Rene Johnston's 2012 favourites

Rene Johnston - Staff Photographer - @ReneJohnston1

Montage of Chris Mazza as he testifies at Queens Park. The long-waited, and much-delayed, testimony before a legislative committee, Mazza said Wednesday he "always acted with the best interests of Ontario residents in mind."

A pedestrian walks under the morning light bouncing off of the buildings of downtown Toronto at the bottom of Yonge street.

Mayor Rob Ford slipped into back door to his office after being swarmed by media asking about his involvement in removing TTC riders from busses to make room for Don Bosco Eagles players. The Mayor was at Exec Committee gathered to talk casinos in the downtown area.

Zander sleeps before the start of the proceedure at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto.

One person died after a Range Rover hit a pole at a high speed and split in half onMount Pleasant Rd. near Sheldrake Blvd. north of Eglinton Ave. The SUV hit a curb before crashing into a pole. The 19-year-old male driver has been charged with impaired driving.

Obstetrician Dr. George Arnold, left, in a Caesarean birth at Markham Stouffville Hospital.

Dr. John Lee, head and neck surgeon, left, and Dr. Michael Cusimano, neurosurgeon wear special 3D classes in surgery on the brain using a new scope that shows an image in 3D. Avi Yaron, founder and CEO Visionsense is engineer who has undergone brain surgery three times and wanted to figure out a better way to do it. He developed a three d camera for surgery.

A fan gets cheering while on a telephone post in Little Italy. Italy fans cheered in the streets after the semi-final win over Germany out side the Cafe Diplomatico on College.

Teesha Robers is all smiles with a fantastic head dress at the Scotiabank Caribbean Carnival official launch party in Nathan Phillips Square.

Dave Wielgomas and his twirl shades are splattered with paint. Art organizers closed a street in Toronto east, put out 100 gallons of paint and let 200 people dressed in white throw sponges at each other. The goal was to make a living, breathing piece of art.

Andrew Nicholson goes 19th in the NBA draft to the Orlando Magic and jumps for joy at a private draft party by his mom, Colmalleen (right), at Real Sports Bar and Grill. 

On Ramp at Lower Jarvis . Toronto's Gardiner Expressway.

A pallbearer hangs his head as the casket of Joshua Yasay, 23-year-old victim in Danzig shooting arrives to his funeral. The funeral was in Ajax.

Attendees cry and look into hearse after a long ceremony where community called for the end of gunplay in the city. The funeral for Danzig shooting victim Shyanne Charles was held on Saturday at the Highland Funeral Home in Scarborough. 

Light bounces off buildings during the Remembrance Day Service at Old City Hall Cenotaph at 60 Queen Street West. 

RCAF member Armin Konn shows a photo of himself from the past after the Remembrance Day service at Old City Hall Cenotaph at 60 Queen Street West. 

 Metric vocalist Emily Haines on stage at the Air Canada Centre.

Sarah Davidson, principal harp (left), Elaine Thompson, cello (centre), and Olga Laktionova, cello (right), of the Canadian Opera Company orchestra, perform under conductor Johannes Debus during a dress rehearsal of Die Fliedermaus at the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts on Oct. 1, 2012. The Star got a rare chance to sit in the orchestra pit with the young conductor during dress rehearsal.

Luliia Mykhailova balances above the portable glass pool which is one of the main features in the  AquaLuna show.

Tomislav Svoboda, MD., sits in the north bound Jarvis bike lane as he protests the removal of the lane as the paint scrubbing machine works on left. He was arrested for his actions by Toronto Police. 

A cyclist passes in the fog in Ashbridges Bay.

Postal carrier Peter Labonte rides at the corner of Moore and Mallory streets near Bayview. The streets were flooded by a downpour of rain.

A cyclist rides into the setting sun. October 26th's sunset lined up almost exactly with major east-west downtown streets like Queen (this is Queen and River) and Bloor. This sunset happens twice a year. They call it "Torontohenge" here in T.O. but the " Henge" is added to New York or Chicago too. 

Supercross lite riders go into a tight corner in the finals of the AMA Supercross race day at Rogers Centre. 

Diana Matheson meets and greets with kids of the Oakville Soccer Club. Matheson was the scorer of the winning goal for Canada's women's soccer team in the bronze medal game at the London Olympics.

Mats Sundin and wife Josephine watch the banner with his number 13 raised to the rafters at the Air Canada Centre as the Maple Leafs honoured his career.

Dwayne Casey has a laugh during portrait shoot at the Raptor's practice facility at the Air Canada Centre.

Calgary Stampeders fans and supporters watch Fletcher Armstrong and and Marty the Horse try to ride into the Royal York as part of Grey Cup shenanigans. Royal York security initially did not let the stunt happen, only after outcry on twitter did they open the doors for the horse.

UFC fighter Michael Bisping,right, smashes Brian Stann in the face at UFC 152 at the Air Canada Centre.

Toronto Maple Leaf Phil Kessel and  Montreal Canadien Rene Bourque battle in the corner framed by the photographer's hole.

 

See Rene's favourites from 2010 and 2011  

Which picture was your favourite?

Leave a comment below and be entered into the end of year contest, details here.

Comments

[Kristen Hanna]

Marty the Horse attempting to ride in to the Royal York

[jess watt]

The Canada Post employee wins my vote. They should use the shot in their next ad campaign.