The most stunning photos across women's sports from the last month including the WNBA Finals and Carli Lloyd's farewell

From the photographer, Sarah Stier:

The way this course faced the sunrise opened me up to some nice opportunities to play with the golden morning light coming across the bay and the course. I went out early with the first group of golfers to the first tee, set myself up behind them, and found an exposure that really emphasized that golden light.

Because of the shape of Chang's shot, and where she placed her pin, the photo's composition turned out quite nice — the driver, her hair, and trees creating a nice shape.

From the photographer, Alex Grimm:

Rain is always challenging while photographing sport, because we're trying to shoot these great pictures while at the same time, we have to protect our equipment and try to stay as dry as possible ourselves. It's always impressive to see how these athletes on the pitch could not be bothered by the rain, low temperatures and slippery grass, and play their hearts out.

I like this photo because it shows so much dynamic and passion. The movement of their bodies and hair are on display here and it really shows their level of physicality.

From the photographer, Christian Petersen:

I was so thrilled about this image of Skylar Diggins-Smith and Kelsey Plum -- it truly captures the caliber of play in the WNBA. When this this sequence happened, I knew it was going to be impactful.

This stood out to me because of the intensity and emotion of these two battling for a loose ball. With their arms entangled, intense facial expressions, and ball bouncing you can see the struggle is real.

From the photographer, Mitchell Leff:

I was honored to be given the assignment to cover Carli Lloyd during her hometown farewell match at Subaru Park in Chester, Pennsylvania. I knew I wanted to get a tight frame of her post game and just waited until that moment happened. This image is of Lloyd reacting after her teammates doused her with a sports drink following her post-game ceremony.

From the photographer, Ethan Miller:

The deciding Game 5 of the WNBA semifinals between the Phoenix Mercury and the Las Vegas Aces was an intense back-and-forth game in front of a record Vegas crowd. Phoenix has three All-star/US Olympians on the team — Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith, but I had heard previously about Shey Peddy from a family member.

Although a less well-known player, she has become a fan favorite in Phoenix, both because of her skills and her long road to becoming a WNBA player. Her teammates refer to her as "Playoff P" for her hustle on the court and being a great teammate.

With the score tied at 84, Peddy grabbed a loose ball and got fouled as she put up a falling 3-pointer with less than five seconds on the clock. After missing the first free throw, she hit the next two and then helped double-team the Aces' A'ja Wilson, who got blocked on a layup attempt by Griner to secure the Mercury's 87-84 victory, sending them to the WNBA Finals.

After the block, Peddy jumped in the air four times, but a referee was in the way, preventing me from getting a photo. As the final few seconds ticked off the clock, I zeroed in on Peddy as she turned toward her bench, hoping to get a reaction and got this great expression as she leaned back and shouted in celebration before all the Phoenix players ran onto the court.

From the photographer, Clive Brunskill:

This was Emma Raducanu's first-ever full WTA Tour match in Indian Wells California and her first time playing since her amazing run from qualifying to winning the US Open a full 10 matches where she did not drop a single set in any match! Because of that run, Raducanu moved from outside the top 100 to the 20s so was invited as a wildcard to this WTA 1000 series event.

My thought before the match was, she would win, but as the match went on it was plain to see the pressure she must have been feeling as the entire world's tennis media watched her every move. I knew I needed a picture to sum up her frustration and dejection and, luckily for me, she walked right between the Indian Wells logo and at the same time put her head down into her arm which summed the match up perfectly.

From the photographer, Ethan Miller:

In this image, the Phoenix Mercury celebrated on the court after defeating the Las Vegas Aces during the WNBA semifinals. The game had gone back-and-forth, and Phoenix was only able to secure the victory in the last few seconds.

There is usually chaos after a team advances in the playoffs, with players, coaches, team personnel and security running all over the court, so it was lucky that I got all three Mercury All-star/US Olympians — Diana Taurasi, Brittney Griner and Skylar Diggins-Smith — in this single photo as they hugged each other on the court with Brianna Turner.

Turner's fantastic expression, contrasted with the intense look from Griner and Taurasi's hand on the back of her head, conveys the players' joy and relief after getting by a tough Vegas team to advance to the WNBA Finals.

From the photographer, Sarah Stier:

I'm still finding my footing as I learn to shoot golf, but as I do with any other sport, I always look for pictures that will make my audience feel like they are right there with the player. When Nelly Korda's golf ball landed in the grass behind the hole, I knew I'd be able to get low and behind her to look up at her as she hit her shot.

Her outfit really matched the sky that day and the colors worked together. It's a quiet moment, but golf is a quiet sport. This photo is simple but peaceful, and brings the viewer right in.

From the photographer, Clive Brunskill:

Cori Gauff is what we tennis photographers call the magic light. Gauff was playing at late afternoon in her second round match. I knew from experience that even though the lighting in October is slightly different to March when the tournament in Indian Wells is normally held, that Coco would play past 4:20pm when the court goes completely into the shade.

At around 4:05 p.m. the sunlight was disappearing so fast that I had a maximum 10-minute window to shoot this type of striking light. The thing is a player can play 10-minutes without ever running through the last embers of the winter desert sun.

