We’ve received more than 500,000 sports photographs in the past year, with some absolute belters among them. Here are some of the fleeting moments, wild celebrations and creative compositions that caught our eyes – accompanied by explanations and technical info from the photographers themselves.
Chloe Kelly celebrates by Florencia Tan Jun (1/200th sec, f/2.8, ISO 2500)
“As a photographer, a penalty shootout in a final feels completely different from a penalty during regular play. I get nervous, especially because the players’ reactions and celebrations are so much more intense, and I still have to make split-second decisions when everything happens at once. After Chloe Kelly scored the deciding penalty for England, I could see that she was going to celebrate in the opposite direction from me, so I started to focus on the reactions happening nearer to me. Suddenly I saw her cross over, so I immediately changed focus and caught her celebrating with her teammates behind her. I like this photo because it captures the purest, most unpremeditated and historic reaction in women’s football. It shows happiness at 100km/h.”
Steeplechase fall by Emilee Chinn (400mm, 1/3200 sec, f/2.8, ISO 2000)
“In this frame, steeplechaser Geordie Beamish is shown going down after getting caught in the congestion of the early laps. Along with capturing the split second of another runner’s foot connecting with his face, what makes this image so powerful and moving to me is that he got up, placed second in his heat, and went on to take the gold medal. Moments like this are what make sports photography so rewarding and they remind us how resilience can turn a setback into something remarkable.”
Ashes misery by Robbie Stephenson (600mm, 1/3200th sec, f/4, ISO 600)
“From an artistic point of view, I like the irony in this image. The Toyota advert [seen behind Ben Stokes] is shown on the sight screens after every wicket, so there have been many opportunities to capture player reactions in front of it. However, here it’s a fitting way to narrate Stokes’ deflated body language and it reflects the general mood in the England camp. Capturing the sign in the background was fortuitous – I was hoping to get England players celebrating after taking wickets, when it flashed up unexpectedly on a different advertising board.”
Superhuman by Dean Moutharopoulos (24mm, 1/400th sec, f/1.4, ISO 1250)
“Although he’s not in action, this image of javelin thrower Guillermo Varona displays his strength, focus and determination. From a distance I had noticed his warm-up preparation – leaping and clicking his heels prior to his throw – and I knew I had to capture it. Using a wide angle lens to show the stadium, I lay down against the fence, doing my best not to disturb him, and waited for his jump. After his throw, I looked at the shot [and saw] the bright red of his uniform against the black sky, the silhouette of his floating body and the javelin gripped tightly in one hand – I knew straight away I had one of my favourite photos of the year.”
Formula One by Jakub Porzycki (15-35mm, 1/10th sec, f/22, ISO 100)
“When I photograph a Formula One race, I try to use the time between the ‘must have’ photos – the start of the race and the podium ceremony at the end – to look for more creative frames. At Imola, I had already visited the Ayrton Senna memorial and saw it filled with national flags, flowers and mementos. I noticed the passing cars were slightly visible between these objects, so I decided to use this colourful surrounding to frame a long exposure. Freezing the motion of a fast-moving car with a slow shutter speed isn’t easy (you must pan the camera at exactly the right speed), so I took many photos and chose the best. This photo shows Lando Norris, who later became the new F1 world champion.”
Trafalgar Square by Lee Smith (16mm, 1/4000th sec, f/4, ISO400)
“As a Sunderland fan born and raised, this image was a labour of love. I’d travelled down to London the day before the Championship play-off final, specifically to cover the traditional ‘pilgrimage’ to Trafalgar Square by Mackems when their team plays at Wembley. Huge numbers were in attendance. It was a peaceful, good-humoured, mass celebration that lasted long into the evening. This photograph was taken as the sun was going down behind the National Gallery. Sunderland fans were playing head-tennis in the fountains and splashing water. Many held aloft red smoke flares, adding ambiance, dramatic light and colour all around the iconic landmark. The scenes that day will last with me for a lifetime. What made it even more special is that we won the playoff final the following day.”
High diving by Marko Djurica (16mm, 1/1600th sec, f/22, ISO 800)
“This photo was taken at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore during the men’s high-dive competition. It shows Switzerland’s Jean-David Duval plunging from the 27m platform into a small circular pool below. The pool measures just six metres deep and 17 metres across – dimensions that feel even more intimidating when viewed from the top of the platform. For the first time, Reuters was granted a photo position inside the pool and I had the opportunity to shoot from there. Positioned on the very edge for safety, I spent nearly four hours in the water wearing a wetsuit and fins, holding an underwater housing containing a Canon R3 camera with a 16mm lens. Some water splashed over the camera’s glass dome as I lowered it into pool to capture a half-and-half shot of Duval’s dive. The effect was unplanned and it’s one I doubt I could replicate in the same way.”
Red Rose by Ryan Pierse (double exposure)
“This image of the England superstar Ellie Kildunne is the result of an in-camera sequential multiple exposure. First, I took a single picture of the iconic Red Rose logo. The very next frame – without being able to see the previous image of the rose – I had to capture an image of Ellie as centrally as possible to line up with the rose. The camera then blends the two exposures together. This technique can be low percentage on hit-rate, but when it all comes together you can produce a very striking image.”
