Football/Soccer

Great action shot that grabs the attention and has me wondering whether the player executed the bicycle kick as well as it looks like he started it. It is the beginning of a story, just like many great photographs. Black and white adds to the drama.

Great use of negative space, and the sandy water is a great background that helps the bold colours of the flag and players’ shirts stand out. Composition top notch - almost looks like the players are dancing. Like all great pictures, it has me wondering what happens next.

Black and white here gives the shot a great, dramatic feeling, set off well against the players’ apparent determination to carry on despite the conditions. You have encapsulated a moment perfectly, that of a sudden downpour. Composition is also great.

A beautiful, bright capture that oozes energy. The variety of colours in the players’/fans’ shirts draws the eye in, and from there the image evokes feelings of a hot day playing football outside. An enjoyable shot demonstrating an array of positive emotions.

A shot that immediately draws one in as it tells a story, not just of a big win but of an aspect of football sub culture. Use of the green traffic light adds hugely to the picture, lending the shot a positive feeling.

I love photos that tell us a story, and here is one that does that really well - and that is particularly impressive when we consider that we can’t even see the face of the main subject. A sense of hope in an adverse situation. Compositionally great too.

This capture evokes so well the enjoyment of playing football in such conditions - you can feel the muddy water on your skin as well as the determination of the players. Just the right exposure, and the water looks beautiful in the light.

There were many action shots in this competition, but this one stood out for its use of light (brings out the green/grey of the players’ shirts so well). The relatively plain background also works well, where other shots of football games are often cluttered by messy arrays of fans in the background. The two central figures here (midfielders trying to win a header from a goal kick, possibly) stand out perfectly as a result.

Compositionally great. Great use of negative space to give a sense of the huge task in hand, and the rows of empty seats lead us well towards out hero. The exposure is great too, making the bright green pitch and dust stand out. We wonder how long the groundsman has been there, and how much more he has to do.