Luckily for me, Gauff played two forehands which gave me a lot of different frames due to the super high speed motor drives on today's cameras. I just love the concentration in her eyes which the low, late afternoon sun picks out perfectly!

From the photographer, Mike Mattina:

Just because the play is over, doesn't mean that the action stops. This photo of Kahleah Copper is the perfect example of why as a photographer I always follow the play through its entirety. This low angle makes the viewer feel like they're right there with her on the court, with strong emotion exuding out of Copper.

From the photographer, Clive Brunskill:

I've been photographing Victoria Azarenka since she was a very young player when she won the Junior Australian Open title. Victoria, or Vika as she likes to be called, is one of the most fired up and hardworking players on the tour and her fighting spirit is summed up in this frame perfectly.

This was her third round match against Petra Kvitova of the Czech Republic, a two-time Wimbledon champion, so Vika had to leave every last drop of sweat out there to win this match.

From the photographer, Mike Mattina:

In all sports, the bench has almost as much action as the game itself, so I always keep one eye on them. I was lucky enough to have been seated right next to the Phoenix Mercury bench, and as the fourth quarter wound down of an already decided Game 1, I looked over and caught Diana Taurasi and Brittney Griner already moving on and discussing game plans for Game Two.

This photo was special to me because it perfectly demonstrates how fast athletes are able to move on from one moment into the next.

From the photographer, Sarah Stier:

I debated switching my position right before Jin Young Ko played her final shot to win the tournament. I knew she was going to win, and I didn't want to miss her reaction. Eventually, I stuck with my gut and kept shooting from the spot I was in.

It worked out well for me because when fellow golfers Lopez and Henderson came out to congratulate her with the champagne, my background was nice and clean, and we could see Ko's face perfectly. It was a nice reminder to trust my instincts and not always follow the crowd of photographers in the moment.

From the photographer, Christian Petersen:

When photographing women's basketball, you can always count on hard action and strong emotion. Especially in the WNBA Finals, you know these athletes are going to go all out.

In this photo, Phoenix Mercury's Sophie Cunningham and Chicago Sky's Kahleah Copper dove for a loose ball. They both got their hands on it and then it became a battle for possession.

Following this image, both players fell to the court and tempers ran hot. I personally liked this moment because of the expression on Cunningham's face — it really showed the grit this sport can bring.

From the photographer, Christian Petersen:

Capturing the emotion of the athletes following a victory is always a priority. I especially love to get up close and use wider lens to capture the player and fans. In this image, you can see Diana Taurasi leaving the court after a big win, with a smile from ear-to-ear.

From the photographer, Jonathan Daniel:

This play was one shot I've rarely seen in any type of basketball game — from high school to the NBA or WNBA. While the still shot doesn't really convey the absolute amazement of the moment, I tried to move a photo that might give the viewer an inkling of an idea of how good it actually was.

Kahleah Copper made this incredible shot up, behind, and around Skylar Diggins-Smith of the Phoenix Mercury, for the basket. The Sky had a rough start to the season, with injuries, new players trying to mesh together, including the amazing Candace Parker, who returned to her hometown to play and found the pressure to be probably more than what she expected.

But the Sky got hot right when they needed to and came back from a #6 seed in the playoffs, to win the WNBA title in front of hometown fans. Make no mistake, these women can hoop!

From the photographer, Stacy Revere:

Diana Taurasi had taken a three-point shot and was knocked down by the opposing player defending the shot. During the transition from defense to offense, Allie Quigley of the Chicago Sky had started to back up and before she could turn to run, she tripped over Taurasi and hit the court.

Taurasi is a legend of sport and a fierce competitor, so I kept my camera focused on her almost every time she came to my end of the court and it proved to be the right decision.

From the photographer, Matthew Stockman:

I felt quite lucky with this specific match. Not only was Paula Badosa on the court, but she was playing Victoria Azarenka, a longtime favorite of mine. Both are strong, powerful players that are a joy to photograph. Badosa is coming of age as a serious contender, eventually going in to win the BNP Open, where this photograph was made.

I knew this match was going to make exceptional images. I was drawn to shooting from a slightly overhead position due to light crossing the court at that time of day. It was about 15 minutes of magical light, and to be quite honest, I hoped to get a little lucky. Badosa did not disappoint, however, and luck was on my side as she came to the net in that sliver of light.

From the photographer, Stacy Revere:

Candace Parker is a legend in sport — she's also a native of Chicago, so the opportunity to photograph her, in Chicago, playing against Diana Taurasi, for the WNBA Finals was an amazing opportunity.

As time expired and the Chicago Sky became champions, the court was suddenly filled with players, coaches, media, family and friends. The story was Candace Parker so staying with her was the main goal, and as the team surrounded her, I happened to be in a good spot to capture this wonderful moment.

I can see the joy from Parker and the appreciation from her teammates — a truly surreal moment and one of my favorites as a photographer.

From the photographer, Stacy Revere:

WNBA legend Candace Parker, a Chicago native, returned home this season after spending the majority of her career in Los Angeles. Her teammate Kahleah Copper, seen with her, was named Finals MVP and Parker made sure to tell anyone and everyone how proud she was of her teammate.

