2010 Photo Roundup
Richard Lautens/Staff Photographer
It is so tough looking back at a year's worth of pictures and picking out a dozen or so of my favourites. For a photographer, images become like children and difficult to choose between them. I find that many of those that people like are not my favourites. I get swayed by how difficult a picture may be to get or whether or not I liked the subject, even if it got good play in the paper or not.
With the Olympics and G20, some choices are naturals and I notice that I chose too many sports pictures to include which is unusual for me. I have included below a few that I really like and a few I just couldn't exclude.
Perhaps my favourite of the year. Actor Will Farrell was in town promoting his new movie, Everything Must Go, on at the Toronto International Film Festival. I only had 10 minutes or so with him but he was as nice and funny as I had hoped he would be. It's great when I can shoot someone my kids like.
The first day of the Toronto Star Amateur Women's Golf tournament can be tough to shoot as there are no famous personalities to follow and when it is not even the championship round, pictures can be a little tough to come by. Fortunately no gimmick or trick was needed when 8-months pregnant Ashley Crain teed off on the 5th hole.
TFC Goalkeeper Stefan Frei makes a save
Tarrah Harvey and Keith Gagnon compete in the Senior Original Dance at the Canadian Figure Skating championships in London, Ontario and seem to have some fun with their routine.
A woman with the Black Bloc takes a bat to a shot window on College street during the G20. The lack of police presence during the rampage was odd.
A chair goes through a bank window during the G20 riots. I always liked this picture but I don't think it ever ran in the paper.
This photo from the G20 was reproduced countless times and came to symbolize the over exuberance of some officers to the peaceful protesters around Queen's Park. It was also important as the officer kicking the seated Nickos Kapetaneas in the back of the head had removed his name tag. Immediately following this photo, I was hit a couple of times with a nightstick and knocked over as well.
A bit of whimsy as The Jay's Vernon Wells chases down a hit by the Orioles Brian Roberts
It's hard not to include a few from the Olympics. Here Ashley McIvor is on her gold medal run. It was snowing so hard my 600mm lens with a 1.4 converter couldn't autofocus through the snow and it was back to old school manual focus.
Perhaps my favourite day at the Olympics was watching American Shaun White win halfpipe gold. I was 9 hours on the hill in the sunshine and it was lovely.
At the Olympics, men compete in short track speed skating
An early controversy at the Olympics was following the Women's gold medal hockey win. Marie-Philip Poulin (29) and Tessa Bonhomme pose with cigars and gold medals with Caroline Ouellette taking pictures
I loved this picture of course. It took several weeks of politics and trading to get an opportunity to go on the ice following the Men's Gold hockey win. I rushed straight out to centre ice knowing they would pose after getting their medals. It all worked out but the picture has never run anywhere. It does look great on my son's wall though.
It pays to keep your camera ready as Captain Canada jumped out of his seat on the Skytrain in Vancouver during the Olympics.
A bit of fun as I posed actors Leah Pinsent, her dad Gordon Pinsent and Leah's hubby actor Peter Keleghan's in a condo they share. They have their own houses but use the small downtown condo as a type of hotel if they are acting nearby or need it for guests or entertaining.
Best wishes for 2011
Richard Lautens/The Toronto Star
congrats on a great year of photography Richard!
Posted by: bouke | 01/03/2011 at 09:22 PM
great work Richard!!!!
i love love love your work!
www.davidleyes.com
Posted by: David Leyes | 01/04/2011 at 02:16 PM
historic photo of the men's hockey team, not exactly the classiest one from the girls but you can't blame them for wanting to celebrate after winning gold.
Posted by: grem | 01/04/2011 at 04:12 PM
Excellent photos to recap 2010. You should put a link to some of your other works too to share.
Posted by: rbester | 01/04/2011 at 04:18 PM
Great photos! It seems like it captured the best memories.
Posted by: Slide scanning services | 01/04/2011 at 11:46 PM
What a spectacular photographer! So glad to meet you and proud to be a part of your pick of pix!
Cheers,
LPinsent
Posted by: Leah Pinsent | 01/05/2011 at 05:42 PM