John Farrell and the Red Sox spoil the Boo Birds' party

Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos

 

The list of athletes that have asked out of Toronto teams is a long one.

The return of athletes like Chris Bosh, A.J. Burnett, Vince Carter to Toronto, on the other side of the Ice/floor/court/diamond brings out the boo birds in force.

The return of John Farrell is the first ime I have seen the boo birds for a former manager.

Sure we have seen some coaches and managers that the fans don't like get booed, but how rare is for a manager to demand a trade for his "dream job"?

Former Jays manager John Farrell talks to media before the game.

 

The 2013 Toronto Blue Jays drop their home opener.

 

STEVE RUSSELL - Toronto Blue Jays first baseman Edwin Encarnacion relaxes before batting practice as the Toronto Blue Jays play the Cleveland Indians to kick off the 2013 MLB season at Rogers Centre.

No Fooling, we had a great March!

 

DAVID COOPER - Leafs  Frazer McLaren decks Senators Dave Dizurzynski during the game between the Toronto Maple Leafs and the Ottawa Senators  at the Air Canada Centre.

Racy picture from skating? Figures.

Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos

 

It is a testament to the power of the still image, 

Yesterday Twitterverse heated up over Kevin Van Paassen's front page picture of Kaetlyn Osmond skating in the ISU World Championships Exhibition Gala. 

The Monday, March 18, 2013, Globe and Mail front page.

Millions watched the event televised and saw the same things that you see on the photo. But, it's the photo that freezes action that generates debate.

World Skating Championships: Day 5: The winners put on a performance & it's over

Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos

 

Well after two days of practices, and four of competition, we were left with the final two hours of skating, the Exhibition Gala. All the medalists and a couple of the crowd favourites were invited to perform.

The Gala is a low pressure performance for the skaters, it is more about connecting with the fans and showing off a little personality.

Canada's Piper Gilles and Paul Poirier skate to "Sexy and I know it"  at the ISU World Figure Skating Championship Winners Exhibitiion Gala at Budweiser Gardens in London.

 

World Skating Championships: Day 4: Virtue & Moir win Silver plus a photographers confession

Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos

 

Psst, I have a secret.

I think, no, I know that out of the four skating disiplines Men's, Women's, Pairs and Ice Dance, my favourite to photograph would have to be.......

Ice Dance!

It's strange, I never knew until this part week. But after a steady dose of figure skating, practices, short program and free skate, I can honestly say, Ice Dancing was my favourite to shoot.

I found a lot of the skating a little repetitious, especially the Men's and Women's programs. Outside of where on the ice the elements like jumps and spins occur, they all kind of look the same. Photographers love athletes that being a little variation to table.

While ice dance might lack those face distorting triples and quads and the insanely high launches of ladies into the rafters of arena, Ice dance does offer something that photographers crave.

Variety!

Like the other disiplines, there is a number of required elements, but it seems that most teams are able to put their own spin on many of the lifts. What the event lacks in explosive action it makes up for it in inventive ways to hoist a person into the air or glide across the ice.

I'm still not exactly 100 percent sure what a twizzle is, but I do know that I like shooting ice dance!

Spain's Sara Hurtado and Adria Diaz glide across the ice in a matrix like lift during the Ice Dance Free Skate  program at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at Budweiser Gardens  in London. 

 

World Skating Championships: Day 3: Chan wins Gold, Duhamel & Radford bronze

Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos

 

Friday was the longest of the Championships.

Although fewer skaters competed, their programs were double length of the short program.

Plus add a couple Canadian medals......

Canadian Patrick Chan wins gold despite three falls in the Men's Free Skate program at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at Budweiser Gardens  in London. 

Seeking a Leader: The 2013 Papal Conclave

As a result of Pope Benedict XVI’s surprise resignation as leader of the Catholic Church the process to select a new Pope began on Tuesday, March 12, 2013.

From within the Sistine Chapel, 115 Cardinals from around the world would conduct a centuries-old voting process called a conclave to choose the next Pope.

