How AP photographer captured Gabby Douglas Olympics photo: Practice, practice, practice

"Gymnasts do the same routines over and over, so Bull and the other two AP photographers covering gymnastics that night knew what moments they wanted to capture. Bull had photographed the gymnastics Olympic trials in San Jose, Calif., a month ago, so he had seen the routine about five times already."

"He had tried to capture it before, but it never quite worked — he was too late, perhaps, or she was off-center. His photo “didn’t seem to be as amazing as I thought it would be,” he said by phone."

"Deputy Director of Photography Denis Paquin told the Associated Press, “the beauty of the shot lies in the combination of ‘the graceful motion and the horizontal lines between the balance beam and her perfectly-positioned body – all captured at the precise moment during her routine.” "