Martial arts shooting

[FCP]

Hi everyone. I normally shoot Taekwondo (Korean martial art) and I have been looking into covering other martial arts. Earlier this year I had chance to shoot different martial arts at the Seni show in London. Below are some of the photos I took while I was there. Any constructive criticisms are more than welcome. I have sharpened them a little but not cropped them yet.

Karate

http://www.fimpmedia.com/seni/8-qg7d5017.jpg

http://www.fimpmedia.com/seni/8-qg7d5039.jpg

http://www.fimpmedia.com/seni/8-qg7d5132.jpg

Free Style

http://www.fimpmedia.com/seni/8-qg7d5178.jpg
http://www.fimpmedia.com/seni/8-qg7d5357.jpg

Ju Jitsu

http://www.fimpmedia.com/seni/8-qg7d6316.jpg

http://www.fimpmedia.com/seni/8-qg7d6245.jpg

http://www.fimpmedia.com/seni/8-qg7d6376.jpg

I have some Thai Boxing shots from the Toe2Toe night but i will post them in another thread.

[FCP]

Does anyone else on this forum specialise in martial arts?

[zoti]

I do mostly MMA, Boxing and Muay Thai. Some BJJ as well.

[FCP]

Hi zoti. Do you practice any of the martial arts you shoot? Have you seen my other post in this section? Any comments on my Thai boxing shots would be most welcome.

[zoti]

I teach Thai boxing and practice BJJ. I also comented on your other thread.

[royv]

The last few pics could be lighten up a little bit, they are a tad too dark.

Also, I'd redo that watermark of yours. It doesn't rly look that good

[DwightMcCann]

That they are so dark makes them difficult to review although I am not sure that pushing the ISO to 1600 would benefit much above the 1250 you are using although I would guess the noise at 3200 would be quite pronounced. I am fortunate the that little bit of boxing/MMA I shoot has television lighting. IWBNI we had names of competitors. The images might benefit from CWB. Do you shoot RAW ... if so did you already shift the exposure? And finally some of the images are overwhelmed by your watermark ... if the images are so valuable that this is required it might not make sense to post them here, while a small logo in a corner to identify them as yours might be useful and not so obtrusive.

[FCP]

I was shooting RAW and i have ajusted them a little. The water mark is just something i use for the event photos. I will put something else together that looks a little more professional. This (and the Thai Boxing thread) is the first time i have posted my images on a public forum so i am happy for the comments.

The most i have shot at is 1250. Is 1600 usable on the 1d MKIIN?

[DwightMcCann]

I was shooting RAW and i have ajusted them a little. The water mark is just something i use for the event photos. I will put something else together that looks a little more professional. This (and the Thai Boxing thread) is the first time i have posted my images on a public forum so i am happy for the comments.

The most i have shot at is 1250. Is 1600 usable on the 1d MKIIN?

You need to try 1600 and H (aka 3200) for yourself. Yes, they are noisier but it is incremental. Sometimes I shoot concert stuff at ISO 1600 when there is no big deal lighting (for some smaller VIP events or in smaller venues) and give it a little noise reduction in LightRoom (any noise reduction program will do). 3200 is a bit noisey for me but I don't use any major noise reduction software. I also think it would seriously help if you did CWB at the event with a gray card and shot a gray card in the rings for later reference ... I know, I know, I know you can do the white balance afterwards in RAW conversion but doing it in camera at the time is sooooo much easier and nicer. Anyway, I always lean on the side of good exposure in the view even if there is noise in the shadow ... that's just the way things are.

[FCP]

Thanks for the feedback DwightMcCann. Getting the exposure sometimes just seems like a black art. I think i will shoot some 1600 along side 1250 and 1000 and compare the difference.

[DwightMcCann]

Thanks for the feedback DwightMcCann. Getting the exposure sometimes just seems like a black art. I think i will shoot some 1600 along side 1250 and 1000 and compare the difference.

Try the "H" (3200), too, so you know what it looks like!

[FCP]

Everyone i have spoken to has said not to use 3200 on the MKIIN but i guess i can try it just to see what if looks like.

[DwightMcCann]

Everyone i have spoken to has said not to use 3200 on the MKIIN but i guess i can try it just to see what if looks like.

You have now spoken to me. I use my 1DMIIN frequently. I say try it! I don't use it but have tried it. It will not hurt you and then you will have first hand experience. The more you use all the functions of your camera the more comfortable you will be using them again ... after a while the camera becomes your tool rather than your master. It is just like martial arts ... practice and become one with the camera ... sounds hokey but it's true, of course.