2013: A Year in Review

December. A time of traditions. One such being the onslaught as every photographer you know delves through their archive to recover their personal gems of the last twelve months so here we go with 2013. This year, I wanted to really highlight my favourites. That might seem obvious but a lot of the time, photographers tend to simply feature their pictures from the big stories, and not necessarily their favourites. I wanted to go for my personal choice though, so set your eyeballs to 'stunned' as I present to you "2013 - The Year in Review."

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Starting the year off, arrows at Alexandra Palace. As is often the case with sport, my first job on arrival was to research how the game worked. Sadly, I didn't do that much research as, when the moment before the final dart came, I realised that I was sitting editing backstage and I had to sprint through the media area to get there. Thankfully, I arrived just in time to see Phil "The Power" Taylor win his sixteenth world title. Earlier in the day, I'd noticed his tattoo and decided that it might make a fun multiple exposure. As it turned out, it did.

Next up was an art exhibition based on experimentation with colour. This example below could well be used in future as a torture for camera sensors in their version of Guantanamo, teaching all those old CCDs the error of their foolish blown-colour channel ways.

Next came one from my visit to Sochi in February for a recce of the Olympic site, a year ahead of the actual Winter Games. Wandering the areas around the main stadium with Russian photographer Mikhail Mordasov, he pointed out a row of abandoned homes near to the construction areas. On climbing the stairs of the crumbling buildings, we found this window. On the one hand, it shows the changes being brought to the area, while also reminding me of the Led Zeppelin album "Led Zeppelin IV". Double win.

Another frame from the "Emerging Dancer" shoot in March proved pretty popular but there were a whole series of pictures from that day that I liked. Here's one of them.

Next up comes a marvellous bit of mature and intelligent humour. I'd driven to Grimsby to cover a visit to the area by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, and had initially thought that the day would prove a wasted trip because the photographer's pen was a reasonable distance away from the action. Then along came Ollie Axel with his perfectly-timed nasal irritation.

Similar to the job above, I was covering the enthronement of the new Archbishop of Canterbury Justin Welby in Canterbury Cathedral and had assumed that once he had passed me in the doorway at the very start of the ceremony, there would be little for me to actually do until he left at the end of the ceremony. As it turned out, I found that on my 400mm lens, I could move across into the doorway and shoot right down the length of the Cathedral. I then just had to wait for an interesting shape to appear and, like some kind of holy miracle, it did. Praise him.

From religious wonder to just wonder. A nice day out to Westminster from members of the EDL right wing group ended up, surprisingly, with a bit of a kerfuffle. Here, a representative of the group waves to a nearby friend. Probably.

Okay, so this is one that I'll have to phrase correctly to make sure I don't come across as the heartless beast that I actually am. When Brad Pitt was in town for the première of his latest film "World War Z", the main draw wasn't his rather suspect dramatisation of what is a brilliant book, but Mrs Pitt. Having undergone a preventative double mastectomy, this would be her first appearance so interest was understandably high. The successful picture from the shoot was undoubtedly going to be one that had three elements; a smiling Jolie, the obligatory eye-line and, I hate to write this, a look at her body. Being the professionals that they are, they were clearly aware of this so after posing together, Bradley stepped aside to give everyone the shot they needed. Angelina duly played ball and gave me a nice bit of eye-line (sadly, pretty key in ents photography), a big smile and a slight angle to show off her figure.

June saw the return of the “Special One” to Chelsea and a massively over-subscribed press conference at Stamford Bridge. The Q&A didn't really provide anything interesting, and it was only upon José Mourinho leaving that I got something that I liked. As photographers and TV crews scrambled to get something different, I stood near to the exit and waited for him to walk down a pathway towards me. With his security on all sides, the picture makes me wonder if he was 100% sure that he'd made the right move.

Of all the sights and sounds from my high-speed visit to Afghanistan, Pakistan and Kazakhstan with David Cameron, my favourite picture is, essentially, a GV (general view). Shot from the Presidential Palace, the view of central Astana looks so artificial in its symmetry that it looks more like a cartoon. A truly unusual place and a thoroughly enjoyable trip.

Some might assume I'd have included a shot of Mr and Mrs Cambridge and their sprog in my round up, but these are my favourites so nyehhh. This moment came during one of the many days spent waiting outside the Lindo Wing for news of... well... anything. As a look-a-like Prince Harry and a giant teddy bear posed outside the doors of the hospital with a trolley of children's toys, one of the resident Royal "supporters" decided to wander into shot. Meanwhile, one of the ever-present police patrols happened to pass by, as a member of the hospital staff just tried to get on with her day. In that one moment, it seemed that every element of the story of the "Great Kate Wait" came together.

The next shot was taken from the top of London's City Hall of the performance area, known as "The Scoop". Reflected in the sloped glass of the "Glass Egg", the scoop took on a heart-shaped appearance. It had no relevance then or now, but I like it.

Like the previous picture, this one doesn't have much of a back story but merely serves as what should be the visual representation of textbook "indignation". Every year, London Zoo holds one of a number of photo-calls relating to stocktaking or measuring the residents. This shot came from the annual "weigh-in", with this African Bullfrog having his weight rather rudely displayed to the world's media. Hopefully, the art departments at the glossies will have given him an hourglass figure by the time the pictures reached print.

