Quite literally.
One of the very best ways to integrate into a community is to play sports with them. Fact. It seems that things like football cross language, race and culture and are always common ground for people to stand on. I have no doubt that the football games we played were essential for our relationship with the people.
I have so many pictures to show here, again it is pretty much impossible for me to have comments enough for each of them. So I am going to put them in a gallery again.
This is the first time I have ever shot a football game. Using the 300mm f/2.8 VR and a monopod, I stood over with the crowd to shoot. This gave me enough working distance to shoot closeups of feet near me, and still get relatively full frames of action on the other side of the pitch (I use the word pitch liberally – the football field is literally a field. There is a tree on it, which the game happens around sometimes). I have also tried to capture the feeling of the crowds, which were small but enthusiastic. It was, at times, difficult to get them to concentrate on the game and not the fact that a giant vazaha was taking pictures.
We brought with us a football, which was ruined by week 5. Fortunately, someone else managed to provide an alternative one. During the match pictured, the second ball’s inner bit died, and a pause was called while a transplant was performed from our ruined ball to this one, before the game continued.
I think the photos, for the most part, speak for themselves, so I will shut up and let you look at them. Click the first one, and then click through them (that’s my suggestion anyways, for the best viewing experience).
The next post will be on Sunday the 25th of September – The Funerals. I know many of you are eager for wildlife stuff; I assure you this is coming – it should start on Tuesday the 27th.
Enjoy.
great 😀
thanks 🙂