INGLEWOOD, Calif. (AP) — Jayne Kamin Oncea has worked as a freelance photographer for the Associated Press in Los Angeles for the past 10 years. She began her photography career as an AP stringer in Miami in 1978 while attending the University of Miami. She also worked for the Los Angeles Times for 27 years.
Why this photo?
Friday’s match between the United States and Paraguay was the first match of the 2026 World Cup in the Americas, and emotion was felt throughout the stadium. Alex Freeman and the other American players say they were focused from the beginning. In every game, players regularly battle along the sidelines. I looked for photos where the players appeared to be balancing on a tightrope near the end of the out-of-bounds line while keeping the ball in play. As I was taking the photo, I realized that it turned out to be a powerful and wonderful photo. The frame, which depicts Freeman suspended in the air above Antonio Sanabria’s head and shoulders, could also be seen as a representation of America’s superiority over Paraguay.
How this photo was made
Shot with Nikon Z9 and 400 2.8. The play was pretty far downfield, so I pressed the button on the crop sensor. Many photographers don’t like SoFi light, but I love it because my camera setup loves it. I set the camera to 30FPS and pre-release to 1/3 of a second. I always shoot at a very high shutter speed to reduce motion blur. In 1/4000th of a second, just adjust the ISO according to the changing light.
Why is it effective?
The composition of the image is particularly striking, as Freeman jumps from Sanabria, Paraguay, kicking his legs high into the air. From the moment the play started, the picture actually got better in the last frame.
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AP World Cup coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/fifa-world-cup
