July 2012: The Torch comes to town...
This week the Torch came through town. Thousands of people in Dorset had already seen it, and today was no exception. People started lining the pavements over an hour before the Torch was due. It seems hundreds of people in town wanted a glimpse of the Torch as it came through.
With a few torch "kissing" points through the town, I had a position in mind, but realised that being at a busy "kissing" (where two torches meet and the torchbearers change over) point wasn't a good idea, as all the spectators stood in the road. I moved up the road to a quieter spot.
First came the Promo Vehicles with goodies and lots of noise to get the crowds into the spirit of things.
I couldn't get a good enough angle as these vehicles came towards me, so had to settle for a couple of photographs after they had passed:
Free drinks being handed out:
Then came the moment everyone was waiting for, the Torchbearer. I managed a few photographs as the Torchbearer went past. Here are four:
I prefer the next two as the Torchbearer is further in from the right (on a third).
My favourite of the four:
Notice how much it was raining!
It was then off to Weymouth in the evening for the free ticketed celebration event. You guessed it...it rained...
The camera was placed inside two carrier bags and the camera bag had its waterproof covering put on. It poured. No other photographs were taken. But we did get to see Twist and Pulse, Wretch 32 and the torch coming onto the beach...Not forgetting obtaining pockets full of free granola bars...all in the rain!
All photographs taken handheld at a variety of focal lengths from 55mm-250mm with a maximum ISO of 400.
With a few torch "kissing" points through the town, I had a position in mind, but realised that being at a busy "kissing" (where two torches meet and the torchbearers change over) point wasn't a good idea, as all the spectators stood in the road. I moved up the road to a quieter spot.
First came the Promo Vehicles with goodies and lots of noise to get the crowds into the spirit of things.
I couldn't get a good enough angle as these vehicles came towards me, so had to settle for a couple of photographs after they had passed:
Free drinks being handed out:
Then came the moment everyone was waiting for, the Torchbearer. I managed a few photographs as the Torchbearer went past. Here are four:
I prefer the next two as the Torchbearer is further in from the right (on a third).
My favourite of the four:
Notice how much it was raining!
It was then off to Weymouth in the evening for the free ticketed celebration event. You guessed it...it rained...
The camera was placed inside two carrier bags and the camera bag had its waterproof covering put on. It poured. No other photographs were taken. But we did get to see Twist and Pulse, Wretch 32 and the torch coming onto the beach...Not forgetting obtaining pockets full of free granola bars...all in the rain!
All photographs taken handheld at a variety of focal lengths from 55mm-250mm with a maximum ISO of 400.