A Step Ahead

In competition, the smallest margins can mean the difference between victory and second place. This photograph freezes that idea into a single frame: two hurdlers mid-air, their bodies taut with focus and speed, the Italian athlete just one step — or perhaps half a stride — ahead.

From a compositional standpoint, the image works because of its precision in timing. Both athletes are caught in almost identical positions, their arms sweeping forward, their knees high, their gazes locked beyond the hurdle. The staggered alignment creates a natural depth and tension — our eyes move from the trailing runner to the leader, feeling the implied movement and urgency.

Technically, the exposure is well-balanced for an indoor or overcast setting. The blue of the track and the muted background seats help the figures pop without distraction. The shallow depth of field isn’t extreme but is enough to separate the athletes from the less defined stadium backdrop. The shutter speed is fast enough to freeze the motion sharply, yet the viewer can still sense the dynamic energy of the leap.

I appreciate that the image resists unnecessary drama. There’s no exaggerated angle or artificial blur — just the clean, straightforward reality of sport, where sometimes one step is all that’s needed, and that step is everything.

This is another photo from the Track & Field Mediterranean Championships – Pescara 2022 reportage featured on the website of Chieti-Pescara university’s Scienze Motorie degree. Also in this case the Sigma 150-600 Contemporary did not fail.