Professional Boxing: Five Undercard Bouts

[DwightMcCann]

I made an earlier post pointing to two ShowTime ShoBox: The New Generation bouts that were picked up by Fight Wire Images so I felt that I could not exhibit them here or on my website since the images I display are pretty good quality. Anyway, I just got the five undercard bouts out to my website so I thought I should embed a few and provide a link to the whole gallery.

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/ShoBox10062006/CasalDrakeWeb/image/NickCasal_AaronDrake0124.JPG

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/ShoBox10062006/DeMarcoMeeksWeb/image/AntonioDemarco_CurtisMeeks0025.JPG

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/ShoBox10062006/GarciaSantosWeb/image/IrvingGarcia_MichaelSantos0198.JPG

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/ShoBox10062006/HolmesOlenikWeb/image/DonnellHolmes_AndreiOlenik0128.JPG

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/ShoBox10062006/KirklandDavisWeb/image/JamesKirkland_SherwinDavis0020.JPG

You can see more images from each of these fights in my galleries by clicking this icon:

http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/ShoBox10062006/SamalaRoomBoxingSetup0043-200.JPG (http://www.dwightmccann.com/Images/ShoBox10062006/index.html)

Thanks for looking!

[MazerRakhm]

Some nice shots Dwight! I like the look of the third one a lot.

[DwightMcCann]

Thanks, Kevin. It was an odd shooting night for me ... I got the white balance and exposure on the money but didn't capture any great punches. There is a rule in sports (well, it is really a rule about the human condition) that suggests you need faces, particularly with heavy emotion, if you want an important image which is why those images of the boxing glove distorted face with sweat and blood flying off are so potent. Problem is that I didn't have one in 1450 frames! Very surprising. I came close in a quite a few, such as this one where I was on the wrong side of the mat:

http://dwightmccann.com/Images/ShoBox10062006/GarciaSantosWeb/image/IrvingGarcia_MichaelSantos0023.JPG

and this one where a glove was blocking me and I was off 1/20th of a second anyway:
http://dwightmccann.com/Images/ShoBox10062006/GarciaSantosWeb/image/IrvingGarcia_MichaelSantos0088.JPG

I have almost always shot from a neutral corner or along the side looking back towards the TV cameras. I'm thinking shooting with the TV cameras might be worth trying as the referee stays on the downwind side of the action 99% of the time for the televised matches and more than half during the undercard ... worth an experiment.

[Croasdail]

Well the good news is you have the technical side down pat. I just looked at another chaps images, and while he caught some real nice action, glare and white balance issues really lessoned the images impact. And catching sports is a lot of luck being ready in the right place for the action to present itself to you. You still need to know what to do to increase the odds of lady luck pranging ya on the head - but in the end you don't control the subject at all.

[DwightMcCann]

Well the good news is you have the technical side down pat. I just looked at another chaps images, and while he caught some real nice action, glare and white balance issues really lessoned the images impact. And catching sports is a lot of luck being ready in the right place for the action to present itself to you. You still need to know what to do to increase the odds of lady luck pranging ya on the head - but in the end you don't control the subject at all.

Well, my wife will tell you I could use a good, solid "pranging on the head" or two, but yes, I agree. I have shot about eight fight cards and in six of them I have two or more superbly timed captures so I know I have at least moderately good anticipation. If I go another two cards without a couple of excellent head crunches I will move to the middle of the other side of the mat. I am curious as to what the "preferred" position is, if any, for televised fights.

[muls]

Dwight,

You most definitely can post the submitted FightWireImages photos on your website, while the images are being shopped by FightWireImages, you own the shots and can present them as such...Good work...

Ed

[Falkon]

Great shots.

[DwightMcCann]

Dwight,

You most definitely can post the submitted FightWireImages photos on your website, while the images are being shopped by FightWireImages, you own the shots and can present them as such...Good work...

Ed

Ed, I appreciate the update and fully understand that I "own" the images. :-) Had I been anxious to post beyond pointing to FightWire Images I would certainly have touched base with you or JC. Some images will wind up on my website as part of my agreement with the casino in a few days or so. I think I may have worded my original post poorly ... I didn't mean "could not" because I was not allowed, but rather because I thought it might dilute the attention we would like for FightWire Images.

