This week I went to the Press Photographer's Year Awards and show opening at the National Theatre. Our sports photographer Tom Jenkins won an unprecedented four awards - for his Beijing olympic coverage and his generally brilliant sports photography. The show is great, it's definitely worth a trip down to the South Bank in London.
Here at the Guardian we are all really pleased and proud of Tom, but the real hero of these awards is Dillon Bryden. I've known Dillon for ages, since he turned up at the picture desk in 1990 and spent some time on work experience with us. Since then he's studied at Newport and had a successful freelance career, but the PPY awards and the great books that have been produced over the years were his brainchild and have continued through his hard work and dedication.
About six years ago he and his colleague Tim Bishop ran a photographic project called 5000 Days for The British Press Photographer's Association which was a retrospective look at press photography resulting in a book and exhibition. Dillon says the idea of a annual competition stemmed out of the desire to build on the success of 5000 Days and give photographers a showcase for their work with a structure and deadline. We all really do need deadlines!
This year there were 7000 entries from all over the country and the resulting show is a great portfolio of work at the standard that is expected of press photographers these days.