Silhouetted surfer by Adam Pretty (200m, 1/320th sec, f/4, ISO 100)
“I took this picture – early in the morning before the sun was up – at the relatively new Surftown wave pool in Munich. Six elite French Polynesian surfers were holding private training sessions to practise specific manoeuvres and aerials on the perfectly consistent man-made wave. Aelan Vaast was performing a layback hack on the final section of the wave. I used a flash to create this silhouette of her against the bright blue water of the pool and to capture the spray she was throwing with her massive turn.”
Muddy cyclist by Billy Ceusters (300mm, 1/1600th sec, f/2.8, ISO1600)
“Dendermonde is one of those races where, when there’s mud, there’s mud. It’s really in the middle of the fields and getting around on the course is very difficult. I was at the finish line waiting for Wout van Aert to cross when I captured this image. He is covered in dirt, exhausted but also happy with his victory. It’s a photo that represents all the values that I love in this sport: suffering, self-sacrifice and achieving your goals.”
Ryder Cup delight by Maddie Meyer (15mm, 1/2000 sec, f/2.8, ISO 1000)
“In professional sports there is often such a distance between fans and athletes. It can feel sterile and, as a photographer, it can be hard to bring them into one frame. Here, Rory ran to the adoring Europe fans after his team defeated the United States in the Ryder Cup in New York. He appeared to fully give in to the moment, allowing the fans to embrace him over the barricade. It can be challenging to make a well-composed image in a chaotic scene, but I like this picture and think it tells the story of Europe’s triumph on away territory.”
Smoke bomb by Thibaud Moritz (35mm, 1/400th sec, f/3.5, ISO 3200)
“I like this picture because there’s something raw and almost graphic about it. I shot it at the Parc des Princes in Paris, where PSG had set up giant screens on the pitch to broadcast their Champions League final against Inter. The atmosphere was electric throughout the night. I positioned myself at the foot of the ultras’ stand, which is usually the most visually expressive. This photo was taken at the moment of PSG’s second goal, when the stand erupted. Black smoke flares are extremely rare in a football stadium. Unlike red flares, which still reveal silhouettes, black smoke swallows everything very quickly. I chose to focus on the intensity of a few supporters celebrating the goal, but the presence of a supporter lifting a scarf with the PSG logo added clarity and context to the scene.”
Blurry badminton by Shi Tang (85mm, 1/5th sec, f/6.3, ISO 50)
“This images captures badminton player Tomoka Miyazaki in mid-motion. She is rendered with a long-exposure effect which transforms her movement into flowing streaks of red light. The blurred trails emphasise the power and fluidity of the action, while the sharpness of her focused expression adds contrast and intensity. Set against a dark background, the vibrant colours and sweeping motion create an almost abstract, dance-like composition.”
Bike flip by Hannah Peters (99mm, 1/3200th sec, f/22, ISO 640)
“I’d been looking forward to the Crankworx slope-style event because it often makes good pictures, but I was disappointed when I set off early that morning to see clouds and no light. The sun suddenly broke through for about five minutes and only two riders made their runs. It was a bit of good fortune that Tim Bringer managed to pull off a pretty awesome trick just in time.”
Slam dunk by Fernando Medina (60mm, 1/250th sec, f/6.3, ISO 160, with a strobe)
“In today’s NBA, there are so many athletically talented players that can jump out of the building, you always have to be ready for an opportunity like this. NBA team photographers like myself shoot with strobes located high on the catwalk above the court, and they take two to three seconds to recharge, so we can’t shoot a burst and then pick out the best photo. You have to wait for that one moment to take the photo. Here, I was fortunate to press the button at the right time! I love taking great shots, but, not so much when it’s at the Orlando Magic’s expense. I’ve been with the team for 37 years, since their inception, so I’m a bit of a fan of these guys. To have my photo chosen by fans as their favourite of the season is an amazing honour.”
Trump celebration by Carl Recine (400mm, 1/2500th, ISO 200)
“I’ve been lucky enough to photograph plenty of trophy presentations, but I don’t think I’ll ever top this one. Normally they’re formulaic and you know exactly what’s coming. But when you throw President Trump into the mix, you’ve got to expect the unexpected. Chelsea had just been crowned Club World Cup champions and President Trump was supposed to step off the stage after handing the trophy to their captain, Reece James. Instead, he planted himself next to James, standing proudly, dead centre of the Chelsea team group as though he’d been playing in the final. A few seconds of confusion followed; James and Fifa president Gianni Infantino were gesturing for Trump to move along. Then the light hit Trump and the trophy perfectly, creating one of those moments where news and sport collide in one image.”
Artistic swimming blur by Hollie Adams (600mm, 1/200th sec, f/4, ISO 4000)
“This photo captures Iris Tió during the artistic swimming team free final at the World Aquatics Championships in Singapore as she is lifted out of the water by one of her teammates during a routine. I really enjoyed covering artistic swimming because it’s fast and there are lots of opportunities to capture interesting compositions or facial expressions. The background was very messy, so I spent most of my time shooting while lying on the ground on the side of the pool.”
