2009 was yet another year filled with events that amazed, saddened, and excited the world. I compiled a selection of the best Pictures Of The Year 2008 last year, and this year I’ll do the same, starting with the same tag line:
There are always a variety of photographs that highlight some of the events of the year for me. Some images are humorous, some completely superficial, whilst others are breathtaking, picturesque, serious, violent, and even terrifying.
So I made use of the iPhone camera for once and took some pics of The Times newsroom whilst President Obama took his oath in Washington DC.
In the second picture you see The Times edtior Ray Hartley snapping away at Obama on the large TV screen in the news room. The atmosphere here, during special events such as this one is always exciting – the vibe is a mix of excitement and suspense.
You get those journalists and editors who are focused on the TV screen and watch every moment attentively, then you get some who sit in front of their computers and type away like there is no tomorrow, documenting the events as they unfold. Then you get the very lucky ones, like Jackie May, who blog directly from the actual inauguration ceremony!
“Happy Xmas (War Is Over)” is a song by John Lennon, Yoko Ono and the The Plastic Ono Band. As much as this song was John Lennon’s reaction to the war in Vietnam, it has become a very popular Christmas song, and in my opinion one of the better ones out there.
On hearing that I live in South Africa I have time and again been asked by zee germanz if I live among the wild animals…hmmm
So here is the proof. I live less than two kilometers away from where I took this picture, so yes (Jawohl!) I do live in the midst of Africa’s fiercest beasts! ☺
To avoid confusion amongst the Lederhosen, this picture illustrates the Johannesburg skyline and the new-ish AngloGold Lion enclosure at the Johannesburg Zoo.
There are always a variety of photographs that highlight some of the events of the year for me. Some images are humorous, some completely superficial, whilst others are breathtaking, picturesque, serious, violent, and even terrifying.
Boobs and Guns
Let’s start with the humorous – the spoof picture of gun-toting beauty queen, Sarah Palin. The manipulated image, showing Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin posing for a photo sporting an American flag bikini and a rifle became an instant hit when forwarded by millions via email and suitably ridiculed her position within the US Elections.
Ice Cold Vodka
Picture: Platon for TIME
This picture that sends shivers down my spine. Even though it was published on the front cover of Times Magazine in December 2007, for some reason this portrait of Vladimir Putin has haunted me throughout 2008… » Continue Reading…
For a while now I have beenuploadingpretty graphs reflecting the rising inflation rate in Zimbabwe. Most have been used by online CitJ sites, however now I am stuck. I can’t get the graph to actually look impressive. There are so many zero’s that the numbers are shortened automatically, and because of the immense difference in values the former rates (230 000 000%) look puny now…
This morning, the Sky News business report estimated the unofficial inflation rate in Zimbabwe to be Ten comma Two Quadrillion Percent. Ok, to put that into perspective that is a 10, followed by a 2, followed by 14 zeros – looks something like this: 10 200 000 000 000 000%
So to put this number into perspective, I found a graphic illustrating what a stack of 1 Quadrillion (U.S.) pennies might look like:
A couple of months ago I woke up to a loud bang, followed by the siren of a fire engine, which was so deafening it seemed to have woken up right next to me.
The electrical box in the adjacent apartment building exploded and started a fire. The whole commotion had half of Killarney’s inquisitive residents on the street, some in shock and some in awe.
My first instinct was to grab my camera and get a slice of the action – fires have always been a compelling subject matter to me, purely because of the action surrounding it. You have the flames, the heat, the danger. Then you have the firefighters, gearing up, running around, doing all sorts of stuff. And lastly you have the spectators, which are always interesting to watch and to photograph, like these twins, walking past the Killarney fire:
