Our best news pictures for 2021

Dimitris — Thu, 30 Dec 2021 12:29:56 +0000

It wasn’t just the Covid-19 pandemic that made the news, there were severe floods, politics, gigs, a riot, a double-decker bus and a man who loves baked beans…

A day before Storm Christoph affects parts of the United Kingdom, fire service rescue personnel wade through the a flooded section of Dynevor Road, Skewen, Wales. Thursday 21 January 2021

Two young men run into the sea at the end of an unusually warm day, just before sunset in Swansea, Wales, UK. Sunday 28 February 2021

A woman has her hair washed at Boosh Hair Salon on the day lockdown measures were eased off with barbers’ and hairdressers’ opening in Swansea, Wales, UK. Monday 15 March 2021

Adam Price, leader of Plaid Cymru during his Senedd (Welsh Parliament) pre-election campaing in Ton Pentre, Wales, UK in Ton Pentre. Tuesday 27 April 2021

Cardiff West independent candidate, Captain Beany speaks to two women outside the Senedd, during his pre-election campaign in Cardiff Bay, Wales, UK.

Palestinian people and local supporters hold a rally in Swansea, Wales, UK. Sunday 16 May 2021

The immediate aftermath of a riot, two burned-out cars in the Waun-Wen area of Mayhill in Swansea, Wales, UK. Thursday 20 May 2021

A young couple take a selfie on the beach as the sun rises, marking the beginning of the meteorological summer, Swansea Bay, Wales, UK. Tuesday 01 June 2021

Investigation into the death of five year old Logan Mwangi. A police diver surfaces from the river Ogmore in the Sarn area of Bridgend, Wales, UK. Monday 02 August 2021

Emergency services attend the scene of an accident in which a First Cymru Coaster open top bus lost its roof after crashing onto a tree while travelling on Mumbles Road near Swansea, Wales, UK.

Nick Cave and Warren Ellis on stage at St David’s Hall in Cardiff, Wales, UK. Sunday 26 September 2021

GB News live broadcast Farage at Large, in which, Nigel Farage spoke with local MP Stephen Kinnock at the Twelve Knights pub in Port Talbot, Wales, UK. Thursday 15 October 2021

A band of five drummers, part of the Christmas Parade in Swansea, Wales, UK. Sunday 21 November 2021

Vistors of Luminate Live at Margam County Park, Wales, UK. Monday 29 November 2021

Two men fool around during Mad Friday in Wind Street, Swansea, Wales ,UK. Friday 17 December 2021

Christmas is not only happy Santas

athena_admin — Wed, 27 Dec 2017 23:40:32 +0000

Don’t you just love Christmas? What’s not to like, everything gets illuminated with countless little lights, everyone is wearing a Santa hat, the entire population buys gifts, the amount of which exceeds many times over that of the population of the UK (mostly with money they don’t even have) and a great majority of adults, gets drunk and disorderly!

The bigger or more extravagant the Christmas event, the more chances it gets to make the news and as long a photographer is there to offer his services, then job done.

Then… a few day after everyone sober up, they show love and affection to their family and friends, specially the kids. And don’t kids just love Christmas? No idea though, that their parents got utterly plastered during the same festivity.

Nothing to do with Jesus’ birth though, don’t take my word for it, look it up!

Anyway… photographs to do with Christmas, its build-up and crescento… honestly I wouldn’t know where to start.

Here in Wales a lot of things happen that scream Christmas and make the news and at the end of the day, I am only making my living looking through a camera and pressing a silly button (called shutter release button to be utterly pedantic) at the right time, which someone called it “decisive moment“, a phrase that us press photographers love to use when we get great pictures.

Don’t get me wrong, it takes some skill to know what to look for, frame it and press the button at the right time.

A runners in Santa fancy dress stretches in preparation to the Run4All Santa 5km Run on Aberavon Promenade near Port Talbot, Wales, UK

I love the moment on the picture above, spoiled a bit by that other Santa runner in the background and if only the mast had a flag on it, any flag!

Did I mention that utter silliness can make the news too? What better way to show it, than have a powerful news picture with the news article?

Runners in Santa Claus fancy dress take part in this year’s Run4All Santa 5km Run on Aberavon Promenade near Port Talbot, Wales, UK

Not a great sense of running and the gaps between runners are quite obvious in the picture above but at least you get a scale of the number of Santas running.

For more images from the above event, please click here

Two women eat a take away on a night out, a day before Mad Friday, in Wind Street, Swansea, Wales, UK

Now then… it all started as Black Friday, then the Yanks took over and decided that Black Friday is when people spend loads of cash before Christmas. “How dare you call Black Friday something so unholy (getting pissed yeah sic.) when it can only mean the sacred act of spending?” said Donald Trump in an angry letter to Teresa May.

It is now affectionately called Black Eye Friday, Black Friday or even Booze Friday, us photographers refer to it as booze-watch and hey, why not? Let the Yanks change it again if they don’t like it.

Two young men in festive suits walk in Wind Street, Swansea, Wales on Mad Friday, Booze Black Friday or Black Eye Friday, the last Friday night before Christmas Day, when traditionally people in the UK go out to celebrate the start of their holidays. Friday 22 December 2017

When I posted the picture above to my facebook page, someone commented that “their mothers’ must be so proud”. He was of course being sarcastic. Then someone else commented in response: “How can they be? Their sons nicked their tablecloths to wear on a night out!”

A police officer and club security personnel detain a man in Wind Street, Swansea, Wales on Mad Friday, Booze Black Friday or Black Eye Friday, the last Friday night before Christmas Day, when traditionally people in the UK go out to celebrate the start of their holidays. Friday 22 December 2017

There was an unusually high number of arrests by South Wales Police during the night. I mean, I have photographed quite a few of those events but never experienced so many arrests.

A man falls on the pavement in Wind Street, Swansea, Wales on Mad Friday, Booze Black Friday or Black Eye Friday, the last Friday night before Christmas Day, when traditionally people in the UK go out to celebrate the start of their holidays. Friday 22 December 2017

The man above struggled to get up, only to be mocked by the girls on the left. C’mon girls, where is your Christmas spirit? Help the poor man out!

To see our full set of images from the above event, please click here

This was taken on Christmas Eve, being a Sunday, it was bound to be busy with shoppers in Oxford Street, Swansea. This just happened on my way back to my car. Two shop workers manouevre a big Sale sign to position, assisted by their colleague outside.Getting ready for Boxing Day Sales. Whoo-hoo, lets return all the expensive stuff and get it cheaper… I say!!!!

A dog walker on the beach

No reason not to stop and take a picture of the dramatic sky en route to photograph the annual Christmas Day Swim in Porthcawl. To be honest, I don’t quite like HDR but other people just absolutely adore it.

That’s what readers of certain tabloid newspapers like, blonde girls in angel wings. Before you start saying, yes, the lens got a bit wet hence the softness.

Back in the good old days they were using Vaseline to achieve the same soft focus effect, I used sea water, what’s the big deal?

A man stretches prior to taking to the sea in Porthcawl, Wales, UK

Great expression of the man above and I love the somehow motionless pose of the woman on the left, as well as the couple hugging in the background. If only the man was wearing a Santa hat!

To access all of our pictures from the Christmas Swim in Porthcawl, click here

This was taken at the Walrus Dip, a swim taking place on Boxing Day at Cefn Sidan beach in Carmarthenshire, great laughs and movement, shame it was a bit underexposed.

RNLI crew in the sea in this year’s Boxing Day Walrus Dip which see people in fancy dress taking to the sea at Cefn Sidan beach in Pembrey Country Park, west Wales, UK

Great opportunity to photograph the stars of the show, without these RNLI men, these events wouldn’t happen at all.

Before I go though, here is something that the BBC will never, ever broadcast, in case children listen… Santa is not real kids!

Our Walrus Dip collection is here

To search through our entire archive, please click here

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Our best news pictures for 2021

Christmas is not only happy Santas