'SUN LAMP' LIGHTS UP BEIJING
A picture featuring Chelsea Football Club will be showcased at a unique exhibition of London's Icons launched at the Beijing Olympics today (Friday, August 8).
The black and white picture, taken by Chelsea's official photographer Darren Walsh, shows Frank Lampard taking a corner at Stamford Bridge with the sun bursting through the gap between the West Stand and Shed End.
The shot is part of the London's Icons photographic exhibition which celebrates the city's cultural, commercial, social and sporting life.
The pictures are being exhibited at London House which is London's official presence in Beijing during the Olympics.
'The shot was taken during the Portsmouth match at Stamford Bridge in February 2006, a game Chelsea won 2-0,' said Walsh.
'It was taken from my usual spot in the ground, in the south-east corner, and I remember thinking that the sun was in a great position for a shot like that, so I was hoping there would be a chance before it went down.
'I changed to a wide-angle lens and I still remember taking it now, which shows how much it stands out.
'As soon as Frank Lampard approached to take the corner I decided it would make a nice picture because of the position of the sun, and shooting in black and white creates a striking image of English football. We captioned it 'Sun Lamp' afterwards.'
The number eight, Lampard's number, is regarded by the Chinese as the number of prosperity and good luck, which is why the Olympics was opened on the eighth day of the eighth month in 2008.
Chelsea's Chief Executive Peter Kenyon and Communications and Public Affairs Director Simon Greenberg have been invited to be Ambassadors for London during the Games.
This is the third time Chelsea has been given the honour following invites by previous Mayor of London Ken Livingstone to help represent the city on trips to India in 2007 and China in 2006.
London House will offer the London Development Agency (LDA), its partners, private businesses and the British Government a venue from which to promote London as the next Olympic host city in 2012 through seminars, receptions and dinners.
Kenyon said: 'As always it is a great matter of pride to everyone at Chelsea that we are invited to help represent London.
'We have always been a fervent supporter of London 2012 and we look forward to promoting one of the world's great cities in Beijing.'