For award-winning Associated Press photojournalist Petr Josek, based in Prague, Czech Republic, major international sporting events have been a core part of his beat for nearly two decades. Since 2006, he has covered back-to-back FIFA World Cup tournaments and Olympic Games, honing a keen eye for dramatic, storytelling moments that cut through the chaos of elite competition. One of his standout World Cup shots of French superstar Kylian Mbappe has drawn widespread acclaim, and Josek recently pulled back the curtain on how he captured the iconic frame.\n\nUnlike traditional sideline or press box positions, Josek chose to set up his gear on a stadium catwalk — the highest accessible vantage point in the venue, located in East Rutherford, New Jersey. The unorthodox spot offered a one-of-a-kind perspective that no lower position could match. To coordinate with the AP’s photography team, Josek positioned himself on the side of the pitch opposite the team benches, while a second shooter covered the action from a slightly lower elevation nearby.\n\nThis high catwalk position came with unexpected creative benefits: it allowed Josek to shoot against the directional stadium lighting, turning long, stretching shadows across the pitch into a intentional compositional element as the match unfolded. But the unique spot also came with significant technical challenges. Shooting with a heavy 400mm telephoto lens — a go-to for capturing distant action on the pitch — meant Josek could not use a stabilizing monopod to steady his camera on the narrow catwalk. He had to carefully navigate between large overhead stadium light fixtures to find a stable spot to frame his shots, turning a tricky setup into a winning opportunity.\n\nJosek explained why the resulting shot of Mbappe resonates so strongly with viewers. Throughout the tournament, star goal scorers dominated headlines and fan attention, and Kylian Mbappe emerged as one of the biggest storylines, turning in a string of standout performances that kept him at the center of global attention. Rather than capturing the forward celebrating a game-winning goal, the frame freezes a far more human moment: Mbappe reacting immediately after missing a critical scoring chance. Even in this moment of frustration, Josek notes, Mbappe holds his own spotlight on the pitch.\n\nThe composition elevates the moment even further: the player’s spontaneous pose is perfectly framed, his body motion reads clearly across the empty pitch, and the high vantage point captures his full, elongated shadow stretching across the grass. The choice to isolate Mbappe alone in the frame draws all focus to his unguarded reaction, turning a split second of match action into a timeless portrait of elite sports pressure and emotion. Fans can explore more of AP’s full award-winning World Cup photography coverage online.