Zenit vs Rubin: inside a tight match through my camera

Act one. Matchday 17 of the Mir Russian Premier League 2025–2026, Zenit hosting Rubin at Gazprom Arena. While fans are still queuing at the turnstiles, I’m already walking the touchline, mapping out where I want to be for the key attacks. Being a sports photographer Saint Petersburg means you know every corner of this stadium: where the backlight gets nasty, where the coaches love to shout, where the celebrations usually explode. I set up for classic match photography — one body on a long lens for the action, the other for reactions on the bench and in the stands.

Act two. The first half stays goalless, but Zenit’s box definitely doesn’t feel calm. Rubin creates a couple of really dangerous chances and my whole job shrinks to a few split seconds: defender’s tackle, goalkeeper’s dive, striker’s frustration. Good sports photography is about reading the game as much as the players, so I’m already thinking ahead, switching positions to keep the home goal and Rubin’s forwards in one frame. No posing, just pure tension and real emotions.

Zenit’s goal in the second half comes almost out of nothing. A quick attack, a cross, a shot — I’m holding the shutter down and somewhere in that short burst is the frame the club media team will put on their socials. Players rush towards the corner flag, blue smoke rises from the stands, and I work through it all, making sure the client gets a full story of the moment, not just the ball crossing the line.

Act three. The last minutes bring more drama near Zenit’s goal, and the clean sheet suddenly looks fragile. I move closer to the byline to catch the keeper, the defensive line and the reaction from the dugout in one sequence. Final whistle, 1–0, and only now there’s time to realise how much happened in ninety minutes. For clubs, federations and brands looking for match photography that really shows the story of the game in Saint Petersburg, this is exactly the kind of job I love to do.

See the full gallery with the best moments from Zenit vs Rubin match here: Zenit (Saint Petersburg) — Rubin (Kazan).