Alcaraz composite by Rachel Bach (70-200mm, 1/5000th sec, f/4, ISO 640)
“I created this composite of Carlos Alcaraz by taking more than 1,500 images from one spot inside the roof of Rod Laver Arena. After shooting, I selected frames where Alcaraz could be seen in different positions around the court and stitched them together. Ordinarily when I’m creating a composite, I have my camera fixed in the same position and I use triggers to fire the shutter remotely. But in this case, I wasn’t allowed to do that, so I was capturing it all handheld. This meant standing as still as possible – and it meant a bit more post-production to line everything up. Alcaraz is known for being able to cover the court, so I knew a composite would showcase this. And I like how you can discover different things when you look at this composite, depending on where you focus.”
Goalline desperation by Hannah McKay (35mm, 1/1,00th sec, f/4, ISO 5000)
“You have to place your remote cameras behind the goal net, so normally you’ll see the net in front of the players, but in 2024 I bought a new Sony RX02 camera that’s really small – it’s the size of a GoPro – and it gives the impression that it’s placed inside the net. I’d been using it for several months without having any luck and I was starting to get very frustrated with it, so I was pleasantly surprised when I got this picture of Gabriel Martinelli scoring for Arsenal and Emi Martínez lying on the floor. The Villa keeper is so close the camera, it gives it more impact. It did really well when I posted it on Instagram. I think people liked it because it was a new angle and a dramatic moment. Plus, I think remote pictures usually look better at night with the lights and the colours.”
Para swimming blur by Ian MacNicol (1/2000th sec, f/4)
“Guo Jincheng is an S5 class para swimmer who lost both arms in an electrocution accident aged six. I first encountered him when he represented China at the 2024 Paralympics, where he was one of the standout athletes. He swims like a dolphin – with no swimming cap and no goggles – and hits the end of the pool with the crown of his head like a torpedo, destroying the field in the process.”
Ice hockey by Steph Cahmbers (150mm, 1/8th sec, f/11, ISO 800)
“When the Seattle Kraken take to the ice during a pre-game light show, the swirling spotlights last about a minute. Using a slow shutter speed, the colours from the tunnel paired with the players’ profiles in silhouette, creates a unique image that’s only possible from my photo position’s shooting hole. It’s hit or miss, so I like to challenge myself before each game.”
Knee slide by Morgan Harlow (35mm, 1/250th sec, f/1.8, ISO 10,000)
“Following the final whistle of the Women’s Rugby World Cup final between England and Canada, I was given exclusive access to enter the changing rooms to capture any celebrations. Captain Zoe Aldcroft ran in with the trophy and champagne started to fly everywhere. Players were intentionally spraying the floor and I sensed what was about to happen: I saw Hannah Botterman getting ready to make a celebratory knee slide. She actually performed three slides in total, but I wasn’t happy with my original positioning amid such a crowded changing room, so I quickly moved to be directly in front of her for the final slide. I knew this was going to be the pivotal moment to capture. To be given access to document such a moment was a great and unforgettable experience.”
Dizzy pole vault by Alex Plavevski (32mm, 1/2500th sec, f/4, ISO 4000)
“We all knew that Armand ‘Mondo’ Duplantis would attempt to break the world record at the world championships in Tokyo, so I wanted to create something different, to set this photo apart from the usual angles that we capture during a pole vault competition. The floodlights behind him looked like stars and it was as if he was trying to reach them. Then I recalled the old star filter that I had been carrying around in my camera bag for years without using. It makes floodlights appear more starry. I decided to give it a try, and when I checked the results on my camera screen, it looked just as I had hoped.”
Tennis triangle by Julian Finney (200mm, 1/1000th, f/3.2, ISO 100)
“The Madrid Open is a unique tournament where the three main courts are inside the Caja Mágica, or ‘Magic Box’. The roof moves according to sunlight and creates hard shadows across the court at certain times of the day. I discovered an area that I could shoot behind to add an extra shadow and I thought to myself: ‘I could compose the player inside a triangle shape.’ Then it was a matter of waiting for the action to happen in area of the court where the player was in silhouette. I find it very rewarding to discover a new style of image, which other photographers will attempt to copy year-over-year.”
Mo Salah by Carl Recine (24mm, 1/6400th, ISO 3200)
“Once the final whistle blew and Liverpool realised they had clinched their 20th league title, Anfield erupted in relief and celebration. Players streamed toward the Kop, hugging teammates, staff and ball boys. I kept my eye on Mo Salah because he was Liverpool’s talisman and it had been his season. After a few minutes of chaotic celebration, he headed for the fans, grabbed a phone and recreated a celebration which he’d performed earlier in the match after scoring. I was lucky enough to be in the right place at the right time, but my camera settings had been knocked and I only had time to adjust the shutter speed, so I was pretty close to not getting this shot. The moment lasted no more than two seconds, but Salah’s smile and the pure emotion of the fans behind him on the Kop evoked the connection between player and supporter. It was my favourite picture of the season.”
