Best of July

 

        Richard Lautens              

 When it came to finding this month's collection of work, I couldn't resist offering up Richard Lauten's portrait taken on the last day of the month - today! At first, I thought it was an illustration (a picture designed, or conceived, or art directed, and a paid model) and pleasantly surprised to find a portrait (a picture which depicts something about the person). I'll let Lauten's caption speak for itself" Trish is one of more than 186,000 women in the US and Canada have logged on to find their own version of Christian Grey, the character from the book Fifty Shades of Grey. By mid-July 4,931 women from Toronto had altered their profiles on the site seakingarrangements.com indicating they were looking for a Mr. Grey, in other words, a dominant/submissive relationship with BDSM.

What follows is a more day-to-day representation of the types of assignments the staff find themselves up against. Steve Russell is only 4 days in the London 2012 Games, but already working around the clock getting to numerous events, so this is just a tease to the Best of August, when he will be featured prominently.

Yonge and Eglinton no longer intersect!

One Yonge Street and Rick Eglinton that is.

Two-time National Newspaper Award winner Rick Eglinton retires this week from the Toronto Star at One Yonge Street.

Here is some of his work over his 26 years at the Toronto Star.

Joe Carter jumps for joy after three-run homer in 1993 World Series win. Rick Eglinton won the National Newspaper Award for Sports Photography for this picture.

 

Tannis Toohey 2011

Tannis Toohey - Staff Photographer

December 9, 2010 It was festive down on Queen street even with the lack of snow as David Godsoe carries a Christmas tree out from the Toronto Beaches Lions Club Christmas tree lot.

 February 12, 2011 - Amal Albaz, 16, sings and chants at a Toronto rally celebrating the resignation of President Mubarak and the freedom of Egypt, held at Yonge and Dundas Square.

February 6, 2011 - Families take advantage of Glen Stewart Park's two rinks, one for skating and the other for playing hockey Sunday morning. 

July 20, 2011 - Not everyone is trying to escape the heat, some still like a good suntan, and cool breeze down at the beach in Toronto.

 Toronto Argonaut Joe Eppele planned to climb the CN Tower in a Sasquatch suit (because he is from Squamish, BC) to raise money for the World Wildlife Fund.  Regulations state he can't climb in the suit, but can wear it around before and after his climb.  April 12, 2011

January 17, 2011 - Robert Jones' head tailor, Servino Stillo, sizes up a silly posing Matt Dusk as he tries on a Palizileri Cerimonia tuxedo for the Motionball Gala.

February 23, 2011 - Portrait of Toronto Maple Leaf, Joffrey Lupul in street clothes, GQ style, for story about his buying new clothes in Toronto, after his trade from L.A. 

March 7, 2011 - Portrait photo of Donny Osmond for Richard Ouzounian Big Interview feature.

Portrait of AGO director Matthew Teitelbaum, who curated Paterson Ewen's retrospecitve at the museum.  April 7, 2011

Nicholas Mellamphy poses for The Toronto Star's 30 Best Dressed List. May 27, 2011

Ariel Stagni 'ollies over the hip' in the newly opened Eighth Street Community skatepark in Etobicoke. Seen at lower right is J.J. Harrison, wearing a white t-shirt and white and red shorts.  July 16, 2011

Gaelan Connell gives a battle cry and final strong kick across the finish line of the Toronto Goodlife Half Marathon. May 15, 2011

Ayisha Spence, (middle leaning over crime scene tape) doubles over in tears, and Lesley Parker, (right), react with cries and screams of disbelief as they watch the removal of the body of Clifenton Ford, 38, victim of an early morning shooting at G's Chill & Grill on  Eglinton Ave. East near Midland. Both women have children fathered by Clifenton Ford, 38, Spence has 2 and Parker has 4. Ford was shot and killed this morning at 2:20am. March 28, 2011

Darren Smith removes Ivan, a North American bald eagle, from his truck to return to his perch after free flying at the north end of the airport.  Smith is one of a whole team of Wildlife Control experts are utilized by Pearson Airport to use falcons, hawks, a one bald eagle and a dog to keep birds out of the engines of airplanes at Pearson. March 25, 2011 

Tally, a female Harris Hawk flies out fast from the passenger side window in what they call "car hawking" - where the trainer drives the perimeter of the airfield looking for unwelcome wildlife and rolls the window down when they or Tally see something she can scare off.  Darren Smith is one of a whole team of Wildlife Control experts utilized by Pearson Airport to use falcons, hawks, a one bald eagle and a dog to keep birds out of the engines of airplanes at Pearson. March 25, 2011

