LONDON - We have a number of regular blog authors, who are listed with their biographies on the right-hand side. But we will also be having the odd 'now and then' contribution from a few other people, one of whom is Ross Kinnaird, a sports photographer with Getty Images.
Ross has worked for Getty Images for 10 years and this will be his fourth World Cup. His role in Germany will be to follow the England team, so we thought it would be interesting to get some insight from him. For his first post I asked him to pick out his favourite World Cup photo - and here it is, taken at France 1998, with his explanation. If you any questions for Ross, leave them here.
Football鈥razil鈥onaldo - it doesn鈥檛 get any better, especially if you鈥檙e a sports photographer covering the World Cup finals. Taking pictures of the best footballers in the world and seeing them in print is a massive buzz. You're so close to the action you can hear a metatarsal crack. All my mates want to swap places with me!
This Ronaldo picture shows power and speed in an arty kind of way. Shooting from the stands allows you to see shapes and patterns set against the green grass. I wanted to capture him running from left to right because it looks better in print. To get the shot spot on, I wanted Ronaldo on his own (he鈥檚 always tightly marked and not always in the action) so I needed to concentrate on more than just watching the game. It's all worth the effort when it comes off though! ----
Ross Kinnaird
LONDON - We've announced that we will be broadcasting the World Cup on broadband within the UK.
Every 大象传媒 game will be live via www.bbc.co.uk/worldcup. In addition there'll be online video highlights of every match.
UPDATE: I have written an answering many of the questions raised here, and on our editors' blog.
Claire S - blog editor
LONDON - It's been a bit like the arrival of spring.
You know; the first daffodil, the first gambolling lamb; the first England flag fluttering on a builder's van.
Now, with temperatures finally warming up on 1st of June, the flag fest is in full flow. Do they bring your heart to a warm patriotic glow? Or do they make you - a true fan - despair of the main eventers who, in the words of my colleague Mark Fleming (one of the guys who runs the football news desk and never one to mince words..), wouldn't know their "Clock End from their Big Match".
I've already experienced one World Cup Willy. He told me: 'If we don't win it this year, I reckon we'll have a chance next year but only if England sort out their left-hand side problem'. I despair!
My dad (a golf and cricket fan) hates the flag wavers and emailed me a rubbish joke about a new DVLA law that says rubbish drivers had to attach a flag to their car. Really rubbish drivers have to attach two...
Anyway, , especially those in unusual places or of non-England flags. The one attached was taken on a farm building on the outskirts of Sunbury-on-Thames. Incidentally, we will be encouraging people to send in their photos throughout the World Cup so here's your chance to start practising.
Claire S - blog editor
LONDON - Apologies for problems we had on the blog last night.
Our seemingly inoffensive post regarding Trinidad & Tobago shirts kicked off a somewhat foul-mouthed Scottish/English verbal war and we consequently turned off comments on that post.
Apologies to anyone who found some of the comments offensive and apologies to those (many) of you who had genuine things to say which got deleted in the crossfire.
The blog is currently "reactively moderated". Which means a comment appears automatically unless someone complains about it, in which case it will be removed if the complaint is upheld.
We would like to carry on relying on readers to complain before we take action as comments appear quicker and it's a more open form of communication after all. But it maybe that is not possible. We will monitor the situation. Thoughts?
