The students of Loma Linda

With funds generated through Compassionate Eye Foundation’s Summer Solstice Shoots and donations provided by Getty Images, OJO Images and a group of private donors, 25 girls and 32 boys from Loma Linda received a new, extended three-classroom school. The school was built to replace an existing one-room school that was prone to floods during the rainy season.

Loma Linda is a small village in Guatemalan highlands, which is home to 235 indigenous Mayan people of the Mayan-Mam community.

Image of the construction site; The site offers an amazing view of the valley and surrounding mountains, including Tajumulco, the highest peak in Central America

In March 2009, Compassionate Eye Foundation coordinated with a local non-governmental organization to manage the construction of the building, and, as Loma Linda voluntarily assisted in the construction of their new school, the people in the village used the needed resources to construct a better future for the youth of their community.

Education is at the heart of development. Schools are where children, the future of a community, go to share ideas, gain the skills to find employment and learn about important topics such as health and the environment.

Inauguration; The new school opened the doors for its students on January 5th 2010

This year again, around June 21st, photographers around the world will come together to produce high quality stock photography shoots and donate the copyrights to Compassionate Eye Foundation. Together, award-winning photographers, producers, art-directors, models and other industry professionals will produce images and film clips to become part of CEF collection on gettyimages.com, providing on-going funding to the communities the non-profit supports.

In further support of CEF and all the photographers involved, Getty Images also donates an additional share of the company’s revenue from each licensed image.

Image of the school’s plaque; Community of Loma Linda says “Thank You“ to its supporters by making a plaque for the school’s entrance

To find out more about the Summer Solstice Shoots, Compassionate Eye Foundation and the communities it supports, please visit: www.compassionateeye.org.

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Chelsea Lauren/WireImage/Getty Images

Actor Corey Haim died today from an apparent drug overdose in Burbank California.  The Canadian born actor had a history of substance abuse problems, which became very public during the filming of “The Two Coreys”, co-starring his longtime friend, actor Corey Feldman.  Best known for his work throughout the 1980’s in films such as Lucas, The Lost Boys and License to Drive, the shy teen became a heartthrob for a generation.  See his life in Pictures here and here.

Time Life Pictures/DMI/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

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Best Dressed Award: Vera Farmiga and Meryl Streep

Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images

Worst Dressed Award: Charlize Theron and J-Lo

Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images

Vintage Award: Sarah Jessica Parker

Steve Granitz/WireImage/Getty Images

Winner Award: Kathryn Bigelow

Craig Barritt/Getty Images

Loser Award: James Cameron

GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images

After-Party Award: Jeremy Renner, Brian Geraghty, and Anthony Mackie

Michael Caulfield/WireImage/Getty Images

Cartoon Princess Award: Zoe Saldana

Kevin Mazur/WireImage/ Getty Images

Sweetest Couple Award: Jeff Bridges and Susan Geston

Chris Polk/VF1/Getty Images

Bad Posture Award: Miley Cyrus

Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images

Worst Speech Award: Sandy Powell

Kevin Winter/Getty Images

Stealing the Spotlight Award: Elinor Burkett

GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images

Fountain of Youth Award: Demi Moore

Kevin Mazur/WireImage/Getty Images

Worst Presenter (cough) Award: Kristen Stewart

Kevin Mazur/WireImage

Best Presenter Award: Ben Stiller

GABRIEL BOUYS/AFP/Getty Images

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I can’t believe its already day 17!  I have tried to cram in as many Olympic experiences as possible into my last few days in Vancouver. I went to the Four First Host Nations Pavilion to watch traditional and contemporary Aboriginal performances (Inuit throat singing to Yukon B-boys) and saw an amazing 4D ride that sent me over the Niagara Falls in a barrel.

I also got to sneak into a few events (courtesy of the blue smurf uniform!). I watched the inaugural women’s ski cross final and the men’s aerials finals through a blizzard (the snow finally, and very belatedly, arrived at Cypress Mountain).

I took a bus up to Whistler to watch the men’s bobsled finals and enjoyed being part of an international crowd bedecked in flags and ridiculous costumes. I drank in the Jamaican ski teams’ bar and I also paid my respects at the shrine for Nodar, the young Georgian lugist.

Finally, on the very last day: we cram into a bar to watch the last event: Gold Medal final for Men’s hockey.

It was a nail biter with a great ending as Canada scored its 14th and arguably, most important gold medal. We then hopped on a bus through crowds of celebrating red and white maple leaves to get to BC Place for the closing ceremony.

It was a big party, with the audience asked to participate in some complicated multi-tasking (juggling your beer and holding up signs and lights whilst wearing moose ears and a poncho).

We watched a pastiche of large inflatable beavers and scantily clad Mounties as Michael Buble (and a host of other singers & bands I had no idea were even Canadian), performed and the athletes formed a ridiculous conga-line!  And then, as Neil Young sang, the flame was solemnly extinguished to disappointed sighs from the crowd and just like that; it was over and the flag was passed to Sochi for 2014. But what an amazing experience. Au Revoir Vancouver!

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Chris in his Getty Images Spyder jacket.

Chris Chambers is an editorial field editor for Getty Images.  He has worked for Getty Images for seven years and has covered three Olympics Games.  His favorite part of covering the Olympics is “meeting, working and socializing with my global colleagues. It is also the pressure of editing the most important events on strict deadlines, in hopes of seeing our photos used to tell the stories of the Games in newspapers, magazines and online medias around the world.”

