cardiff bay | Athena Picture Agency

Our best pictures for 2020

Dimitris — Fri, 01 Jan 2021 14:16:16 +0000

2020 marks 12 years since Athena Picture Agency was founded, we worked through 2020 to produce yet another portfolio of pictures.

Since March, the ongoing Covid-19 pandemic bacame in itself a news category of its own which was enough for us to produce a blog of our coverage.

Having gone through hundreds of images, these are our very best for the year.

Stef Kamil Carlens performs at the No More Shall We Part exhibition in Antwerp, Belgium. Saturday 01 February 2020

Will Humphries swims in freezing weather conditions in Langland Bay, near Swansea, Wales, UK. Thursday 13 February 2020

PWaves crash against the promenade wall and lighthouse in Porthcawl, south Wales, UK. Saturday 15 February 2020
Re: Strong winds and heavy rain caused by storm Dennis has been affecting parts of the UK.

Two firemen bring two young children to safety after being evacuated in Nantgarw, Wales, UK. Sunday 16 February 2020

A young boy enters a flooded lane caused by storm Dannis in Pontypridd, Wales, UK. Sunday 16 February 2020

Jeremy Corbyn with local resident Richard Oliver whose house suffered flood damage at he area of Rhydyfelin near Pontypridd, south Wales, UK. Thursday 20 February 2020

Interior view of Retrosexual antique shop, Athens, Greece. Thursday 27 February 2020

Summer Solstice, a fishing boat departs from the port town of Oropos as the sun rises over the mountains of Evia island, north of Athens, Greece. Sunday 21 June 2020

Dean Beddis at his used records stall in the indoor Provisions Market which is being re-developed in Newport, south Wales, UK. Thursday 23 July 2020

A young couple from Hereford rest in their van on the site of an illegal rave party, in woods near the village of Banwen, in south Wales, UK. Monday 31 August 2020

A full moon, known as a Halloween Blue Moon, is seen rising over ruins of the Acropolis of Lindos, a Doric temple built for Athena Lindia, the ancient goddess of wisdom, handicraft, and warfare, on the island of Rhodes, Greece, marking the end of the tourist season in the country which was affected by the Covid-19 Coronavirus pandemic. 1974 was the last time a blue moon was visible in the UK and Ireland and in 1944 was the last one visible across the whole world with the next one in 19 years. Saturday 31 October 2020

Swansea City Councillor Rob Stewart lays a wreath during Armistice Day at the cenotaph in Swansea, Wales, UK. Wednesday 11 November 2020

The locally grown barley used to make whisky at the Welsh Wind gin distillery near Aberporth, Wales, UK. Wednesday 25 November 2020

Owners the Welsh Wind gin distillery Ellen Wakelam and Alex Jungmayr, near Aberporth, Wales, UK. Wednesday 25 November 2020

A football fan identified only as James (C) with other campaigners protest against the use of facial recognition technology used by South Wales Police, outside the stadium in Cardiff. Sunday 12 January 2019

Prince Charles stands next to an Aston Martin DBX, worth £158,000, at the Aston Martin Lagonda factory in St Athan, south Wales, UK . Friday 21 February 2020

Harriet Prothero Sultani who runs a rental union in the Roath area of Cardiff, Wales, UK. Thursday 10 December 2020

Four people walk their dogs as the sun rises over Swansea Bay, Wales, UK. Friday 25 December 2020

Natasha Jenkins enjoys a walk through the sunflower field, which has re-opened after the Covid-19 lockdown in Rhossili, Wales, UK. Sunday 26 July 2020

Craig Williams, owner of Capelli hair salon in Bridgend, Wales, UK. Wednesday 19 February 2020

Musician Cian Carran who is against the redevelopment of the Britannia Park in Cardiff Bay, Wales, UK. Tuesday 15 December 2020

A low cloud in Swansea Bay, Wales, UK. Wednesday 20 May 2020

Photographing the First Minister for Wales, Carwyn Jones

athena_admin — Mon, 04 Dec 2017 16:33:12 +0000

News photography can be very rewarding at times and having to photograph a Head of State -although by no means easy- can be very fulfilling as an experience. Time is at a premium and photographers are rarely allowed more than a few minutes.

