A set of giant Olympic rings decorates the Thames on the South Bank. Photo by Valerie Carnevale.
A lights show on the London Eye can be seen each night. The ferris wheel was lit up different colors based on what people tweeted about the Olympics that day. Photo by Valerie Carnevale.
A little girl joins in the Olympic spirit by drawing the rings in the dirt during the Women’s Triathlon in Hyde Park. Photo by Emily Theis.
Pin-trading, an Olympic tradition, is a popular activity outside of Westfield Shopping Centre near Olympic Park. Photo by Valerie Carnevale.
Spectators await the beginning of the Women’s Cycling Road Race on the Mall outside Buckingham Palace. Photo by Valerie Carnevale.
Banners displaying the London 2012 motto, logo and Olympic rings hang from the ceiling in Covent Garden. Photo by Valerie Carnevale.
Crowds fill Prestige Pavilion outside of Olympic Park on Friday, July 27th, prior to the Opening Ceremony. Photo by Taylor Bussick.
Signs directing traffic and pedestrians are found on nearly every street in London. Special “Games Lanes” designated for official Olympic traffic have helped ease traffic flow. Photo by Valerie Carnevale.
A Private in the Royal Guard, who could not reveal his name, wears a London 2012 patch while on traffic and security duty. Photo by Bobby Ellis.
Fans of USA, England, and Brazil come together for a photograph. Photo by Corey Ohlenkamp.
A group of violinists play to an enthusiastic crowd in Covent Garden. Photo by Valerie Carnevale.
Taylor Bussick, Valerie Carnevale, Bobby Ellis, Corey Ohlenkamp and Emily Theis are among the 40 students from Ball State University who travelled to London for the school’s immersive-learning program, BSU at the Games. For those of us who have been following the Olympics from home, we’ve relied, in part, on stunning photography to take us from our lounge chairs to London. In this gallery, the students have crafted images that paint a picture of the culture and fanfare around the games.
In their own words:
“From the London Eye and attractions on Southbank to street performers in Covent Garden and proud fans decked out in flags and facepaint walking down the street, London is buzzing with Olympic energy. Giant Olympic rings decorate Tower Bridge and the River Thames while the London 2012 logo is seemingly everywhere. Street performers, souvenir stands and crowds of people are the trademarks of the last two weeks. Even for people without event tickets, being in London during the Olympic Games has been nothing short of spectacular.”
(Kyle Ellis is a designer for CNN Digital in Atlanta and a graduate of the journalism graphics program at Ball State University. Follow him on Twitter @kyleellis.)
