It's going nowhere...

The summer is threatening to get started in the UK - well, so the weathermen say - as the jet stream that has caused so much record rainfall over the past few weeks moves further north to where it should be at this time of year.

This is possibly born out by the fact that today the sun shines; the stiff winds have dropped and people are out making the most of it. In fact, I go out twice to shoot: morning, and then again during mid afternoon. I snap a few frames of nothingness on the first outing, but more or less draw a creative blank on the second. It had clouded over somewhat by then; still bright, but no interesting light. I spend a while chatting to a fellow photographer that I run into about this and that - shooting the breeze, so to speak (if you live in America), but decide to call it a day and make my way home. The last thing I expected to come across was the Olympic Torch.

Well, not the Olympic Torch (if indeed there is such a thing), but an Olympic Torch all the same, carried by one of the 8,000 runners along the 8,000 mile course to London itself. The owner was stood in his garden with it, proudly showing it off to a young lady, who, herself, seemed suitably impressed. At first I thought it might be simply a replica, but once I saw the London 2012 running gear I knew it was the real deal. I asked if I might take a few shots of him with the torch, and he readily agreed.

We discussed the notion that the Games were not that popular in the UK, and both concurred that this was incorrect, purely due to the large numbers of people that had turned out to welcome the runners - all selected because of their significant contribution to the community. He went on to tell me how the kids he works with have all embraced the Olympic Spirit, supported by the fact that they had all made their own model of the torch.

I won't mention the man's name, but I'm told he works tirelessly for charities (himself a veteran of 10 marathons over the past 6 years), raising thousands of pounds for such worthy causes as Julia's House; Help and Care and Positive Action (himself having lived with HIV for half his life). He also patiently explained to me how the 1kg torch was deactivated after his run in Bridport, Dorset, so as it could never be used again for its designed purpose. I jokingly asked him if he intended to put it on eBay: "It's going nowhere near eBay" he assured me, with a knowing smile. Good man.

Oh yes, he let me hold it for a few moments. Thank you, sir.


300mm f/4 AF-S Nikkor. 1/400 second at f/5.6. + 0.33 EV compensation. ISO 400


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