Fighters portraits?

[Lelasmama05]

Do any of you guys do pictures of boxers? My friend from school has asked me to take pictures for him b/c he needs them to submit to for his fight in a month. They gave him categories. He needs...

- inner child
- personality
- and show how hard you train

I think for the personality were going to take him to a few places her likes to go and he'll be in his everyday clothes and maybe s few with him and his car that he loves. I have no idea what to do for inner child. Oh and I asked him to ask if it's ok if we take some shots of him at the place he trains. He said it would be ok. He'll more than likely be in his gloves and what not. He also wants to do a few of him with the palestinian flag (which is where he is originally from)

Can you guys post maybe some pictures you've taken of fighters or maybe some ideas or suggestions? I'm very nervous :confused:

[SnapLocally.com]

I've taken a few. I know lots of fighters. They're regular people with an irregular job, so the same principles apply to them as they would anyone else in those type of portraits. As far as showing how hard they train, nothing conveys that any more than an actual fight (or sparring) photo. Training done properly isn't fun or playful; it's painful and strenuous.

http://snaplocally.com/favs/armbar.jpg

http://snaplocally.com/50308/1.jpg

http://snaplocally.com/favs/cody.jpg

http://snaplocally.com/favs/Austin.jpg

http://snaplocally.com/50308/8.jpg

[muls]

My site is under construction, but you can see a few on it...

www.edmulholland.com

There's a recent cover I did as well located here, center shot is mine...

http://www.boxrec.com/media/index.php/Image:TR2008F.jpg

[jsanz11]

Does anyone use flash overhead for boxing matches? The way they use it for pro sports such as NBA, NHL etc...

[Jim G]

I've taken a few. I know lots of fighters. They're regular people with an irregular job, so the same principles apply to them as they would anyone else in those type of portraits. As far as showing how hard they train, nothing conveys that any more than an actual fight (or sparring) photo. Training done properly isn't fun or playful; it's painful and strenuous.





http://snaplocally.com/favs/cody.jpg





This one's fantastic. The one above (edit: the one above the one quoted :p) gives me the heebie jeebies from an infection-control point of view :p

[stathunter]

First of all don't be nervous. I do boxing, and mma work---- show the fighter in their element, out of their element and mix the tough and softer side. Play around with it and have fun. One shot that I did was a boxer who we had in his attire with gloves and gave him a few war wounds, then put him in a field with flowers--- it was killer.

[SnapLocally.com]

Damn, Jim "went there".

:lol:

[Dandy_1]

Don't be nervous. :)
I take pics of boxer all the time, but I have only posted one here.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?t=418434
Relax and have fun with it...
Cheers.
Dani.

[SnapLocally.com]

Here's a few studio shots I took for a fighter:

http://img208.imageshack.us/img208/1/mg2657bo9.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/2104/mg2662hq7.jpg

http://img217.imageshack.us/img217/4743/mg2640sy1.jpg

http://snaplocally.com/mma/8.jpg

[muls]

Does anyone use flash overhead for boxing matches? The way they use it for pro sports such as NBA, NHL etc...

You cannot strobe or use an on-board flash for boxing...at least at all the major events...

[jsanz11]

Well i know they use it for nba, nhl etc...the ones that are mounted on the ceiling overhead...was wondering if they do the same for boxing?

[jsanz11]

Found this through yahoo.
http://www.daveblackphotography.com/workshop/0504.htm

[SnapLocally.com]

Found this through yahoo<snip>

What he does is fine from an artistic point of view, but in my opinion it's unnecessarily complicated and expensive for relatively little payoff. Plus, I didn't really care for those examples.

Image 6:

"This is a difficult shot to capture as the strobes need 3 seconds to recycle power I can only shoot every 3 seconds."

Thanks, but I'll stick to brighter lenses and if need be, higher iso's.

[Lelasmama05]

I'm not going to be taking pictures of the actual fight.. were going to see if one of the guys he trains with would be willing to go at it for a round so I can get some shots. Other than that I'm going to get the ones of him doing his workout whether it be punching the bag, running and that kind of stuff to get ready for the fight. I think I'm going to try and take him down town here in Seattle and get a few shots too... so on the naked ones of them just in their shorts and gloves... do you guys have them put oil on? Or spray water?