The most memorable events Chris has edited on deadline at the Olympic Games were the last four gold medals swimmer Michael Phelps won (including the 100m butterfly when he won by a touch) during the 2008 Beijing Olympics, the gold medal men’s basketball game between Spain and the United States in the 2008 Beijing Olympics and during these Vancouver Olympic Games, the men’s hockey – Canada v. USA.  For Chris, the most challenging aspect of covering the Games are the long hours as well as “editing sports that I don’t cover regularly. However, when it comes down to it, a picture is a picture no matter what sport is being photographed.” His favorite sport to watch at these Olympic Games has been one he doesn’t usually follow, “I’m not much of an NHL fan but I have really gotten into watching the men’s hockey, especially with the spirited rivalry between USA and Canada.”

In anticipation of the Games in Vancouver, Chris didn’t pack lightly.  He came directly to Vancouver from covering the Super Bowl in Miami and wanted to be prepared.  He packed seven jackets (pictured below), not including the Getty Images Spyder jacket (pictured above) that the whole team received when they got to Vancouver, which he has since worn almost exclusively. While the temperatures had been mild in Vancouver before he arrived, he figured the weather would get much colder. “Through my work traveling for Getty Images, I’ve had times where I’ve not had the proper attire for some of the weather conditions that I’ve encountered. Not being properly outfitted can be a big obstacle when it comes to making it through an event comfortably. With all the obstacles out there, not being warm enough is one that can be avoided.”

Chris has avoided it well. Out of stubbornness (since he brought them) he has worn four of the seven jackets he brought. Keeping up with planning ahead, Chris plans to ship many of his coats back to New York City so he doesn’t have to drag them through the airport when he leaves Vancouver.

Chris is prepared for anything… in all seven jackets.

Photo by Lindsay Morris

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Photo by Scott Halleran

I started each of my Olympic days with a 2 AM ride up the Grouse Mountain gondola to the set of the NBC Today show. Even though I was starting my day far before anyone else, I was fortunate enough to see a few world-class sunrises high above Vancouver.

Everyday, I entered the Observatory Restaurant and greeted the interns who were planning the arrivals of athletes, culinary and celebrity guests. Then, I built my set for the Portrait Studio and prepared to capture headshots of the guests as they arrived. Because all of the guests arrived between 3-3:15 AM, coffee was always the first order of business – my headshots came second.

Over the course of my assignment here in Vancouver, I have captured images of the Olympic medals, flags, famous chefs, singers, former and current medalists as well as proud family members sharing the joy and pride of their medal-winning children. My personal favorite was the portrait of Wayne Gretzky wearing one of the iconic red mittens that I took a few days ago and of Evan Lysacek looking at his gold medal.

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Photos by Lindsay Morris

Chris Furlong (left) is on the IOC Photography team, doing corporate assignments for the IOC’s top sponsors.  He is from the UK and has been a photographer for Getty Images for six years.  The Vancouver Winter Olympic Games is the first Olympics Chris has covered.  Being the IOC’s photographer, he is constantly trying to “capture the spirit of the Olympics.  It is an amazing event to cover.  To see the people, the places and the moments with every emotion, from happiness to sadness.”  For Chris, the most challenging thing about covering the Games is traveling to all the different events and venues, “it’s getting from point A to B and then back to A.” His favorite moment at the Games so far was when Alexandre Bilodeau won Canada’s first gold medal during the men’s moguls.

When Chris landed in Vancouver he saw a group of Canadians wearing the hat pictured above. “I saw these hunky Canadian guys walking around wearing these hats and I thought surely it would make me hunky too…but it doesn’t.”  While opinions surely differ on that conclusion, Chris says that he also wears the hat ‘out and aboot’ Vancouver for more practical purposes.  “I wear it to keep my treasure island warm (laughing while pointing to the back of his head).”

Jono Powell (right) is the Manager of Events Technology for Getty Images. He has worked at Getty Images for 12 years and on four Olympic Games.  During the Vancouver Olympics, Jono’s main job is to install all of the networking. “For the last three Olympics, the work began about 2-4 years before the Games.”We have to work out how many photographers, how many editors, how they are going to work, how we connect the photographers together, what to put in the office … the list is endless.” Jono has many favorite parts from working at the Olympic Games. “The good bits are being in the crowds when something momentous happens. Every games has something special. In 2004, I was firing remote cameras during the men’s 100m final, hiding behind the photographers and trying to see on the big screen when the athletes went past the mark where I needed to start firing. In Turin, it was the noise of the crowd during the speed skating finals. The challenge is to keep going even when things are going wrong and you’re so tired you just want to stop and give up.”

Jono is also from the UK, however he too has “gone Canadian” during his time in Vancouver.  He has been seen sporting the red Canada hat pictured above around the different venues as well as the Media Center.  “Near the end of Turin Olympic Games, my colleague Janey Marks came back from the Canada House with this hat.  She gave it to me and said “See you in Canada”, and that’s exactly what happened. It is a red baseball cap with “Canada ‘06″ on it. No one else has one like it that I’ve seen.”  When asked why he too has decided to “go Canadian” Jono explained, “We’re guests here but we’re also in a privileged position because we’re part of the coverage of the games. Picking up the language, the local customs and generally fitting in is the friendly thing to do. It’s a bit easier here because we’re all speaking English, but there are a few differences eh?”

When Chris was asked about time working with his “Canadian” colleague Jono he said, “I think Jono runs the Internet… But he still always has time for the little problems that photographers have with their laptops.  He always solves your problems with a smile.  The last time I asked for a technical problem it turns out I had just forgotten to turn it on, but he still sorted it out with a smile.”

When Jono was asked about his time with his equally “Canadian” colleague Chris he recalled, “I promised Chris my jacket after the Olympics in Turin and I never delivered on my promise (I loved the jacket too much), and he’s never held it against me.”

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