Portrait of a Professional Pugilist. Davide De Lellis

He had the kind of face that told its own story long before a shutter ever clicked — a mix of focus, fatigue, and that guarded reserve I’ve often seen in fighters before a bout. Photographing a professional pugilist isn’t about glorifying the violence of the sport, but about catching that fleeting moment where discipline, experience, and vulnerability intersect.

I chose a tight composition, keeping the frame uncluttered so the viewer’s attention rested on the expression and posture. Every crease in the skin, every glint of sweat, mattered; these details carried more weight than any background could. Depth of field was shallow enough to isolate him from distraction, but not so thin as to lose the textural reality of his features.

Lighting was straightforward, angled to reveal rather than flatter. The highlights brought out the contours of his jaw and the shape of his brow, while the shadows hinted at the unseen — the fights fought, the rounds endured. Exposure leaned slightly under to protect the darker tones, ensuring the musculature and skin textures weren’t washed out.

From a technical standpoint, the image holds together well. Compositionally, the balance between light and dark works with the framing to give him presence without overdramatization. The result is an honest portrait — neither romanticised nor diminished — of a man who has built his life on calculated endurance.