The tension of what could happen is part of storytelling. This image, taken by David Goldman, an Associated Press photographer, at the Tokyo Olympics on Friday, shows that tension.
It shows swimmers, including Australia's Emily Seebohm in her yellow cap, jumping to start the 200-meter backstroke. Their hands are reaching for water, their backs are bent. Some are closer than others.
It depicts, like many other action photos, ambition, determination, and a trajectory.
What was Goldman trying to achieve? He actually captured this kinetic frame after making an adjustment to his camera after taking photos of a backstroke event. He wanted to ensure that the swimmers did not jump out of his frame.
He said, "I focused on Seebohm wearing yellow caps. That's where I believed she would enter water. And made sure there was enough space left on the frame to allow for all the swimmers’ arms to pass through." "After that, it was luck that she didn’t get blocked by the swimmer beside her." It's impossible to predict where their arms will go, or who might push the blocks off a fraction faster than the others.
Goldman added: "This was just one case of a lot of luck and a little planning."