Perspective: sports photography

In her book On Photography, Susan Sontag wrote, "There are a great many more images around, claiming our attention," and so photography (and writing) can sometimes feel stale in the image-flooded world of ESPN, the Internet, and within overly-orchestrated pro and college stadiums. But maybe the real blindness comes in the cliche way we look at the events. For evidence of gripping, original images, check out the National Press Photographers Association's "The Best of Photojournalism" winners. In the sports category the Beijing Shichahai Sports School by Tomasz Gudzowaty of Yours Photography/Fotoagentur Focus; the shot of the baseball by the Baltimore Sun's Karl Merton Ferron; the brilliantly composed photograph of Serena Williams (above) by Adam Pretty of Getty Images; and, a photograph--not a sports shot per se--that should put the spirit of sports in perspective: the Odessa American's Paul Zoeller's photograph of a nine-year-old boy born without any legs playing soccer.