One of my favorite things about the military is how active people are in sports. They aren't content to just sit inside and watch tv or read a book. A lot of the people I work with find ways to be outside playing basketball, soccer, or volleyball even while in a war zone. Since joining the military I have been much more active in sports than I was in college. Several times I've walked by a basketball court and got pulled into a game and lost myself in the sport I love for a while. It helps you forget about all the crazy things happening around you for a couple of minutes. I'm not alone in my enjoyment of the game. To make easter feel a little more special,  Forward Operating Base Salerno held a basketball tournament. Several people came up to me prior to the tournament to make sure I was going to take photos. I was only too happy to comply.

The key with sports photography is to have a faster shutter speed. Sometimes it is easier to play zone photography, which simply means you stay focused on an area you think is going to get a lot of good action. In this case I focused a lot under the basketball hoop.

It was nice to get away for a couple of hours and practice my sports photography. The tournament started at 7 a.m. with the first round of games. Eight teams came out to showcase their talents and for the $700 prize which were gift certificates to the PX on base. While the prize might not have made them rich, every team played like it was the most important thing in the world. For Soldiers stuck on a base, unable to go anywhere or enjoy the comforts of home, being able to go to the PX to spend some money is a luxury. Sometimes I go to the PX or bazaar and buy something, simply because I need to feel a little bit of home.

Moving around in photography is key. Sometimes you need to get closer or farther away. Other times you need to change your angle. You don't always want a full body shot either, it is sometimes more interesting to the viewer to get close and perhaps miss how high they jump but instead focus on the intensity of expression on their face. Variety of low and high angles, close and far shots, and 360 degree movement will help you get the perfect shot.

It was fun to watch everybody having a good time. It wasn't just the people playing who had fun, either. A huge crowd turned out to watch the games. There is nothing Soldiers like more than cheering on their teams. People get very competitive. There was a guy who managed to unearth a bullhorn and had a running commentary on peoples skills throughout the tournament. It was rather entertaining to hear. 

It was amazing how high some of these guys could jump. In the photo on the right the guy leaping couldn't stop in time so he tried to leap over another guy. To make sure you capture the best moment in sports, it is better to use continuous shutter release so you get the action from beginning to end. With the photo on the right, it is the 3 photo in a series of 5.

One thing I wasn't expecting was how hot it got. It feels more like June here than April, and the sun is very intense. Even after using half a bottle of sunscreen obtained from the USO on my way to Salerno, I still managed to get a rather bad burn on my arms, legs and face. I don't know what it is about the sun here, but even a little time spent outside usually results in a burn. Maybe it's the fact that we have no cloud cover or that we are so high up. By the time I make it home for R and R I am going to have a farmer's tan.