The day began with me waking up at 7:55 needing to be at beach volleyball for a 9am USA Match. I threw my clothes on and was out the door at 8:05. I had just missed the shuttle to the media center, where my gear was, so I hopped a cab there since the next shuttle wasn’t until 8:30.  When I got there I quickly grabbed my gear and hopped another cab for the 20 minute ride to the venue. While we were driving it began to rain, hooray!

Got dropped off at the venue, and I use the word “at” loosely because I had the pleasure of an authentic Chinese walk in the rain for about a half a mile to where the driver should have dropped me off in the first place.

It was now 9:05 so I hadn’t done too bad but now with that long walk in the rain I looked like a wet rat and all my gear was wet. Now it was time to shoot a sport I’ve never shot at a venue I’ve never been to…..in the rain with no rain gear! I was doomed.

Had my lenses and view finder not been wet and fogging up I think I would have liked shooting beach volleyball. It also would have been nice if my shoes hadn’t filled up with sand but oh well.

The USA team dominated the match and won.

The crowd went wild.

Then I hopped a cab to go back to the media room to dry and then head next door for gymnastics.

The can driver totally got lost and ended up dropping me off at an Olympic enterance that he couldn’t enter about 2 miles from where I needed to be. I got out and walked about ¾ mile then found another cab and tried my luck with that one.  Same situation ended up happening so I said screw it and just walked the final half mile in the rain to the media center.

Then it was time to shoot some gymnastics. I was tired and cranky and really didn’t have much motivation so I shot from nearly the same spots as the previous day and called it good and had a relatively short day with an early goodnight.

I have been having fun with the star filter but I don’t plan to use it too much more since it’s a gimmicky effect. But hey one more wont hurt!

More posts you might like:

• Exceeding expectations and riding the Olympic wave
• Opening ceremonies: The greatest show on earth…literally!
• Olympics come to an end
• Flying bikes, flying horses and water polo
• Happy girls, sad girls, angry photographers and my big stick
• Monster home run and the $73 socks
• Busiest day in Beijing (so far)
• Great Wall and un-great gymnastics
• More volleyball, more gymnastics
• Rowing down a river and a man proud to finish in under 10 seconds!