Tom Jenkins, an acclaimed sports photographer, has curated his most compelling images from 2025, offering viewers an intimate look at athletic triumphs and human drama across multiple disciplines. The collection features previously unpublished photographs from major events including Premier League football, Six Nations rugby, Wimbledon tennis, and the Women's Rugby World Cup. Jenkins's selections reflect both technical mastery and narrative instinct, capturing everything from decisive game-winning moments to quiet, personal interactions that reveal the humanity behind professional sports. His work this year demonstrates how sports photography transcends mere documentation, becoming a powerful storytelling medium that preserves fleeting emotions and historical achievements.
Jenkins's approach combines careful preparation with spontaneous decision-making. During Arsenal's January derby against Tottenham at Emirates Stadium, he positioned a remote camera behind a goalpost to capture the chaos of Arsenal's attacking corner routine. "I angle it and fix the focus on exactly where I think the corner will be aimed," Jenkins explained. The Emirates remains his favorite football venue due to its clean, dark backgrounds and ideal low-angle shooting positions, particularly during night matches. This technical precision yielded a dynamic image of players colliding in mid-air, embodying the north London rivalry's intensity. In February at Twickenham, Jenkins documented England's rugby resurgence as Elliot Daly scored a last-minute try against France, capturing what might be determination or fear on Daly's face as he faced Antoine Dupont, widely considered the world's best player.
The photographer's versatility shines through his coverage of diverse events. At London's Royal Albert Hall in March, Jenkins documented the historic first all-female boxing card, featuring Lauren Price versus Natasha Jonas for the unified welterweight title. Shooting from the organist's bench, he framed the fighters within the venue's iconic circular architecture, balancing close-up action with the spectacular setting. Later that month at Cheltenham Festival, he submerged a remote camera in the water jump, capturing Myretown's elegant leap on the way to victory. The overcast conditions actually enhanced the shot, with dark clouds creating dramatic reflections. Jenkins also captured intimate post-match moments, following Harlequins player Nick David to the stands where the bloodied athlete shared a tender moment with his girlfriend, revealing rugby's human side.
May brought Jenkins's most emotionally charged assignment: Crystal Palace's FA Cup final victory over Manchester City. As a lifelong Palace supporter, maintaining professional composure proved nearly impossible. "I was running around photographing celebrations in a daze, with tears streaming down my face," he recalled. The resulting image of captain Joel Ward with teammates and trophy before diehard fans captures a moment generations of supporters never imagined. In June, Jenkins photographed South Africa cricket captain Temba Bavuma at Arundel Castle, creating a powerful portrait of the first black man to lead his country's Test team. The quiet dignity of the image preceded South Africa's historic World Test Championship victory over Australia, their first global title since 1998.
Wimbledon provided Jenkins with opportunities to showcase his technical innovation. During Emma Raducanu's first-round match, he utilized the golden hour's dramatic lighting on No. 1 Court, switching between two exposure settings to capture players moving between sun and shadow. When Grigor Dimitrov suffered a pectoral muscle injury against Jannik Sinner, Jenkins documented the raw emotion as a tearful Dimitrov conceded while a respectful Sinner offered consolation. The wheelchair tennis final between Tokito Oda and Alfie Hewett yielded an unexpected masterpiece when a butterfly fluttered past as Oda celebrated, set against Wimbledon's characteristic dark backgrounds. Jenkins concluded his year experimenting with multiple-exposure techniques at the darts world championship, creating dynamic images of teenage sensation Luke Littler that convey the speed and intensity of his throwing motion.
Jenkins's 2025 collection demonstrates sports photography's evolution as both art and journalism. His willingness to experiment with remote cameras, multiple exposures, and unconventional angles while maintaining deep emotional connections to his subjects sets his work apart. From the historic Women's Rugby World Cup final at Twickenham, where England celebrated before 82,000 fans, to the World Tug of War championships in Nottingham, Jenkins covers the full spectrum of athletic competition. His images do more than document results; they preserve the determination, joy, heartbreak, and humanity that make sports compelling. As Jenkins continues pushing technical boundaries while honoring storytelling traditions, his work reminds us that the best sports photography captures not just what happened, but why it mattered.
