ACTION/SPORTS WINNER: Abdulaziz Alasousi, 31, police officer, Kuwait City, Kuwait

“I was at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Doha, Qatar, in March 2010, photographing the competitions. I’m an amateur, not a professional, and since I didn’t have press access I had to shoot from the seats from a limited angle. Instead I relied on my monopod and telezoom lens to capture the action. This athlete’s name is Blanka Vlašic, a Croatian high-jump champion. A winning shot in more than one way—Vlašic ended up taking first place.”

Tech Specs: Canon EOS-1D Mark IV with 500mm f/4 Canon lens; 1/800 sec at f/4, ISO 2000.