>\nBack in her early teens \u2013 when she completed work experience with one of the forerunners of photography in Northern Ireland, Marie Allen \u2013 Kirsty-Lyn said she was advised by the savant to join the PPANI.<\/p>\n
In the naivety of youth, she discouraged herself. \u201cIt was a collective of the most professional people in the industry. I didn\u2019t want them to think me a fraud!\u201d she laughed.<\/p>\n
Standing on the evening of Saturday March 21, in a room full of her peers and some of the most celebrated and decorated photographers the country has to offer, Kirsty-Lyn was able to stand proud \u2013 in front of Marie Allen who had encouraged her all those years ago \u2013 and soak up the fact that she deserved to be among them.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Kirsty-Jameson-4.jpg\")
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Kirsty with friends Sharon, Melissa and Tara (left to right) Credit: Press Eye<\/p>\n
At the Clandeboye Lodge Hotel, the mum-of-three scooped Fashion & Beauty Photographer of the Year, Pictorial Photographer of the Year, Overall Creative Photographer of the Year and Licentiate Photographer of the Year.<\/p>\n
She was also awarded Children Photographer of the Year 2nd runner up and then\u2026 the icing on the cake, The Francis Neill Memorial Cup, the evening\u2019s overall prize and most sought-after recognition.<\/p>\n
Speaking to Armagh I, Kirsty-Lyn said: \u201cAn evening like that shakes your reality. I mean it when I say I have no words. I genuinely can\u2019t believe this is real.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time they called my name I just kept thinking, what is going on? I kept waiting for someone to say \u2018jokes!’\u201d<\/p>\n
And while gong after shiny gong continued to land on the table at which she sat, Kirsty-Lyn was most of all blown away by the support, adoration and selfless love shown to her by those around her.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Kirsty-Jameson-2.jpg\")
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A tearful Kirsty. Credit: Press Eye<\/p>\n
At her table were friends and fellow photographers, \u2018Hype woman\u2019 Tara; President of PPANI, Melissa and one of her best and most amazing friends, Sharon.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was the absolute roar from the people in that room,\u201d said Kirsty-Lyn. \u201cThe cheers and the claps. Everybody was so, so happy for me. There\u2019s no way to even describe the feeling of pure love. I\u2019m so, so grateful for their comments, their cheers, the hooting and hollering! I burst into tears.\u201d<\/p>\n
Those incredible women have undoubtedly been the fountain of strength for Kirsty-Lyn in recent years, she could have talked endlessly of each of them and how fortunate she feels to have been blessed with their friendship. They each now form part of an adopted family who, in her words, \u201ccelebrated as if they had won it themselves.\u201d<\/p>\n
And while it was the most uplifting encouragement of her career, it came \u2013 as all momentous life occasions do \u2013 with an underlying pang of sadness for those we want nothing more than to celebrate with but for whom we can only now imagine their delight.<\/p>\n
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Kirsty-Jameson-3.jpg\")
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A cheeky sup from the Francis Neill Memorial Cup<\/p>\n
In 2022, Kirsty-Lyn sadly lost her beloved mummy, Moira. She was one of her biggest cheerleaders, always encouraging, always supportive, always proud.<\/p>\n
During those moments of exaltation, when her name was being called as winner, her mind naturally drifted to her mum.<\/p>\n
\u201cI just wish I could tell my wee mummy,\u201d said Kirsty-Lyn. \u201cShe always wanted me to join PPANI. It\u2019s a shame that she didn\u2019t get to see it because she would have loved it. Even in those moments with all the hugs I literally fell into the arms of my friends.\u201d<\/p>\n
Of the PPANI, Kirsty \u2013 who joined just three years ago \u2013 said the perks are endless.<\/p>\n
She spoke of their workshops with world-renowned photographers that would otherwise cost hundreds \u2013 if not thousands \u2013 of pounds which are all included in the membership.<\/p>\n
But the ethos of networking and community is the highlight for her. Making long-lasting connections with others in the industry who all work to help one another through mentorship, advice and, on occasion, as last minute stand-ins for events when life gets in the way!<\/p>\n
To anyone in the industry \u2013 or indeed any line of work \u2013 who struggles with a little voice inside their head saying \u201cYou\u2019re not enough\u201d, Kirsty-Lyn has some stellar advice.<\/p>\n
\u201cDo it with the confidence of a 20-year-old,\u201d she laughed. \u201cThat\u2019s what I tell all my friends. There\u2019s something about when you\u2019re 20 just being that little bit na\u00efve, but in a good way. You\u2019re not aware of all the risks or maybe the risks aren\u2019t as risky or something. Just do it with confidence!\u201d<\/p>\n
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<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"Recognition for a job well done means the world. Sometimes that recognition comes in the form of verbal…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":495205,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[27341,6225,6485,6486,390,27340,1120,96,913,50,101,56,54,55],"class_list":{"0":"post-495204","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-arts-and-design","8":"tag-armagh-city","9":"tag-arts","10":"tag-arts-and-design","11":"tag-artsanddesign","12":"tag-breaking-news","13":"tag-county-armagh","14":"tag-design","15":"tag-entertainment","16":"tag-latest-news","17":"tag-news","18":"tag-sports","19":"tag-uk","20":"tag-united-kingdom","21":"tag-unitedkingdom"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495204","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=495204"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/495204\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/495205"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=495204"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=495204"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=495204"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}
![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/Kirsty-Jameson.jpg\")
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