West Coast Winter

March 2, 2011 | Filed Under Photography, Photojournalism | Leave a Comment 

So here’s photographic proof we do get winter out here open the western edge of the world. Sure, it did only last three days but it was a hard three days.

Olys All Over

March 4, 2010 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment 

Arnold Lim, A. P. Hovasse and myself before the closing ceremonies at BC Place Stadium

Well, it’s all over and it was quite a ride. The early bus rides and wet wet weather are fading memories and I’m left with a vague depression now that it’s all over. I’m sure a few others are feeling the same.

The closing ceremonies were, I thought, pretty cool although they dragged out at the end. A lot of people didn’t enjoy the Canadian Icon production but I thought it was great.

Now it’s back to the real world but I’ll post a couple of last images. A crash,  jubilation and dejection.

Day 3

February 12, 2010 | Filed Under 2010 Winter Olympics | Leave a Comment 

Day 3 for me is the actual first day of the Oylmpics and the first day the Black Press crew were out and filing all day. You can follow what we are shooting and writing at http://www.bclocalnews.com/olympics/.

Got a later start today, headed out from the main press centre before noon looking for people from the communities our papers represent who were out celebrating the Olys. Found lots of people around the art gallery taking photographs of the countdown clock and of former torch bearers who’d come downtown with their torches  to watch the final day of the run.

We had thought the run ended late in the day but it finished up a the First Nations Pavilion at about 1:30. A phone call alerted me to that and  hustled down there.  The crew around te Pavilion wouldn’t let e in saying the event wasn’t an Olympic event but a BC Tourism event. Didn’t really make sense but I just went out back in the street and shot the final runner coming down Georgia and then just followed him and the police escort into the Pavilion area and got a couple pix of the torch bearer lighting the cauldron with Buffy St. Marie, the singer.

Just as I finished that I got a call saying I had been given a late pass to the opening ceremonies, for some reason a couple of spots had opened up. That meant a hustle back through downtown to the press centre to pick up the pass for the evening ceremonies and then edit ad file the torch pix. Then ran out to catch the bus to the stadium.  All the photographers had to go through a complete search of their bags, removing everything from our pockets and taking off belts etc before we were allowed on the buses. They’re taking security seriously but it’s relatively fast and staff is friendly about it all.

My bus arrived around  3:30 PM for the 6PM ceremonies and everyone was staking out seats in their assigned areas of the stadium,. It’s a long time to sit and stand around your seat waiting for the actual event. Luckily I had the Globe’s Fred Lum next to me and the Star’s Steve Russell behind so  had people to chat with. The big Russian guy next t me didn’t speak any English, well not to me anyhow. As I was the second shooter for the event I just shot the first hour and then bolted back to file the images.

Then a rush to catch the Skytrain before the ceremonies finished and that way avoid the crush.

Now, to file a few more photos and then to bed until 4AM and off to Whistler tomorrow.

Day 1 2010 Olympics

February 10, 2010 | Filed Under 2010 Winter Olympics | Leave a Comment 

A travel day, my son Nick dropped me off for the 9am ferry, then bus to the Bridgeport Station and Skytrain downtown. A walk to the main media centre for what I thought was a 1pm photog’s press conference that turned out to have been moved to 10am. A wander through the press centre to get oriented and  an opportunity to say hello to a number of photographers I hadn’t seen in ages. These big events are always a chance to catch up with people you haven’t seen in a long time, some a very long time. Then I had to Skytrain out to Burnaby carrying all my gear so I could drop off my clothes at my son Spencer’s . It’s a short walk from the station to his house, a short walk provided you aren’t carrying a ton of gear and clothing and it doesn’t start to rain which it did. Now I’m almost dry again so I’ll hop back on the Skytrain ( we get free transit rides with our media passes, thank God) and head downtown and see what else I can find out is going on and/or to shoot.

Calgary’s The Camera Store’s Peter Jeune, a volunteer in the photographer’s corrall

In from Toronto, the Star’s Steve Russell and the Globe’s Fred Lum

Vancouver’s Wendell Phillips

Victoria, BC native Greg Bos is a Reuter sports photo boss based in London, England

Reporters at work in the main press centre at Canada Place in Vancouver

Vancouver Pre – Olympics

February 7, 2010 | Filed Under 2010 Winter Olympics, Photography, Photos | Leave a Comment 

Main press centre in Vancouver.

I picked up the last of my Olympic credentials on Saturday and so am officially official. Lots of Olympic workers and media, with special clothes and accreditation tags around their necks,  and police in the downtown core but hard to see ‘Olympic fever’ among regular folks. Most of the Olympic signage you’re seeing is commercial but there are a few small signs of locals stepping up and adding to the real (as opposed to paid) spirit by decorating windows or hanging Canadian flags. Hopefully we’ll see more of that as the events progress.

Royal Bank building on West Georgia Street.

Home made decorations in the windows of a downtown office building.

The Bay Store Olympic decor.

Jordan River Winter Surfing

January 2, 2010 | Filed Under Personal Project, Photography, Photos, Sports | 1 Comment 

Just another Vancouver Island winter day with the surf kicking up along the coast. Lots of surfers and kayakers out on the water. Weather ranged from pouring rain to a light mist although the sun came out on the drive home (typical). Word was spreading about the waves as more and more surfers were turning up throughout the morning.

Surfers head out

Beautiful BC wheel cover and surf board

Boarders and kayakers on the water

Waiting for the right wave

Catching a wave

Stand up surfer paddles back out

Surfers walk along highway

Dog on the beach, surfer on a wave

Early Morning Moon

December 10, 2009 | Filed Under Photography | Leave a Comment 

Out early at Cadboro Bay looking for a sunrise photo and on the way back to the car saw this tree and the waning moon. I like the graphic beauty of the bare winter trees.

This was the sunrise photo,  a runner stretching on the beach.

Olympic Torch Run In Victoria

November 5, 2009 | Filed Under Uncategorized | Leave a Comment 

The Olympic Torch Run started it’s trek across Canada in Victoria with a lot of ceremony but luckily very short speeches in front of the Legislature.

Olympic medalists Simon Whitfield and Catriona Lemay-Doan light the first torch

Premier Gordon Campbell signals success as VANOC CEO John Furlong lights a cauldron with the Olympic flame brought over from Greece

Esquimalt Chief Andy Thomas holds up the Olympic flame inside a lantern at the start of the ceremony

School children watch as athletes leave with the torch