Intense Soccer Player

Part of the challenge of shooting soccer (and many other sports) is how the natural lighting is falling on the field. In this situation, my player was moving toward a late day sun (my favorite situation). Unfortunately, the sun was setting behind a woods near the field. This meant that a solid shadow was encroaching onto the field.
 
Because I had a long focal length lens, I could move forward with the shadow until the ideal focus distance would have put me onto the field.
 
In this frame, the soccer player is moving into the shadow. The direct sunlight is still hitting her face, drawing the viewers eye to her eyes – and that flying hair.
 
This photo also benefits from the ball in the frame, an opponent chasing and a coach standing in the background.