I have to include the "Walkie Talkie Death Ray" as it’s awesome.

I was sent to cover a photocall for "Hand in Hand for Syria" in London as they loaded donations, destined for Syria, into trucks ahead of the convoys' departure. Working my way through the crates, pallets and containers filling the storerooms, I found something that stopped me in my tracks. This stayed in my mind for so long after taking the shot. Someone works on a production line, manufacturing children's body bags. Someone places orders for children's body bags. Someone will end up inside this child's body bag.

Covering the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester, one of the points that everyone was focusing on was the role of UKIP in the week's events. Despite allegedly being banned from appearing at sanctioned events, party leader Nigel Farage was in town to try to grab some headlines (and voters) from the Tories. Hearing rumours of a visit to an area that was facing a local election, I dashed over there to find a handful of media types awaiting the UKIP Express. On his arrival, he got straight into the grip and grin, leaping on every passing person or pet for an impromptu discussion on immigration. With the media pack swelling, we were soon large enough to be stopping cars that passed, including this couple who soon found themselves being grilled on their political beliefs and voting habits, while being monstered from all sides by photographers and TV crews. George A Romero, eat your heart out.

Still in Manchester, I wandered out of the steel perimeter to have a look at who was taking part in the daily demo gauntlet that delegates and media must pass through to enter. Giant bees and inflatable fat-cats mingled with passing shoppers and Tories but tucked into a corner, I found these anti-same sex marriage campaigners who'd picked a perfect place to protest.

Another choice is this moment from the Zombie Evacuation Race in Saffron Walden. As the participants made their way into an area of thick undergrowth, the sound of a growling chainsaw could be heard in the bushes. Combined with the smoke, it really wasn't somewhere that you want to go but the armed soldier barking orders at the head of the path made it clear there was no option. Edging your way down the path, a soldier who was only supposed to be marshalling on the day decided he wanted to have a bit of fun. The resulting scream from this runner was an absolute belter. When you watch horror films, you always doubt that people do all of the stereotypical things, but she really did go for the full 1960's horror flick scream, complete with hands to the face. Brilliant.

Prince Philip was returning to work with an official visit to a care home in Norfolk and I had been assigned the role of solo rota photographer. With Phil's unpredictability, it can swing either way, producing heaps of images or nothing at all. On the day, I found a rich seam of Greek Gold with a comment about getting extra points for knocking over young children with exercise balls, a massive look of shock when faced with a troupe of dancing girls and this moment where the Prince idly handled a zimmer frame as he tried to work out what it was, before recoiling in horror as he realised. I fear he may think that ageing is contagious.

There are some jobs that can prove a real work-out, regarding creative thoughts and spending a full 8 hour shift on the 600m pavement that is Olympic Way, shooting fan features during the England v Poland match is one of them. As I'd shot them arriving and leaving, my job was done and I was heading towards my bike when I spotted the potential in the flow of thousands of fans rushing towards Wembley Park station. Previously, I'd seen some great shots from the top of the bridge looking towards Wembley, but I hadn't seen one from ground level.

The Frieze Art Fair is divided into two areas; "Frieze Masters" for more traditional art and the more popular "Frieze Art Fair" for the abstract and modern concepts. The latter is normally the place to be, as it doesn't take much work to find a picture when you're surrounded by giant babies, bronze statues of defecating women and massive fake rocks, but I really enjoyed the much quieter Masters. The shot below is one of my favourites with an art dealer holding a civilised discussion with a customer, as they sit beneath "The Feast of Absalom" by Dutch artist Matthias Stomer. It's almost as though the painting is acting as a pictorial subtitle to the haggling taking place below.

Over at the Frieze Art Fair, I was taken by this gallery representative as she strode around her display, holding a heated conversation on the phone.

I've shot British designer Paul Smith once before and always like to confirm the industry-wide belief that he's a truly lovely chap. His appearance at the opening of the "Hello, my name is Paul Smith" exhibition at Design Museum London just re-affirmed my thoughts. Happy to pose up, play around and even give away gifts to the media in exchange for good questions during the press briefing, he's someone that everyone should meet, just to remind yourself how being positive and enthusiastic can be such a powerful force in life.

The announcement that the surviving members of the Monty Python team would be reforming for a series of dates at the o2 was understandably big news and I was very keen on covering it for AFP. Luckily, fate was on my side and I found myself in the queue, and coming out near the top of the draw for positions. When the team posed up, myself and fellow photographer Ian Gavan broke out the capes of “Captain Catchflash” and hosed the b'jesus out of our shutters. After culling all of the dead frames, it was pleasing to get some strong light and moments.

My round-up of 2013 ends on a festive high with this shot from the "Santa Run" in London's Victoria Park. As the assembled Santas were warming up, this particular Father Christmas caught my eye, with his laughter only increasing as the work-out continued. It's not often you can look at a picture and automatically chuckle, but that expression of genuine laughter gets me every time.

2013, in the bag. Looking on to 2014, February sees me return to Sochi, but aside from that, who knows? Whatever it holds, cover me, I'm going in...