Diana vs Burevestnik — Eurasian Water Polo League match in Saint Petersburg | Anton Gauf. Sports Photographer in Saint Petersburg

February 6, 2026

Diana struck first in Saint Petersburg, but Burevestnik quickly took control and kept the lead. I shot it as a momentum story: pressure, contact, and the kind of emotions you can’t stage.

Water polo is made for reportage: there’s no safe distance, no “slow” phase, and the story changes with every sprint. At CVVS “Nevskaya Volna” in Saint Petersburg, you’re constantly balancing two things — freezing the action through splashes and keeping the narrative readable for the viewer.

This women’s Eurasian Water Polo League 2025/26 game (Round 15, first fixture) began with a quick opener from Diana. The home side barely had time to reset when the ball went in, and for a moment the match felt wide open. Then Burevestnik answered with their own rhythm: they raised the pressure, built a cushion, and forced Diana into chase mode. The scoreboard told it bluntly — 2–4, 3–5, 4–7, 5–11 — and it stayed that way for most of the night.

For a photographer, a chasing match is intense in the best sense. Counterattacks appear from nowhere, contact happens under the surface, and emotions spike on the bench long before they turn into highlights. I worked the coverage in layers: wide frames to show spacing and tempo, then tight portraits when the tension hit a peak — a coach’s gesture, a captain’s call, a keeper’s last-second save.

Final score: 13–17. Burevestnik managed the flow, while Diana kept fighting for the next run. What I take from games like this is honest match photography: speed, struggle, water drama, and faces that aren’t staged. If you need a sports photographer Saint Petersburg for water polo, league fixtures, or tournament media, I deliver consistent sports photography with fast turnaround.

See the full gallery with the best moments from Diana vs Burevestnik (Eurasian Water Polo League, Round 15) here: Diana vs Burevestnik.