For the first time in nearly 600 years the Catholic Church would elect a new leader after a resignation. 

I arrived at the Vatican on the Friday before the conclave to document this historic event.

Over the next four days I turned my lens to the scene of the conclave, the cast of characters who would decide the direction of the church and the faithful who flocked St. Peter’s Square en masse to meet their new leader.

-Lucas Oleniuk - @LucasOleniuk

One of 115 Cardinals would emerge from the conclave as the new Pope.  His image will become synonymous with the Catholic Church for centuries to come.

 

World Skating Championships: Day 2: Women's and Ice Dance short programs

Steve Russell - Toronto Star - @RussellPhotos

 

Kexin Zhang of China spins during the women's short program at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships at Budweiser Gardens  in London.  March 14, 2013.

 

Intense Danish coaches, Martin Johansson and Kalle Strid cheer Anita Madse's performance.

 

Kaetlyn Osmond of Canada had a strong skate to Mambo #8 during the women's short program.

 

Yuna Kim, the 2010 Olympic Gold medalist from Korea skates during the women's short program.

 

Yuna Kim from Korea was the top skater in the short program.

 

Sonia Lafuente of Spain spins to the Romeo and Juliet soundtrack.

 

Gracie Gold from the USA looks to the crowd.

 

Brian Orser's skater Georgian Elene Gedevanishvili reacts to a replay of her fall while in the kiss and cry.

 

Akiko Suzuki of Japan skates to Kill Bill.

 

Italy's Valentina Marchei falls after failing to land a triple.

 

Elizaveta Tuktamysheva of Russia skates the short program.

 

China's Zijun Li spins showing off her flexibility.

 

Japan's Kanako Murakumi celebrates her third place finish in the short program with her coach Michiko Yamada.

 

Despite a fall, Italy's Carolina Kostner placed second with her vampire inspired short program.

 

Between the Women's program and the start of Ice Dance, Toller Cranston signs autographs in the concourse. Cranston is the official artist for Skate Canada and creator of the championships official poster, titled, "Warm Winter Romance"

 

Olesia Karmi and Maz Lindholm from Finland kick off the ice dance short program.

 

Canadian Pair Piper Gilles and Paul Portier do a rotational lift  during the ice dance short program at the ISU World Figure Skating Championships.

 

Canadian Pair Piper Gilles and Paul Portier have some fun with the audience while awaiting results in the kiss and cry.

 

Siobhan Heekin-Canedy and Dmitri Dun of Ukraine spin.

 

Siobhan Heekin-Canedy and Dmitri Dun of Ukraine spin.

 

Irina Shtork and Taavi Rand of Estonia had a western theme.

 

Literallt in figuratively Viktoria Kavaliova and Yuril Bieliaiev of Belarus' world championship was turned upside down.....

 

  ..... the Belarussians had to borrow skates for the competition after their's were lost in transit.

 

Julia Zlobina and Alexei Sitnikov of Azerbaijan.

 

Nicholas Buckland of Great Britian shows some the the dangers of ice dance when he lifts his partner Penny Coomes.

 

Nelli Zhiganshina and Alexander Gazsi of Germany do a straight lift during the ice.

 

Canadians Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje do a lift in their ice dance program.

 

Kaitlyn Weaver and Andrew Poje celebrate their ice dance short program.

 

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir talk after finishing their short program.

 

Tessa Virtue and Scott Moir look at their scores after the ice dance short program.

 

Russian Elana Ilinykh definately had one of the most colourful ice dance costumes.

 

One of the dangers with the long flowing skirts that the ice dancer wear, Russian Dimitri Soloviev gets lost in Ekaterina Bobrova's skirt during the ice dance short program.

 

 Picture from day One, Pairs and Men's Short Programs

 

 

World Skating Championships: Pairs and Men's short programs

Steve Russell - Staff Photographer - @RussellPhotos

 

Meagan Duhamel and  Eric Radford glide past the hometown crowd on their way to a second in the pairs short program.