BOOK: Shooting Hoops

Upon his first visit to Hong Kong in 2017, photographer Austin Bell was struck by the color and design of the city’s basketball courts—starkly contrasting the bland asphalt surfaces in his native USA. 

Despite living in one of the highest-density cities in the world, most Hong Kong residents can find sports and recreational facilities within walking distance. Surveys have consistently found basketball to be the most popular sport among young people, contributing to small-scale ‘pocket parks’ being the most frequently visited types of open spaces in Hong Kong. 

Intrigued, Bell returned in 2019 with the goal of capturing ALL of the basketball courts in Hong Kong. Scouring Google Maps and using his drone, Bell discovered that the sheer number of outdoor courts in Hong Kong exceeded that of any city worldwide, even major U.S. cities like New York and Los Angeles. His project expanded to include multiple visits, 140 days of shooting and over 40,000 photos, culminating in his documentation of 2,549 courts. Bell was drawn to these courts not only for their ubiquity but also for their vivid designs, often featuring bright colors that accompany the colorful housing estates and schools nearby. This vibrancy becomes even more pronounced from above, providing a striking contrast to the city’s vertical density. 

The “Shooting Hoops” book includes every one of the 2,549 courts, organised into grids by district, with the most visually interesting courts represented in full-size spreads from multiple angles. It also includes additional statistics, a written reflection from Bell, and architectural and photographic commentary on the project.

Through this meticulous documentation of an otherwise ordinary feature, Bell invites viewers to see Hong Kong through a new lens, ensuring they will never look at its basketball courts the same way again.

Photographs by Austin Bell

Self-published in USA, 2024, 2nd edition

356 pages, 1000+ color plates, 28 × 21.5 cm 1.2 kg