Back to 2012

As the New 2013 Year is quickly approaching, it may be nice to look back at some moments left in the year 2012. Somewhere in the second middle of 2012 I have started this blog. Not that much of experience yet and not really promoting, only shared with my family and friends. But even to make this possible, greatest thank you to someone who made one of the best Birthday gifts ever, my lovely Canon, and who inspired me for everything created, and is inspiring even more ;)

A lot of good material is still not added, as so much to learn yet, and swept-out me is still trying to battle with some oceanic size waves of the photo material. Nevertheless, was so nice to discover that it is a hard job to choose twelve posts of the leaving year.

The blog start has happened just before the Olympic 2012 started in London. So, obviously being in Olympic London was a good opportunity to share the spirit of the world's most awaited  sport competition. I was lucky enough to have the Olympic Torch Relay passing by my offices before the Games.

And the Team GB full of medals parading on 21 floats afterwards.

   

Both the Olympics and Paralympics were not missed either. Not only I followed the Paralympics tightly and even tried myself in the sport journalism with conducting the interviews with Paralympic athletes and coaches, but also was cheering for the athletes at the Olympic events such as thriathlon, cycling, female football, foil fencing finalle:

and archery. Here, btw, the only one qualified Iraqi (and female!) athlete of the Games 2012, Al-Mashhadani Rand  as participated. And despite the results was maybe the most cheered and warmly supported athlete of the Games by the visitors:

My personal warmest memories were filled with some really sweet people (is that is why the country called Sweden?) including one little but incredibly cute, smart and independent creature...

If not the Battle of Hastings of 1066 and dedicated to it scenes from the Saxon rural life of those times, I would not know how many people like history and reading... If not the love to the cute babies in general and Alexandra in particular, this article would be the most read for the entire time of my blog.

Another thing mastered in the past year was the night photography. I even entered some dodgy photocompetition with a bit crazy London Eye. With more lights, less light, shining in blue, white, red and yellow, now, I love the nights in my camera!

It was also fun to have a different experience of the urban photography.

What is good about London - there is always something on, and often in your area and unexpected, like ice-cream festival at King's Cross St. Pancras, or a Christmas Market in Jamie's Oliver restaurant Fifteen. The most surprise for me was probably the feather snow just at the end of Paralympic: never before have I seen so many adults with absolutely marvellous childish happiness!

After several years living in London, I finally managed going to musicals. The unforgettable experience has started with brilliant Chicago. Well done was the timing - it appeared to be the last day of the performance of 25 years of the Chicago on London stage.

The second part of the 2012 was also the the good time to travel around England. Never before have I seen so much of English countryside. There are collections of English beauty on the way but one of the interesting events attended and published was the Fish Festival held on the last summer day in the small Cornwall fishing village Newlyn.

Sometimes while travelling I saw really funny things:

And I hope to find even more, and to share them... as I see them through my lens ;)

Happy New Year to my friends!

Ukrainian Paralympic Champion in a London Newspaper.

Another interview was published today, this time with the most popular Russian language newspaper in London called Angliya. I feel personally fondly to the hero of this interview, Iurii Tsaruk,  who is double Paralympic Champion in London 2012 Games in 100m and 200m run for athletes of T35 qualification (cerebral palsy). Iurii is so open and sincere in his values, and showed such a patriotic approach, spirit, commitment and strength  which only is worthy no less than great respect and admiration to his personality!

Olympic Team GB Parades London Streets

The post-Olympic parade took place on the streets of Central London marching from St. Paul's Cathedral to Buckingham Palace. As the Olympics again were passing by my office, I could not resist to take a break and take a few hundred shots of the British Olympic and Paralympic heroes.

The Fleet street was absolutely packed.

Both ways packed. And not only. City workers were on the walls, roofs and windows to cheer the Team GB.

An Olympic fan is well prepared in advance.

You need to stand out the crowd to see the parade!

The fans try to capture the last moments of the Olympics 2012

The Team GB Dragon walks by Fleet Street London.

Cheers to Greg Rutherford, golden medalist in long jump.

Mo Farah the Mobot cheers the crowd in his own way.

Jessica Ennis is on a float among other athletes.

Paralympic Double gold medallist Hannah Cockcroft

Here is swimmer Stephanie Millward

 And here are her Olympic medals

Paralympic discus and shot put medallist Aled Davies in discussion, and Olympic 400m silver medallist Christine Ohuruogu on the left.

Matt Walker hugs  Jessica Jane Applegate 

And more medals for the Team GB

Golden Swimmer Ellie Simmonds

Mo Farah the Mobot says hi to his fans.

Aled Davies and Christine Ohuruogu, among others, wave to the crowd.

Cap and Feather Day on Piccadilly

Yesterday, I have happened to be at the fabulous by its simplicity and thrill event. Yes-yes! I have not idea how many thousands can Piccadilly Circus (where everything was on) sit but it was completely fulled by people pulling off things they would not imagine some hours before.

The idea was genious, and simple as everything genious is. It consisted of...

 ... feather. 

Yes, just feather. Well, a lot of feather. Well, an enormous amount of feather, enough to cover the whole square plus to put some to sweet memories of the nearby streets. Feather, white feather was flying up and down the Circus.

People have immediately got the idea and rushed into the feather 'snow', generously throwing it, strewing into each other and onto themselves

rolling into feather 

stuffing their umbrellas 

and bags, maybe to share with their friends who didn't happen to walk around Piccadilly from 8 to 9 pm London time. The Circus jumped, laughed, screamed, and was thrilled to bits.

A 5-year old kid at Christmas will not produce as much joy and excitement as yesterday's adults.

The secret of joy was simple. People have gotten back their childhood. 

For awhile. For one hour only. Dotage was associated with Paraolympic events, and "sinking" into was scheduled from 8 to 9 pm London time. 

9pm sharp the cleaning cars appeared to remove the feather happiness from the London streets and to remind we were in that busy, hurrying, serious city, London. But on coming home, a kindly smile appeared on my face - two feather bits were on the floor as a memory of an hour of pure kiddish joy :)

Olympic Torch brings Olympic Spirit

July 26th, Olympic Torch travels the City of London.

Crowds of the office workers had quite a unique morning, and obstacles to get to the offices of rather unusual character as the Olympic flame arrived to the City by the start of the day.

The procession was well filled with the main sponsors and, of course, main symbols of the Games.

And even Police got the spirit.

And here it comes...

The flame which paused the wars, which symbolized the will, commitment, hard work, and high goals is here, in the heart of London, again.

 I may be sensitive but when the Torch was passing me I nearly had tears at my eyes. Hence, pictures may be blurry!