Throughout my career though I have been given quite a few opportunities to photograph Carwyn Jones, in his capacity as the First Minister for Wales.

The last time was when he gave a press conference following the death of Carl Sargeant and a few weeks prior to that, I was commissioned by The Guardian newspaper, to take his portrait at his Cardiff Bay office, for an editorial piece by Steven Morris.

Carwyn Jones takes over from Rhodri Morgan in the Senedd, Cardiff Bay on 8th of December 2009.

This is where it all started for First Minister Carwyn Jones, when he officially took over from Rhodri Morgan in December 2009 at The Senedd. The strange thing was, in typical Welsh politics fashion, there was no big fanfare, a few speeches in chambers and that was pretty much it.

Labour leader Ed Miliband (C) strolls through Llanelli town centre with First Minister for Wales Carwyn Jones (L) and Welsh Assembly candidate for Llanelli Keith Davies (R). 20 April 2011

Carwyn Jones (R) with Nick Ainger (L) coming out of a flat they just canvassed in Carmarthen,Wales. 08 April 2010

Nia Griffiths and Carwyn Jones in Llanelli Market in Carmarthenshire west Wales. 08 April 2010

There is no politician without having to walk the streets and talk to people, and the First Minister has always been there joining his political allies on the streets of Carmartheshire.

There was some editorial coverage at the time, mostly by the Western Mail and South Wales Evening Post newspapers.

First Minister for Wales Carwyn Jones with Prince Charles and Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall visiting the Senedd (Welsh Assembly Parliament) in Cardiff Bay. 07 June 2011

This was indeed a rare occasion of HRH Queen Elizabeth, Prince Philip having been joined by Prince Charles and wife Camilla, to visit the Senedd in Cardiff Bay.

First Minister Carwyn Jones next to a picture of american golfer Payne Stewart celebrating his win on the last green of the 1999 US Open in North Carolina. 14 September 2010

The First Minister’s support to large employers has been great throughout the years. In 2010, he took part in a press conference ahead of the 2010 Ryder Cup at the Celtic Manor Resort in Wales, a venue which hosted the NATO Summit a few years later.

First Minister for Wales Carwyn Jones in the cab of a refuse lorry in Pontypool, Wales. 22 July 2010

L-R: Debbie Wilcox, Sir Terry Matthews, Carwyn Jones and Stephen Bowcott during a ground-breaking photo-call for the ICC Wales at the Celtic Manor Resort in Newport. 23 June 2017

First Minister for Wales Carwyn Jones in his office at the Ty Hywel building in Cardiff Bay, Wales. 13 September 2017

This must have been one of the quickest photo-shoots of my entire career. For this particular shot I approached the nice and simple theme, a horizontal headshot with a plain white background. My Canon 85mm f1.2 helped quite a bit too, throwing everything behind the First Minister’s shoulder out of focus.

To see our this photo-shoot’s entire set, please click here.

First Minister for Wales, Carwyn Jones speaks to the media at Welsh Assembly Government, Cathays Park, Wales, UK. 09 November 2017

First Minster for Wales Carwyn Jones hands over the sealed document to Claire Clancy Clerk of the Assembly at the Welsh Government in Cardiff, south Wales during the first bill passed by the Welsh assembly since last year’s referendum on its powers has become law at a ceremony in Cardiff. 12 November 2012

This is my favourite picture of the First Minister as it has the element of old technology which in effect gives power to new laws and also shows that there are quite a few other important people working for government, without whom, even a Head of State could not function.

To see all of our pictures of First Minister Carwyn Jones, click here.

To search our archive click here.

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