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.

So I am back in France. The North Pool had a few days off after our hectic schedule and having to endure England being well and truly crushed by the South Africans (editorial integrity check; I am half English/half Irish). Rugby is not my strongest game but even I could see that the chances of them retaining the World Cup are looking somewhat weak right now.

Unfortunately during my brief time back in England I had to witness another crushing; namely my beloved football team, Tottenham Hotspur, being torn apart in the 2nd half by their biggest rivals. To say the guys in Versailles and home have mocked me for driving 700 odd miles to watch the mauling is an understatement. Un portion de humble pie s’il vous plait.

Still, there is a lot of rugby to be played and some cracking games coming up. Who knows, maybe England will surprise everyone and mount a credible defence to their title? A few million people back home are hoping for just that.

August came to a close this year in New York and in the sports world that means only one thing. The U.S Open is about to start!!!

This year, like every other year for the past few decades staffers and stringers for Getty Images have converged on the USTA Tennis Center in Flushing, Queens with one thing in mind. Do what we do best, make pictures at the United States’ biggest and baddest tennis event.

For those of you not familiar with the U.S. Open, it is 14 days of tennis at one of the sports most famous venues (maybe not the MOST famous but one of them!). The U.S Open isn’t just about the tennis, it is also a showcase for New York and the stands are usually filled with many A-list celeberities.

Below are some behind the scenes pics of the event and also some link to a multimedia piece I put together.

Wait for it Clive wait for it!!!!!

Any chance????

Down here dude!

May I see your ticket sir?

Only four more sets………………

Jonathan and wife Debbie, adjust to their new surroundings.

Trust me it looks WAY bigger on TV.

Victorious!!!

Sometimes it takes a village!! (not pictured Elsa, Jim and Janey)

If you’d liked to see what an event like the U.S. Open does to a person over 14 days please click the image below.

(Make sure to turn up your volume)

To view all of the images posted from this years U.S. Open click here

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

France is a country steeped in history and during the Rugby World Cup we will be fortunate enough to see some of it first hand. Arras is small town, just outside of Lens where England had a less than convincing victory over the United States.

Famous for the ‘Battle of Arras‘ during World War One, the town sustained significant damage and virtually had to be rebuilt. Part of the rebuild included the Town Hall which can be seen above. After a long day of travelling and working, to be sitting eating dinner in such a historic town was both a pleasure and privilege.