Now, maybe if I had twenty head jolting stunners and had captured the punch that made the referee stop the Sugar Poo TKO rather than just the one I got of him rushing in to stop the pummeling I would have been more "assertive" about posting ... but I doubt it. ;)

[ASP]

What kind of setup were you using for this event. I am foreign to shooting indoors situations like boxing. Lens? ISO? Flash setup? Shutter speed? F-stop? What was the lighting like in the casino? Was all the light inside the room focused on the ring? I like how the background is blacked out in photo 1 and want to experiment with integrating a similar technique into some indoor shots I have coming up.
Thanks

[DwightMcCann]

What kind of setup were you using for this event. I am foreign to shooting indoors situations like boxing. Lens? ISO? Flash setup? Shutter speed? F-stop? What was the lighting like in the casino? Was all the light inside the room focused on the ring? I like how the background is blacked out in photo 1 and want to experiment with integrating a similar technique into some indoor shots I have coming up.
Thanks

The lenses were 24-70mm f/2.8 and 300mm f/2.8. No flash allowed during the actual bouts. The lighting was excellent as it was set for ShowTime TV. You can see the lighting truss and ring in the little icon image at the bottom of the original post which you can click to go to my galleries. All the images contain both EXIF from the camera and IPTC that I now add to all images. You can view both of these metadata stores using the free Opanda.com plug-in for your browser. I did very little editing of these images and certainly didn't "black out" anything ... the light is very concentrated in the ring although there is ample light throughout the Samala Room (the Fire Marshall is picky that way ... even in this soveriegn indian nation the state regulators hold sway!)

[MDJAK]

Nice work, Dwight. Not yet up to Muls, but keep it up.

Wouldn't you have more success with the 70-200? It seems as if you're framing a bit too high in some shots which is catching the lights above and cutting off the boxers at the ankles or slightly higher.

I would like to see more closeups, as I'm sure would you.

As to determining the right place to position yourself, wouldn't Muls be the expert on that?

mark

[Dan-o]

You say you didn't capture any good punches but I think the 4th one is pretty good. Yes it is from behind but the sweat flying everywere tells alot.

[DwightMcCann]

Nice work, Dwight. Not yet up to Muls, but keep it up.

Wouldn't you have more success with the 70-200? It seems as if you're framing a bit too high in some shots which is catching the lights above and cutting off the boxers at the ankles or slightly higher.

I would like to see more closeups, as I'm sure would you.

As to determining the right place to position yourself, wouldn't Muls be the expert on that?

mark
Yes, Muls is the man and I try to do what he says and does.

I've tried shooting with the 70-200mm and it is too long ... it is one thing when the action is on the far side of the ring but closer than half way and it would be too much.

Yes, the framing is a little high I expect because I am keeping a horizontal AF point on the head of one of the boxers. You have made me realize that I need to use another point and that I have been limiting myself because I have the spot meter function on which reduces the number of selectable AF points ... since I am in Manual I need to turn that off. Just one more reason to love these forums!

When you say "close ups" do you mean corner shots between rounds or simply tighter during the punches? I think the above will AF point setting will make tighter shots easier.

I've mentioned this question of positioning a couple of times where Muls was around and he didn't say anything so I am guessing that it isn't crucial ... a good boxing photographer will get the images somehow ... but I can have any available position (being the house guy) so I may try the middle on the other side ... after all, that is where the Ring Girls sit!

[DwightMcCann]

You say you didn't capture any good punches but I think the 4th one is pretty good. Yes it is from behind but the sweat flying everywere tells alot.\

Well, it is best to have as much face as possible, perferably of both boxers, and the blow itself with a bit of facial distortion and sweat/blood/vaseline in the air ... the first four (not counting the collage) on this page (click on the smaller images for a bigger one), http://www.dwightmccann.com/ChumashCasinoResort/ShoBox060206.htm are pretty good examples of what I am used to capturing.

[bdub]

Hey Dwight
Bryan here, the custom WB made all the difference I'm going to have to show up early next time with a gray card and for the timing issue I blame the slow heavyweights in the middle bout.

[DwightMcCann]

Hey Dwight
Bryan here, the custom WB made all the difference I'm going to have to show up early next time with a gray card and for the timing issue I blame the slow heavyweights in the middle bout.
Welcome to POTN my friend!!! I have a gray card you are always welcome to use. Then you can show me how to capture a punch! Glad you made it to the forums ... I guarantee you will be a better photographer for it.

