Many men go fishing all of their lives without knowing that it is not fish they are after.
– Henry David Thoreau
I feared this would be a difficult challenge for me – I don’t do sports anymore even if I enjoy watching some of them. My daughter was in a gymnastic team and my son an avid skater. My husband a handballer and myself, I was a swimmer, runner and a horse girl. I definitely never (?) photograph sports. Fortunately I have my archives and hoped to find some pictures anyway. Beth´s challenge gives you many possibilities!
Well, searching my memory and archives paid off – here are some different sports and games:
Sports are such a great teacher. I think of everything they’ve taught me: camaraderie, humility, how to resolve differences.
– Kobe Bryant
In Bhutan, the national sport is archery. We went to see some teams compete at a sports arena – and their long shooting bows were incredibly sharp.
I’m a competitive person and I love the challenge of mastering new things.
– Sasha Cohen
Some of my son´s happiest moments were in the big bowls of Malmoe skate park. And still are.
(Photo by David P.) The skateboard was with him on all vacations for several years – at Figueres as well. I wonder what Dalí would have made out of it…
Sports involving both animals and humans are the most difficult ones. Cooperation is essential. One of my old students is a Swedish champion in jousting.
The only way to prove that you’re a good sport is to lose.
– Ernie Banks
A spectacular racing event was the famous reindeer race in Jokkmokk, Lapland. Reindeer are very tough to train – they are not like our pets. To handle them, you have to keep your tongue steady in your mouth too!
It’s a crazy world, so sports and athletics and music can be a form of escapism.
– Eddie Vedder
Finally some competitions/sports for dogs. I never really liked that, but if we wanted to buy our dogs it was necessary to let the breeder have his certificates. Good memories though – Totti won Swedish and Danish Champion titles.
– In order to really enjoy a dog, one doesn’t merely try to train him to be semi-human. The point of it is to open oneself to the possibility of becoming partly a dog.
– Edward Hoagland
And Totti held a boxing title too…shared with Mille of course. Those were the days – daily entertainment in our garden!
Just play. Have fun. Enjoy the game.
– Michael Jordan
In the header, debating monks at the Sera Monastery in Tibet. A popular sport where the ”performers” loved to show off both their versatility and knowledge. I wish I knew their language so I could follow their intelligent arguments!
A massive thank you to Beth for this challenge that got me hard working and showed me I need to take more photos of sporting events. When you join us, (I know you will find something in the end, even if you despair like I did…) remember to tag Lens-Artists and to link back to Beth’s original post.
Last week meant so many beautiful doors raining over us! A big thank you to Sofia, and to all of you for sharing your doors and doorways with us.
Next week it is Anne’s turn to lead us, Saturday 30th August. Until then, take care and be kind.
Leya 
A unique look at the lives in sports, and movement.
Thank you, Donna. Proves that I never photograph our own sports…
You did well taking the challenge this way, thinking out of the box. Kudos to you!
♥
Fun response and quite unique
Thank you, Nora!
What a great response Ann-Christine! I loved the reindeer race. And of course Totti stole the blog show. Dogs are the best.
Thank you – yes, dogs are the best!
😍
I love where you took us with this one, Ann-Christine. And I think you’ve done exceedingly well. Love the reindeer racing and Totti and Mille boxing. Favourite is the header, now that is thinking outside the box!
Thank you, Sofia! I am happy you enjoyed them – struggled at first.
You’re right, quite a few people seem to be struggling initially with this challenge. But you, like the others I’ve seen, have risen to it so well and found some great images. I love the two from Bhutan, and that last one of your boxing dogs!
Thank you, Sarah – glad you liked what I found!
Wow. This is a great response to the challenge. My favorite is the reindeer racing….I never knew such a sport existed. 📷😉
Thank you – it is great fun to watch it! And they are not that cooperative, the reindeer…
So you never take photos of sports, AC?! This is an unusual selection – love the reindeer racing! The skateboarding images are nicely action packed, and I love the boxing Totti !
Thank you, Sue – loved your take too!
So I saw!
I’d love to see reindeer races in person, Ann-Christine. That would be a sight!
You will have to take a Norwegian ship over here!
What a great selection you found. I bet you had an interesting time scrolling through the archives. Did you do any competing in your horse riding days?
Thank you! No, no horse competing for me – only swimming and running.
Wow Ann-Christine, what a fabulous array of sports that I will never get to see.
Thank you – that’s what is so much fun – we get to see sports from other countries that we don’t have at home!
Ann-Christine, I’m going to guess that yours will be the MOST original set of sports this week!! I loved every image which your camera brought fully to life. Most of us will never see these kinds of events – it was so much fun for me. The fellow in the jousting event is my favorite but as always all are terrific.
Thank you, Tina – I had fun when I started to find them in the archives. And I found more than I thought.
Well despite saying you don’t photograph sports, you did find some very unusual events for us. I actually loved the last photo of the two dogs having a boxing match!
Haha, thank you, Jude – those two were very entertaining guys! Every day!
These images are great. The skateboarder against the blue sky is superb. One of those you see and think ‘I wish I’d taken that’ 🙂
Thanks Steve – I wish that too…My son is the photographer there.
Fantastic response, Anne-Christine! I liked the horse and rider and the reindeer races. And the dog pictures. And the archery. Oh, shucks! I liked all of them. Great post.
Thank you so much, Joanne! I am smiling!
Dear Ann-Christine
Thanks for your pictures.
We are not interested in sports, actually, we find sports boring – except chess.
Wishing you a happy week
The Fab Four of Cley
🙂 🙂 🙂 🙂
Thank you – we all have our different taste!
Quite a mix… Great 🙂
Thank you, David – I really struggled with this one. Happy in the end though…
Ann-Christine, Wow! You have chosen some events I never thought of! I like the archery competition image. So far you are the only one to feature animals. I love how the jousting image shows the action of the horse and the rider. I also really like the reindeer race and the dog competition. I’m glad you went through your archives to find these.
Thank you for a challenge that really was a challenge! I was happy to have found these, Beth, and I love all the different posts with all the different sports. Sports I never knew of too!
Thanks for the fun and creative response to the sports challenge.
So glad you liked it, Brad!