Hoops Sagrado: Basketball in Guatemala

Back in August, I got the opportunity to travel to Guatemala to photograph the goings on of a basketball program called Hoops Sagrado. Every summer, a group of teenagers from Washington DC head to Guatemala for a month to play hoops, run basketball camps, learn Spanish and experience the culture. Naturally, I had a blast because anything related to the game is near the top of the list of my favorite things to do. Big shout to Bryan Weaver, Mindy Moretti and the homey Phelps for getting me to Xela.

CLICK HERE TO SEE MORE IMAGES!

Brett Dennen

Barefoot Wine sponsors beach rescue projects throughout the country where they entice volunteers to pick up trash during the day with a promise of a free wine party/concert later in the evening. Great idea if you ask me, especially if you're a fan of the person playing the live show. In this case, yet again, I didn't know who this person was.

Brett Dennen, a musician hailing from Northern California (hey!), brought quite the crowd to this clean up party. He's a super, laid back, guitar wielding musician who actually walked barefoot along the banks of the Anacostia River (def not recommended). After I shot the concert, I was able to get a free copy of his newest album , Lover Boy, and played it loudly in my car through the streets of Georgetown. It's a good album.

Later that night, I went to a bar with a few of my friends to watch the Heat v. Bulls playoff series. Guess who's music was blasting from the jukebox? Surprise, surprise. Shout out to Pep.

Dime Magazine #66

Whew, where do I start?

Earlier in the summer of 2011 I started a project taking pictures at the Goodman League at Barry Farms in Washington DC. Some of that work can be seen here, here and here. I was even able to shoot some pretty cool portraits of some of the players. It was so much fun to be out there because you could watch some great basketball (no defense allowed) and you never knew just who might show up. Could be Kevin Durant, could be Michael Beasley, could be John Wall, you just never knew.

With the NBA lockout looming, the Goodman League along with a few other leagues around the country started to gain momentum in the mainstream basketball world. A little Facebook trash talk and the natural East Coast / West Coast rivalry bred a game between Washington DC's Goodman League and LA's Drew League that was to take place at Trinity University in Northeast Washington DC.

August 20, 2011 was crazy. Trinity's small gym was packed, standing room only. The buzz was enormous and folks with legit tickets were being turned away from the oversold event. The media credential person tried to force all of the photographers to shoot from a balcony, but I was able to traverse the adversity with my ninja like skills and rappel down the side of the basketball hoop to the baseline (just kidding). I was disappointed with the access that I wasn't able to get per my relationship with the Goodman League but I am very proud to have this spread in the current issue of Dime Magazine! Shout out to editor Aron Phillips and writer Rachel Marcus.

Performance Portraits

I recently finished up some work on the ongoing project called performance portraits. I photographed 10 more artists at the wonderful Union 206 studio in Alexandria, VA and had a great time kicking it with the subjects. Shoutout to Kyle Gustafson, Deuce, Angel B., Waiter, Vito Brown, Rhawty Roe, RA the MC, Gordo Brega, The Bridge, Crazy J and S.K.A.T.E.R. Here are a few of the images, but you can check out the rest HERE!

Faces of the Goodman League

Well, I had a grand plan to spend all summer in Barry Farms photographing the ins and outs of the Goodman League but that plan was curtailed when I moved to California early in July. I did spend a good amount of time there in June and was even successful in shooting some portraits of the players. Ironically, the day I hopped on a plane, John Wall (DCs biggest basketball star) showed up and dropped 41. Oh well...at least I was able to shoot these portraits.

More Goodman Portraits! and More Goodman Action!

Lawrence Moten and Eddie Basden: Both DMVers who spent some time in the NBA.

The Goodman League: Day 3

Day 3 of my Goodman League coverage and we take the basketball party inside to the hardwood. During the weekend the Goodman League oversees the Goodman Coalition which showcases 2 high school and 3 pro-am contests at Spingarn High School in Washington DC. Unlike in the outdoor games, the participants are a little more eager to hit the floor for loose balls and take a chance on the lightning quick passes that miss their mark under the darkness inside "da Gates".

So far I'm 3 for 3 in shooting on days where former and current NBA players show up. The first two times it was Kevin Durant. This time it was Ty Lawson and all time Big East leading scorer (who knew?) and Syracuse alum Lawrence Moten, scoring at will at 39 years of age. James Harden got major props for putting in 51 at The Drew League out in LA but Lawson came through with 47...that's gotta be good for something right? AND Old Man Moten poured in 33.

