Takraw, or kick volleyball, is a sport that’s popular in Southeast Asia. I think of it as a blend of volleyball, futbol/soccer, and a bit of gymnastics. It’s played with a wicket ball that’s larger than a softball and smaller than a volleyball. Imagine playing three on three volleyball on concrete with a lowered net, a hard wicket ball, and you can’t touch the ball with your hands are arm.  Better players are able to jump, flip and rotate while spiking the ball with their feet.

A group of guys would meet after work to play takraw in a park near where I lived off Soi Suanplu.  I wanted to make pictures showing how dynamic the sport is. I set up a light next to a net stand and sat on the ground next to the light. I mostly relied on the flash/light to freeze motion and sometimes used rear curtain sync to get some motion blur. The light and I took a few hits with the ball. The guys were happy to see me when I showed up and I’d usually give them prints from a prior visit. They always invited me to play too, but I’d respectfully decline.