Well, that's a wrap for 2014

All photos now taken for 2014 unless there is a need for something on Christmas Day (but a compact will just as easily handle that)......so it's time to dust off the gear and pack it away for a well-earned rest until the 4th January 2015.

The last two assignments were completely different but good to do in each of their own ways.

One was to photograph a Pilates class for pregnant women.  I set up my bright white backdrop in the rented hall space and aligned everyone in groups of three so that they all fitted in without too much spilling out over the edges for tidying up afterwards in Photoshop.  The pictures were easy to take as they performed slow stretching movements and as they were all of a similar height they were aligned with the "...biggest bump to the back..."

The other assignment was to photograph the local scouts as they looked to recreate an early photograph of the group after they were formed in December 2014.  Lots of old scout hats and accoutrements in evidence, though after 100 years the scouts looked better fed and less susceptible to ricketts that their predecessors.

The Ronnie O'Sullivan effect

At the start of the 2013 Snooker World Championship I took a photo from the BBC gantry of Ronnie O'Sullivan, the defending champion, walking out to deserved acclaim at the start of the tournament.

Taken with a fish-eye lens it captured the whole of the arena at the Crucible, Ronnie walking out to shake the hand of announcer Rob Walker, and the two-table set up.

It soon made it on to Ronnie's own website (www.ronnieosullivan.tv) and is available to buy at: http://www.peverilphoto.com/section665568_553244.html#photos_id=11235541

The author of http://www.prosnookerblog.com (one of the best snooker sites around) liked it so much that he asked for a copy.  This he printed out and at the recent UK Championships in York asked Ronnie to sign it about 10 minutes after he did his 147 break.

Ronnie wrote: "To Matt, the best man for stats in snooker, top man, Ronnie O'Sullivan 147"

Always nice to see your work appreciated.

Jazz Carlin named Athlete of the Year by British Swimming

Congratulations to Jazz Carlin whose fantastic year has been recognized by British Swimming who have named her Athlete of the Year for 2014.

Jazz Carlin captured at the 2013 British Gas Swimming Championships.  See more at:   http://www.peverilphoto.com/section665568.html

She became the first Welsh woman in 40 years to win Commonwealth Games gold in the pool at Glasgow 2014 with victory in the 800m freestyle.  She also won 400m and 800m freestyle goldsat the European Championships.   "This year has been amazing, but I am working hard for 2015 and have set my sights on an Olympic spot," she said.
 

She also contributed in February this year to a fantastic world record of 100 swimmers each swimming 100m in aid of SWIM 4 LEUKAEMIA at Ponds Forge Sheffield.  Organised by her boyfriend Lewis Coleman, they smashed the record, completing the course in 1 hour 29 minutes 3 seconds.

Well done to Gemma Steel winning European Cross Country gold in Bulgaria

Gemma Steel who is enjoying a fantastic season led home a Great Britain one-two with Kate Avery in the women's race at the European Cross Country Championships in Bulgaria.

In conditions which seemed to level the field, three Britsh females (Avery, Steel and team-mate Steph Twell) were part of the leading pack before Steel won in a sprint finish.

 Gemma Steel with her fourth consecutive Great Yorkshire Run title, Sheffield, 2014.  See more at: http://www.peverilphoto.com/section665568_639905.html

It was a consecutive improvment for Gemma Steel as she had won bronze in 2011 and silver last year at the same event but went one better this time around after edging a tussle with compatriot Kate Avery with both timed at 28 minutes 27 seconds. 

Alan Sugar - looking tired and losing the plot?

The Apprentice gave us another reason last night for thinking that it is selecting it's candidates purely on the basis of their (quirky) personality.

Katie Bulmer-Cooke who had been one of the more competent and sensible candidates over the 10 weeks was dismissed as her business idea wasn't going to be "big business".  Sorry Alan....didn't you know that 10 weeks ago?

This comes hard on the heels of him over-throwing the results of the buying competition the previous week in a desire to make a point over a paper skeleton that fitted the buying specification.  If you want to have a go at somebody, have a look at whoever wrote about buying an Anatomical Skeleton, minimum 150cm tall.  Nothing much in there about what it has to do/be made out of.  On that evidence Lord Sugar - you're fired!

The best part of the programme is still the start of the boardroom segment when  Lord Sugar comes out from behind the glass doors, looking like he has just returned from the gents.  Cue a flood of east-end accents: "I'd give it five minutes in there if I were you....."

Nick Matthew wins British Squash Grand Prix

Sheffield's Nick Matthew became only the ninth player to win 30 Professional Squash Association (PSA) World Tour titles by beating Mathieu Castagnet in the British Grand Prix final.

Nick Matthew winning gold at the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow.  See more at: http://www.peverilphoto.com/section665568_622920.html

Three-time world champion Matthew beat the Frenchman 11-7 11-6 11-5 in 50 minutes in Manchester to cap a great year for him after he won gold in Glasgow following knee surgery.

Ronnie O'Sullivan beats Judd Trump to win UK Championship

Ronnie O'Sullivan managed to hold off an epic Judd Trump comeback on top of a broken ankle to claim his fifth UK Championship title in York.  Right from the off Ronnie loked in control and led 5-1 at  the end of the first session.  Judd Trump pulled two frames back to stay within touching distance before then trailing 9-4.  A classic revival saw Trump return from the brink, making breaks of 120 and 127 to level the contest at 9-9 and taking the contest to the last frame. It was all going down to the wire until Trump fouled from a snooker in the last as O'Sullivan won 10-9.



Still one of my favourite shots of Ronnie in action - look at how the rest is being held in place.  See more at: http://www.peverilphoto.com/section665568_549149.html

Sheffield Stars of the Commonwealth Games treated to a Civic Reception

Some of the many sporting stars from or who train in Sheffield and who were at this year's Commonwealth Games were invited to a Civic Reception today.

Held in the grand setting of the Mayor's Parlour, the Lord Mayor, Peter Rippon congratulated them on being part of the most successful England team ever.
 

Pictured: Nick Matthew (squash); Freddie Woodward (diving) and coach Tom Owens; swimmers
Nick Grainger, Lewis Coleman, Ellie Faulkner, Max Litchfield and Becky Turner and coach Russ Barber.

A special mention to Nick Matthew who signed photographs of himself from this year's event in aid of the Lord Mayor's auction which will take place in the spring of 2015.