A few observations:

- Ty Lawson is quicker than I am

- Bobby Maze former Tennessee Volunteer (yellow Adidas) looks a lot like Allen Iverson

- Coaches were actually coaching

- Lawrence Moten (cornrows) was born to score

- ink, ink and more ink

Shout out once again to Miles and Mac for keeping the Goodman going.

The Goodman League: Day 2

June 7, 2011. Day two of the league and my second day in attendance. My goal is to find something new at this place while going back day after day. Something not new? Kevin Durant. He was back again looking to avenge his loss.

The crowd is extremely close to the action which creates an atmosphere in which players and spectators can engage in intimate conversations. Someone watching the game yells to Durant, "KD, KD! Bust his ass!" To which the player guarding KD responds to the heckl

er, "How about Iplay you? Put some money up!"

There's a lot going on at the courts nicknamed the BF Coliseum and I'm just starting to scratch the surface. According to the man with the mic, Miles Rawls, the venue was packed, "35,000 strong". I'm not sure, but I might need a recount on that.

The Goodman League: Day 1

I've been thinking about shooting out here for a long time. Back when I was still in school and Gilbert Arenas was drawing Kobe comparisons in Washington DC, I was thinking about it. The problem was that all I did was think about it.

This summer, man this is very tough, I'm gonna take my talents to Southeast and photograph The Goodman League. (In my Lebron James voice). Seriously though, The Goodman League has a 30 year history of hosting some of the best ballers in the country on the outdoor courts of Barry Farms. On any given evening, you never know who might show up.

I've always enjoyed the competition that outdoor basketball incites. The ground is harder, the sun is hotter and every point is more difficult to score than the last. So why not, once again, mix two of the things I love the most and spend some time making photographs.

June 6, 2011 was day one of the league. The crowd was thick for two reasons: opening night and Kevin Durant. Yes the two time scoring champ and pride of Montrose Christian showed up to play ball with the playoff exit wounds still fresh. He came through in a pair of bright yellow sneakers and armed with a wicked jump shot. Everyone wanted a piece of the NBA star whether trying to cross him up or D him up but KD played emotionless, sinking jumper after jumper. His team took the L in a close game but his appearance kicked off a great start to the season. Shout out to Miles Rawls and Mac Williams...preciate it!

The Identical Duo

I don't know about you but when I was 16, I wasn't hopping on planes and visiting family members 2,000 miles away...by myself. My twin nieces did just that when they came to visit me in Washington DC during their spring break.

In true tourist fashion, one of their first orders of business was to make a purchase at the sweatshirt/hot dog/ice cream/battery/disposable camera shop so often seen near the heavily traveled areas of the District. They purchased identical purple hoodies cheaply stitched with "Washington DC" and pretty much wore them the rest of the trip.

While visiting most of the major monuments and museums, we all made our first trip to the National Archives. I've walked past that building many times since I've lived here and never thought twice about it. But the twins were right in the middle of discussing those historical documents in school...which we all thought was pretty cool.

Mostly I just took pictures as they walked around the city.

Way Back Wednesdays: The Mayor's Cup

Have you ever seen an 8 year-old kid fight another 8 year-old kid and have everyone in the building be fine with it? Well this is a common occurrence at the Mayor's Cup in Washington DC where amateur boxers of all ages are invited to punch each other in the face. If you get a chance, you should check it out at least once. It's weird and fascinating all at the same time.

Way Back Wednesdays: Sacked...Almost

On October 20, 2006 my beloved Coolidge football team went up against perennial Turkey Bowl contender Dunbar High School. The game, preceded by much fanfare, was televised on ESPN and hyped as a match between two Washington DC powerhouses boasting loads of D-1 talent. Well, it didn't quite work out like that.

In one hell of an off-season before the 2006 campaign, a Coolidge assistant accepted a head coaching job at Ballou High (also in DC) and took four of the Colts top players along with him. The match-up that ESPN had scheduled included Dunbar's Arrelious Benn (Illinois/Tampa Bay Buccaneers), Nathan Bussey (Illinois/2011 NFL Draft) and Coolidge's Marvin Austin (UNC/2011 NFL Draft), Romale Tucker (Syracuse/Towson), Lamar Milstead (UVA), and Dwan Thornton. The game that was actually played was lacking Coolidge's all stars.

Coolidge brought out a team that didn't have the star power of the 2005 squad and still competed, but lost, to Dunbar. This is a shot of Coolidge freshman QB getting de-cleated shortly after firing a pass attempt.