[SnapLocally.com]

If you want that "sweaty" look, Pam (yes, the non-stick cooking spray) works well. Water evaporates quickly and unevenly, and, at least for me anyhow, I don't rub some other dude down with oil, not that there's anything wrong with that.

[jsanz11]

I just put up a few on the sports forum.
http://photography-on-the.net/forum/showthread.php?p=6247588#post6247588

[Lelasmama05]

Oh I never thought of pam! I was thinking of baby oil. I don't have a problem rubbin the guys down ;)

[Dandy_1]

The guys I get shots of are just usually sweaty. They don't need any Pam! LOL! But I wouldn't mind rubbing them down either! LOL!

[Compact Diss]

SnapLocally, what type of lens do you use while shooting the MMA fights? I have only used the 24-70, I'm thinking of an upgrade, so far I'm happy with my results, other times I feel that I am missing out on better shots...any opinions?

[SnapLocally.com]

The 24-70L is as good as they get for caged MMA.

I've used the Tamron equivalent- 28-75 f/2.8, but quite frankly at 2.8 it sucks (at 75mm especially), and that's where it needs to be to capture the fight. I usually use my used 35mm prime for fights now, but honestly, aside from it's f/2 brightness (which I almost never use wide open), that would be a downgrade for you.

Shoot me a pm with some samples, and I'll see what I can come up with. I may have some good news.

[thebishopp]

...not that there's anything wrong with that.


"I've been outed! I wasn't even in!"

[muls]

SnapLocally, what type of lens do you use while shooting the MMA fights? I have only used the 24-70, I'm thinking of an upgrade, so far I'm happy with my results, other times I feel that I am missing out on better shots...any opinions?

Most of us shooting UFC will use a 70-200 f2.8 and a 24-70 f2.8...I personally use my 70-200 alot more than the 24-70...

Ed

[jsanz11]

I've used the 50 1.4 and the 85 1.8 but it seems that they don't focus as fast as the 24-70. Seems like the 24-70 is the best i've used so far.
-Joey

[SnapLocally.com]

If you have a catwalk between you and the action or have to shoot several feet back from the cage, yes, a 70-200 lens would fit the bill. However, the vast majority of smaller, regional events don't have a catwalk nor cages nearly the size of a UFC octagon.

So to simplify, here's my recommendation:

Catwalk/no direct cageside access: 70-200 f/2.8 (be prepared to focus manually)

Direct cageside access: 24-70 f/2.8, 28-75, 35mm prime (on a 1.6x crop sensor)

[Compact Diss]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I shot some fights Saturday night(Cage Master 6), you can see them by following the link in my sig. I think I am going to make a post anyway.

I think I'll stick with the 24-70L due to the events I shoot not having the catwalk, it does make sense though that if I was dealing with bigger octagons and so on to get a better lens.

Thanks!

Joe

[stathunter]

Thanks for the comments everyone. I shot some fights Saturday night(Cage Master 6), you can see them by following the link in my sig. I think I am going to make a post anyway.

I think I'll stick with the 24-70L due to the events I shoot not having the catwalk, it does make sense though that if I was dealing with bigger octagons and so on to get a better lens.

Thanks!

Joe

Personally I have found that the 24-70 works great for MMA events. I shot my 3rd on Saturday and with two bodies the 24-70 was used the most.

[JFusion]

I use the 24-70 (on a 40D) as well. A large ring or cage will take some cropping if they are at the far end. I just want to shoot an event with good light.

[SnapLocally.com]

I've had the displeasure of shooting lighting disasters such as a single, off-center light over the cage:

http://snaplocally.com/ul/5.jpg

of shooting in mixed florscent/tungsten lighting:

http://snaplocally.com/botb/IMG_6124.jpg

of shooting up into bright lights:

http://snaplocally.com/canterbury/08.jpg

and shooting in just plain old poorly light locations:

http://snaplocally.com/53008/6.jpg

But, I can't complain; I've learned about photography more through the challenges than I have with "easy" work.

[Lelasmama05]

Thank you guys for the pictures and comments. I had the shoot last Friday and were doing some in my studio tomorrow. It would have been nice to have had somone else there training with him but it was just him so I took some pictures of him on the bag and running and that kind of stuff. They didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped. I bought the 430ex before the shoot but it was taking so long to warm up that I couldn't get very many good shots so I went with no flash and just cranked the ISO :rolleyes: I might post a few and see what you guys think.