This photograph was taken during a children's rugby tournament in Verbania, Italy. Away from the field, one of the young players suddenly collapsed, and coaches, parents, and those nearby immediately gathered around to help. What caught my attention was the contrast between the competitive atmosphere of the tournament and this human moment, when the result of the game no longer mattered and everyone's attention shifted to the well-being of the child. Fortunately, everything ended well, and after receiving fluids and vitamins, the girl recovered.
The image was taken while assistance was still being given, and for me it serves as a reminder that sport is not only about performance and results, but also about care, support, and humanity.
The photograph was captured with a Canon EOS R6 Mark II and a Canon EF 70–200 mm f/2.8L USM lens at a focal length of 130 mm. The exposure settings were 1/8000 s, f/3.2, and ISO 640.
5 comments posted
Dr Isaac Vaisman
Karel, all sports specially those where there is body contact are an open door for injuries. Good timing showing the concern and care given by woman to the kid. The B&W interpretation adds drama to the image. It is sharp. Unfortunately, the hand covers the mouth of the girl, where it seems to be the injury. Also the three heads form a triangle framing the hands. Posted: 06/09/2026 03:59:53
Karel Werner
Thank you Isaac, for your thoughtful feedback. I fully agree with your observation. Posted: 06/09/2026 04:50:52
Alan Lichtenstein
Monochrome adds to the journalistic feature of the image and IMV, would go well as such. Without the description, one is left to one's imagination to wonder exactly what is happening, as there is no discernible injury, but facial expression on the injured child does suggest pain and being comforted in some way. I come away with the feeling that the image depicts comfort, and that makes a good HI image. the image was apparently taken on the spur of the moment and the depth of field wasn't well-controlled as the onlooker in the foreground is blurred. that, IMV is more a function of AF rather than aperture and could have been eliminated by changing the AF area from whatever it was set for (I assume pattern or matrix), as you don't say, to spot. Posted: 06/09/2026 06:11:19
Vinaya Mathews
Lovely PJ image, Alan. You've beautifully captured a fleeting moment, which is the essence of PJ. What has happened to the girl remains a mystery, but the worry and concern on everyone's faces tell a powerful story.
The monochrome conversion works very well and feels perfectly suited to the mood of the photograph.
Overall, this is a very nice PJ image. Posted: 06/10/2026 08:13:15
Ardeth Carlson
I appreciate the composition, which is effective in the storytelling. We see how the caregiver is focused on giving aid to the player (as evidenced by her uniform) and enough of the face of the player in the background to see her concern. I actually think the blurring of the girl in the foreground contributes to maintaining focus on the main subjects rather than if the back of her head was completely sharp. Posted: 06/10/2026 09:07:12
