What it Takes to Take a Photo

Technically, a photograph can be captured in a split second, sometimes in the world of fast-moving sport 1/1000th of a second. However, an image never shows what has happened before its creation: the human preparation and creativity; the investment in time; the equipment and other resources; and the hours – sometimes months and even years – of ensuring the photographer is in the right place, right time and right split second.

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Europe

Society – Violent protestors attacking police outside an asylum refuge in Rotherham, United Kingdom are captured by PA Media’s Danny Lawson.

News Photo Explainer: Rioting outside the Holiday Inn Express and in other urban locations across northern England had been fuelled by social media disinformation about the background of killer of three girls in Southport in July last year.
Reporters, photographers and video journalists had been tasked by news publishers and news agencies to witness the unrest and establish the facts.

Danny Lawson, with experience of previous riots and training for hostile environments, knew the risks. He said: ‘I was aware that I could be targeted by protesters. I made a conscious decision to keep a low profile. I dressed in plain clothes, wore a reinforced baseball cap for basic head protection, and reinforced heavy boots’. The protest became more volatile, with demonstrators moving unpredictably around the outside the hotel. Police numbers increased steadily, culminating in lines of officers in full riot gear and mounted units on horseback. He added: ‘I remained inconspicuous, occasionally lifting my camera from under my coat to take photographs before quickly covering it again and stepping back into the crowd. It soon became clear that the outnumbered police had lost control of the situation and so I decided to retreat to a position with a view of the most volatile area, while keeping myself at a safer distance. The level of violence I witnessed was severe and deeply unsettling. Lawson’s photography was part of a portfolio recognised in the UK Picture Editors’ Guild Awards.

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North America

Politics: The iconic image by Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci shows Donald Trump moments after surviving an assassination attempt — blood on his face, fist raised, the American flag in the background.

News Photo Explainer: Evan Vucci’s photograph is destined to become a defining visual of modern political history. It is the photo is the product of Evan Vucci’s two decades of frontline journalistic work, from war zones in Iraq and Afghanistan to the campaign trail. On the day of the rally, Vucci was one of only four accredited photographers stationed between the stage and the crowd. When gunfire erupted, he didn’t flinch — he moved, calculating in real time where the subject might emerge from chaos. His knowledge of the Secret Service’s evacuation protocols gave him a photographic edge. “I kept my head and I told the story,” Vucci said. That story — framed through light, timing, and composition — took milliseconds to click, but years of experience to make possible.

“Capturing the image of the attempted assassination of former President Donald Trump was the result of a career’s worth of experience coming down to a single moment. Years of covering breaking news, political events, and conflict had built the instincts needed to stay calm, recognize unfolding danger, and react instantly. Powerful journalism doesn’t happen by chance — it happens when preparation, instinct, and courage meet a moment that will define history.

I was positioned in the buffer zone directly in front of the stage. The moment I heard the shots, I knew immediately what was happening — and I understood this would be the most important event I would ever cover. From there, my brain shut off and instinct took over. I relied on muscle memory and the experience of shooting thousands of assignments over my career. I approached it the same way I would any major story: stay steady, stay focused, and document the moment as clearly and truthfully as possible.”

 

Sport: Rory McIlroy celebrates after winning The Masters and completing a career grand slamGolf in Augusta, Georgia, U.S. April 13, 2025 REUTERS/Mike Blake

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Antartica

Natural World: Juan Barreto travels for Agency France Press to Paraiso island in the Gerlache Strait – which separates the Palmer Archipelago from the Antarctic Peninsula – to photograph gentoo penguins.

News Photo Explainer: No one can resist a a cute animal photograph. But not everyone has the patience and interest in photographing them in their natural habitat. AFP’s Juan Barreto has spent years documenting various aspects of the Antarctic environment, including penguins and the impact of climate change and the threat of micro-plastics. At the age of 17 he started working as an assistant at the photographic archive of one of Venezuela’s leading newspapers where he began his career in photojournalism and away from the natural environment he has documented Venezuelan crisis over recent years including being on the front-line of news reporting on civil unrest.