Portrait of Cathy Anagnostopoulos, middle, in her hospital room at Princess Margaret Hospital, with  her husband Nick and their three children, Angela, 11 and Gregory, 10, and Alexander, 15 . In mid-February Cathy was a part-time pharmacist, raising her three children and kickboxing. She'd been having headaches. In the span of one week, she was diagnosed with an aggressive form of leukemia. She will need a stem cell transplant, but doesn't have a match in her family. The family is making a public appeal for people to join the registry -- which only takes a mouth swab and what is essentially a donation of blood. April 7, 2011

 

Rick Eglinton 2011

Rick Eglinton - Staff Photographer

 Argos Quaterback Cleo Lemon still holds the ball but loses his helmet after being knocked down by Bombers Joe Lobendahn during first quarter action. July 23, 2011.

Rick Madonik looks back at 2011

Rick Madonik, Staff Photographer

The pictures which follow are a small sample of the last years' work. In no way is the selection scientific, or unbiased. Many are favourites of the past year, or have some sentimental value. But all, I hope, elicit some form of emotion. From humorous to serious, from sad to elation, one of the things a good news photographer tries to do is capture a moment which helps tell the story, or at the very least, attracts the readers attention long enough to read the story.

Have a happy and safe holiday.

Ghadafi Halas! (Ghadafi finished!)

03/04/11 - RAS LANUF, LIBYA - A man motions with a knife to his own neck, and yells "Ghadafi Halas!" to show what he wants done to Libyan leader Muammar Ghadhafi as rebel fighters are greeted at the gates of Ras Lanuf after its liberation from Ghadafi forces. A rebel attack forced Gadhafi forces back towards Sirt. This is the first time the rebellion from the east has advanced into the western part of the country.

 

September's favourites

 

DAVID COOPER - Olivia Chow, sits beside the Koi pond in the backyard of the home she shared with her husband Jack Layton.

Hot July, hot pictures, again!

A couple days into August, but lets have a quick look back at some of our favourites from July.

RICHARD LAUTENS - Firefighter Angelo Gambrelis gets a cool down after exiting the house, still in his bunker suit, from an open valve on the side of a truck.A fire was thought to have started on an outdoor deck of a townhouse at 45 Sudbury st. in the King and Ossington area.  The fire was fairly quickly under control but the firefighters had to contend with record high temperatures  and were quick to try to cool down when they stripped out of their bunker suits. July 21, 2011

Favourties from June 2011

Some the staff's favourites from the month of June.

LUCAS OLENIUK - Thirty-year-old cresseur Jacques Preston rests inside the opening of a post-and-beam supported mine shaft at the infamous Bisie cassiterite deposit in South Kivu, Democratic Republic of Congo.  Cresseur's mine tunnels, some deep as 100m, in 24-hour shifts.  Miners are paid 1,300 Congolese francs, $1.40, for 1Kg of cassiterite.

Argonaut sails into retirement

Rick Madonik, Staff Photographer

Argo defensive tackle Adriano Belli, in a sailor's suit, stands at on the bow of Kajama, and blows a kiss. 

Toronto Argo defensive tackle Adriano Belli recently retired from the CFL aboard the Tall Ship Kajama, a fitting end for a "boatman."

Belli, a Toronto native, played in the NFL, XFL and CFL over an 11 year career. Belli is one of those guys with a dual personality. Known on the field as nasty, and annoying, he is widely known off-the-field as kind and funny. Belli also was nicknamed "the kissing bandit" for his propensity to kiss people on the cheek.

For his retirement party, Belli donned a sailor's suit and held a party on the ship during a three hour cruise. Family, friends, teammates, former coaches, cheerleaders, were all on hand to wish Belli good fortune in the future.

The retirement speech was full of humor and gratitude. Belli, ever the centre of attention, played his role well and was one of those players we (photographers) will miss. He was a character both on, and off, the field. He wasn't afraid to be himself and he certainly liked the attention.

Belli, in a sailor's suit, kisses Argo cheerleader Anna (right) as Krissi (right) looks on as he makes his way to the bow of the ship to announce his retirement from the Toronto Argonauts.

Belli gives Mayor Rob Ford a hug and kiss just before announcing his retirement from the Toronto Argonauts. 

Belli stands with a painting presented to him which was painted by a fan.

Belli speaks with the media after announcing his retirement from the Toronto Argonauts.

2010 and Rick Eglinton

Rick Eglinton - Staff Photographer

Sweden's lead Anna Le Moine reacts after winning the gold medal defeating Canada 7-6 during Olympic women's curling finals action at the Olympic Centre on Friday, Feb. 26, 2010 at the 2010 Vancouver Olympic Winter Games in Vancouver.