This was an incredible Finals, and it was thrilling to see the excitement and pure emotion release during this moment.

From the photographer, Omar Vega:

USWNT hosted a series of friendly matches against Korea Republic, with it being the first at Children's Mercy Park in Kansas City, Kansas. In the photograph, Becky Sauerbrunn found the ball and with a header made a desperate pass since both teams had not scored and the game are almost over. The pass to teammate Sophia Smith was successful, however Korean goalkeeper Younggeul Yoon stopped the shot. With this match, the US had its 22-game winning streak at home end with a 0-0 tie.

From the photographer, Cameron Spencer:

This image was captured at the end of the friendly match between the Australian Matildas and Brazil. Australia won the match 3-1 in front of over 15,000 fans, the first large crowd in Sydney at a sporting event following extended lockdowns due to COVID-19 restrictions and live sport absent from Sydney for months.

The noise in the stadium was incredible for the physical, action-packed match. Here, the captain and superstar Samantha Kerr leads her teammates as they thank the electric crowd after the final whistle. I love the emotion and energy you can see in the players as they run across the pitch, united in celebration.

From the photographer, Alexander Hassenstein:

I was very excited to be photographing the opening of the Ski World Cup in Soelden again this year as it marks the start of the season for the athletes. It's almost always great weather in Soelden, both for us photographers and for the spectators. For the athletes and racers, however, it is a great challenge due to visibility conditions, which change from shade to sun and back again in the speed section.

This is a real challenge but was lucky enough to capture Tessa Worley during the first run with optimal conditions — the sun still relatively low, with a steel blue sky and perfect white snow. I was pleasantly surprised and love how the photo mixes action with nature.

From the photographer, Jamie Squire:

After every competitive figure skating event, the organizers hold an exhibition event. This is a time where skaters can skate freely to music and routines that they pick to showcase their talents purely for fans' entertainment. Typically, they dim the lights and use spotlights to create a much more dramatic effect. It's basically a show at the end of the competition.

This image was captured during that show. I knew that the spotlights would be on, so I decided to go up into the stands of the arena to capture the action. The result is a much more dramatic image than I could have made at ice level because one can see the spotlights and the shadows of the skater, as well as areas of light and shadow.

From the photographer, Jared C. Tilton:

This photo was taken in the second of two W Series races that took place over the weekend. My location during the first race was on the inner loop of the circuit as these positions gave me great access to certain photos during the race, but I noticed that in the end it put me too close to the podium for the post-race celebration. By being too close, the podium's fencing was cutting through the faces of these athletes.

With the second race of the weekend and the final race of the season being the next day, I decided to change my approach for the finish and post-race celebration. I decided that being on the outer loop of the circuit with a long lens would allow for the opportunity to capture a cleaner post-race celebration. I would find this to be true as Jamie Chadwick, Abbi Pulling, and Emma Kimilainen gave a great celebration following their final W Series race of 2021.

From the photographer, Jamie Squire:

This image was shot during the annual Skate America event sponsored by the International Skating Union. In an Olympic year, Skate America is important for competitors from all over the world to try and qualify for the upcoming Olympics.

For this image, timing is essential. It's challenging to capture the skater in the middle of a routine at the perfect moment. The skater was in the midst of her spin, so I had to really concentrate to try to freeze her while she was facing the camera.

There is a lot of hit and miss during an event such as this. Fortunately, I was a bit lucky and managed to succeed.

From the photographer, David Berding:

The whole game I practically kept my camera on Carli Lloyd in case there was a big moment, like her scoring a goal. I love getting photos that show emotion because I think those ultimately connect with people more, but you need great action too.

When I took this, I didn't really think a lot of it at the time because I was focusing on the game, but after I saw what I had I was so thrilled. Great photos have great timing. Sports photography can be fleeting, if you miss it, you miss it and that's what I love about it because it demands the best of you, even with a camera that shoots 14 frames per second.

Call it luck, but I'm glad I was able to get a photo of Lloyd, frozen in the air, with the ball on her boot.

From the photographer, David Berding:

This photo was taken after Carli Lloyd was substituted in her final game as a member of the USWNT. Whenever I cover big games, I try to have the mentality of "It's just another game," but it's Carli freakin' Lloyd and she's a living legend!

Megan Rapinoe, whose accomplishments in soccer can't ever be overstated, had been substituted in earlier in the game and when it came time for Lloyd's departure from the pitch, I kept a close eye on Rapinoe and where she was, and when I saw the two of them going for a hug, I knew that was going to be the photo of the night for me. Sometimes a hug really says everything, and I wanted to capture that emotion as Lloyd closed this chapter on her life.

From the photographer, David Berding:

This was taken after the USWNT game against South Korea had ended. Members of the team did a lap around the field to wave to fans and thank them for coming. When Carli Lloyd came around, I kept my camera on her as she waved and saw that she was wearing a jersey with her husband's last name on it.

On a personal level, I thought it was quite touching that she'd honor him like that and just shows how supportive they are of each other. I think what I found most striking with this photo is you can see the goosebumps on her arm as people waved goodbye and cheered.