For boxing, keep an eye out for "muls" ... that's Ed's screen name here. For almost everything else except American football, watch for Gmen ... that's Gavin Ellis who is in the UK. You may want to go over to his Q&A at http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=116971 and just spend a couple of evenings reading ... well worth the effort. I have a Q&A over there, too, that you can get from the link in my .sig.

Don't hesitate to ask me how to get to anything.

Again, welcome!

[Croasdail]

Just curious there Dwight - why single frame shooting mode? While I am a big believer in fewer is better, any particular reason you selected this mode? The one thing I do like about this mode is it forces you to overtly recompose and the camera to recapture all it's data too.... but still ... just wondering.

Hey Bryan..... welcome to POTN as well.

[DwightMcCann]

Just curious there Dwight - why single frame shooting mode? While I am a big believer in fewer is better, any particular reason you selected this mode? The one thing I do like about this mode is it forces you to overtly recompose and the camera to recapture all it's data too.... but still ... just wondering.

Hey Bryan..... welcome to POTN as well.

Bryan is a friend of mine who shot this card next to me ... I have a few frames where he blocked the perfect capture ... just kidding but he is in a couple. He recently graduated from an intern program at one of the papers I supply courtesy images to and is freelancing and going to college in town. He's just a kid so take it easy on him! [Oh, like that will be any help!]

8.5 fps is not nearly fast enough! You MUST anticipate and watch and wait and anticipate and watch and wait! I have estimated that 40 fps would about do it. Actually I usually shift into high speed drive in the main bouts but I didn't this time as it just didn't seem necessary or helpful, but given the results I will next time ... but it is rare that it is useful, honest.

[Juggernaut]

good job dwight, i have done a few cards here in merry old england. and post them on my site more of a hobbie then maybe yours a job, i mostly get a spot at ringside for helping the boxers and promoters out.

http://myboxingpage.com/myownpictures.html

need to update my site as i have done a few cards recently, shoot with a canon 350d but will buy a canon 1D mark 2 as most of you full timers use it looking at boxing cards.

[bdub]

Thanks for the info Dwight
I have a lot of reading to do

I'm guessing my elbow flew up a few times and got in your way sorry about that.

Thanks Mark

[DwightMcCann]

I'm guessing my elbow flew up a few times and got in your way sorry about that.

Hehehe, you mean you really didn't notice that I was leaning on you? :lol: I assure you that you were never in my way ... seems to me I kept blocking your corner shots. :rolleyes:

[ASP]

The lenses were 24-70mm f/2.8 and 300mm f/2.8. No flash allowed during the actual bouts. The lighting was excellent as it was set for ShowTime TV. You can see the lighting truss and ring in the little icon image at the bottom of the original post which you can click to go to my galleries. All the images contain both EXIF from the camera and IPTC that I now add to all images. You can view both of these metadata stores using the free Opanda.com plug-in for your browser. I did very little editing of these images and certainly didn't "black out" anything ... the light is very concentrated in the ring although there is ample light throughout the Samala Room (the Fire Marshall is picky that way ... even in this soveriegn indian nation the state regulators hold sway!)

Thanks for the info on lenses and how to retrieve the EXIF and IPTC data. The point you brought up about the auto focus was also very helpful, I didnt realize it but I do the same thing all the time when switching from MF to AF. Keep up the good work!

[DwightMcCann]

Thanks for the info on lenses and how to retrieve the EXIF and IPTC data. The point you brought up about the auto focus was also very helpful, I didnt realize it but I do the same thing all the time when switching from MF to AF. Keep up the good work!

It is my goal that no one should be restrained for lack of knowledge. While some withhold information for fear of creating competition for themselves, I and most of the best here at POTN know that knowledge shared is knowledge multiplied and we all get better as we each get better. :cool:

[blam]

I really like the 3rd and 4th shot.

[Photodawg1]

good job dwight, i have done a few cards here in merry old england. and post them on my site more of a hobbie then maybe yours a job, i mostly get a spot at ringside for helping the boxers and promoters out.

http://myboxingpage.com/myownpictures.html

need to update my site as i have done a few cards recently, shoot with a canon 350d but will buy a canon 1D mark 2 as most of you full timers use it looking at boxing cards.

Juggernaut...great photos! I like the way you laid out your web page too. I am going to have to try that.
Linda