Between Matches

Dalanzadgad, Mongolia

Between Matches - Asia, Gobi, Gobi Desert, Mongolia, Naadam, celebration, desert, festival, portrait, sport, travel, wrestlers, wrestling

Wrestling is serious business in Mongolia. When I heard that a 2016 Olympic match ended with an elaborate, clothing-free protest from Mongolian coaches, I wasn’t surprised. I thought back to this day in the Gobi Desert, watching wrestlers battle each other in the middle of a grassy stadium while the whole city looked on. They’re big, they’re intense, and they don’t usually care about being photographed. I was lucky to be on the field and capture this scene.