BEIJING – AUGUST 24: Fireworks go off during the Closing Ceremony for the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games on August 24, 2008 in Beijing, China. (Photo by Al Bello/Getty Images)

“The world has learned about China, and China has learned about the world, and I believe this is something that will have positive effects for the long term.” – Jacques Rogge, president of the International Olympics Committee.

This quote reminded me of a beautiful photo essay that I have kept on my desk for several weeks now – “The Human Face of China.” It was shot by Mathias Braschler and Monika Fischer and published in the German magazine Stern.

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Here I am at the most thrilling basketball game ever played.

It’s day three in Beijing and last night’s basketball game, (America — known as the “Redeem Team” — vs. China) has electrified the air. It was China’s biggest basketball match imaginable!

Before the game, LeBron James said “I expect it to be electrified. It’s probably going to be the most watched game in the history of the world. It’s going to send a lot of chills through my body just to be there and to be part of it.”

SHANGHAI, CHINA – AUGUST 05: LeBron James #6 of the USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team dunks during the USA Basketball International Challenge exhibition game against the Australia National Team at the Qizhong Arena on August 5, 2008 in Shanghai, China. (Photo by MN Chan/Getty Images)

I was very lucky to go to the game and experience it with the rest of the 18,000 basketball fans. It’s worth noting here that most of the fans were cheering for the underdog – China.

Photographers Gareth Cattermole and Chris Hyde at the basketball game.

I went to the game with a few of our photographers and we all struggled to find a spot to stand in, let alone sit. We were constantly moved about and our all-access pass didn’t find any of us a seat. So we wandered around the media circle and found a space by the barrier, halfway up the stadium.

Former president George W. Bush was in town, along with Bill Gates. I would have never been able to spot them but the photographers I was with (Gareth Cattermole and Chris Hyde) clearly see the world differently. They have this amazing ability to pick people out of the crowd. This is why they are the photographers – amazing ones at that – and I stick to the desk job.

The game was cited as drawing the biggest global television audience in basketball history – an estimated one billion viewers tuned in.

HANGZHOU, CHINA – JULY 17: (CHINA OUT) Yao Ming of China shoots during a match between China and Serbia at the 2008 Stankovic Continental Champions Cup on July 17, 2008 in Hangzhou of Zhejiang Province, China. Ming plays also for the Houston Rockets of the National Basketball Association (NBA) in the U.S. (Photo by China Photos/Getty Images)

China got off to a great start and proved that they were definitely going to be contenders for a medal. The Chinese crowd would frequently shout out the well-known Chinese sporting chant, “Jiayou” or “add oil” to their team, encouraging them to keep the momentum going. But the experience of the US team paid off in the end and the US won 107-70 – a respectable score for the host nation against the world’s best.

SHANGHAI, CHINA – AUGUST 03: Kobe Bryant #10 of the USA Basketball Men’s Senior National Team dribbles against the Russian National Team during the USA Basketball International Challenge exhibition game at the Qizhong Arena on August 3, 2008 in Shanghai, China.

It took us an hour to get out of the stadium and it was a long journey back to the media village in torrential rain (that didn’t stop until early this morning). But it was worth the walk in the rain – it was an incredible evening and a privilege to see live!

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Adam Pretty/Getty Images

For the second podcast in our ongoing series, we take you to Beijing, China – home of the 2008 Summer Olympics. Chief executive officer and co-founder of Getty Images, Jonathan Klein, talks with award-winning sport photographer Adam Pretty as he prepares to capture the world’s greatest athletes in action.

Since joining Getty Images, Adam has covered several major sporting events including the 2000 and 2004 Summer Olympics, 2002 and 2006 Winter Olympics, 2002 and 2006 Commonwealth Games and the 2003 Rugby World Cup. His work has been recognized with multiple awards including two World Press Photo Sport Stories awards and the 2004 Walkley Award for the Press Photographer of the Year.

Click here to watch Jonathan’s interview with Adam.

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After three months of making arrangements and a few vaccine shots, I am on my way and ready for some football. I will be traveling to China to cover the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2007 held in five different cities in the People’s Republic of China.

I started on Thursday, September 6 on a 5 a.m. flight from Dallas to Chicago, where I had time to convert some money and buy a book before jumping on my next flight to Shanghai. It was a 14 hour flight and I spent most of my time sleeping, eating, pondering sudoku, reading (mainly my “Say It Right in Chinese” book) and making frequent walks up and down the aisles with my ipod playing Supergrass, Kings of Leon, Ryan Adams and a little bit of Steely Dan.

I arrived in Shanghai at 2:30 p.m. local time and found it very easy to get around the airport. I leisurely made my way out of customs to pick up my checked luggage. I breathed a quick sigh of relief when my bag arrived. I then found my way to the declarations line, which was only two persons long. Dennis Sabangan, a photographer with the European Pressphoto Agency based in the Philippines was in front of me. I introduced myself but suddenly realized he was having some problems entering with his camera equipment. I breathed another sigh of relief as the declarations agent used my paper work as an example of the forms he needed to enter the country. Fortunately for Dennis, they let him in and I wasn’t far behind as they just needed to double check the serial numbers on all my cameras.

I made my way to the taxi stand and showed them a card I printed at home with a photo of my hotel on one side and the hotel name and address in traditional chinese on the back. Thank you, Google Translate.

I will spend one night here and fly out first thing in the morning to Chengdu, China, where I will cover the U.S. Women’s National Team on their quest for the World Cup.

Mingtian jian! 明天見

See you Tomorrow, Ronald

Please feel free to leave a comment below or you e-mail me at China.Ron@hotmail.com

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