 

 

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Africa

Society: Amidst a haze of tear gas and the roar of water cannons, Luis Tato put himself on the frontline to capture this image of violent street protests in Nairobi for Agence France-Presse.

News Photo Explainer: Luis Tato had covered civil unrest in Kenya for years, but sensed early on that these protests were different. Thousands of young Kenyans, predominantly from the so-called Generation Z, confronted police forces in Nairobi’s Central Business District. Hours they had breached the Kenyan Parliament building, igniting a firestorm of national and international attention. What set this uprising apart was its leadership: a decentralized, tech-savvy youth mobilized through social media platforms. Their digital fluency enabled rapid organization and real-time dissemination of information, effectively outpacing traditional media narratives. He said: ‘As a photojournalist, I understand that impactful imagery rarely results from chance. It requires meticulous analysis, contextual understanding, and strategic positioning – especially in volatile environments. Balancing personal safety with the imperative to document truthfully is a constant challenge, one that only experience and determination help navigate.’ The state’s response to the protests – initially sparked by widespread opposition to proposed significant tax hikes on essential goods and services – was marked by excessive force. Security personnel employed live ammunition, resulting in numerous deaths and injuries. Also, journalists became targets, colleagues were assaulted, detained, and in some cases, hospitalized. The government’s attempts to suppress media coverage, including threats to shut down news outlets, underscored the perilous climate for press freedom.’

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Australasia

Sport: Darren Pateman is a regular on the sidelines of playing fields and in this frame has captured a magic moment as Newcastle Jets players warm up ahead of their contest with Auckland FC for a March 2025 fixture of the professional A-League competition, which includes teams from Australia and New Zealand.

News Photo Explainer: Australia’s label as the Great Southern Land certainly adds another challenge – -of distance and travel – when seeking experienced photographers to cover assignments such as professional-league soccer and the clash of teams from two nations. Darren Pateman is based on the central coast of NSW, north of Sydney, and is a rare talent in regional Australia and was working on his home turf when he captured this impressive airborne frame. Patience and perseverance are just two of the many variables facing Darren, who often runs just as many steps as the players as he darts along the sideline to provide stunning vision of fast-paced football.

 

 

 

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A mega-photo project

Sport: Historic composit image by Daily Mail photographer Andy Hooper brings together all the Great Britain squad in one photograph

News Photo Explainer: Logistics behind this image were enormous. Andy Hooper, the Daily Mail’s top sport photographer, explained: ‘The logistics behind this photograph are quite staggering. It became a huge 541-piece jigsaw puzzle. Photographically we needed to standardise the equipment and lighting over the six weeks and, to get the feel of an old school photograph, we had a wooden plinth made five people wide by six high. The athletes walked in and we had their positions marked out on the plinth where they would stand.’ He added: ‘It was a remarkable team effort of our own.’ It took:

photographers each shooting groups of 6 athletes at the Team GB preparation camp in Loughborough. In all 541 athletes were photographed all in their official Olympic kit and many carrying their sports equipment

weeks at the team’s preparation camp in Loughborough, supported by a production team. Visitors to the Team GB preparation camp included the Princess Royal and then Prime Minister David Cameron.

specialist cameras and lighting gear were used and a special stepped-plinth was built for the athletes to stand on. A velcro wall chart with each athlete positioned on to it so the project team could keep a record of who was where.

After a full week of the planning phase and the long photography period, the separate images of the 541 athletes were handed over to a newspaper design/imaging department where specialist staff brought the mega-picture together on screen.

The project, on the eve of the 2012 London Olympics was unique then and has never since been repeated. It was supported by the Team GB management and by UK news publishers.

UK national newspaper titles combined to support the project. It resulted in the image being published as a special edition wrap-around as sports fans prepared their journey to watch the Games.