Help: Pre-event MMA activities

A client is arranging for me to cover various activities (weigh-in, interviews, etc.) a couple of days prior to the upcoming StrikeForce MMA event here in Dallas. An official UFC fighter will be accompanying me at all/most times, helping me identify who and what to shoot.

I anticipate mostly candid/casual, grab-n-go shooting.

I'm bringing two cameras, one w/ a fast prime (50mm/85mm) for ambient light, and one with a 17-40mm for on-camera flash (bounced off walls/ceilings.)

I'd also like to get a little different look than the standard party-pic, so I'm considering bringing my trained assistant (i.e. no.1 son) for off-camera "light-on-a-pole" strobist shots.

Two questions:

1. What am I missing that I should be aware of?
2. Should I even attempt off-camera strobist lighting?

I've shot MMA fights, but this is the first time I've been asked to cover pre-event PR activities.

Thank you in advance...

Were you thinking about taking a longer lens?

Have you been guaranteed close enough access to the fighters?

I will have a 70-200 on me. I'm anticipating good access but don't know exactly how "close" that really is. This is new territory for me...

1.4 will be needed just in case

Best I have is f1.8, but I know what you're saying...

You'll need the 70-200 for the weigh-in...not sure in this case where it is taking place, but UFC/Strikeforce weigh-ins usually take place in the arena, at one end of the arena, and you will be shooting from seats the fans sit in. 70-200 works well, you will not need to strobe them, the lighting is usually very good. You will be sitting in one seat and that's where you stay, it is usually pretty crowded media wise, so get there a bit early. If you are interested in the fighters "facing off" after weighing in, then sit to the right of the scale by a couple of feet. They have now adopted the UFC method of weighing in, the so fighters enter from your left, step on the scale, and move to the right of the scale to pose with each other.

For the presser and workouts (if they have them) you have more freedom to move around, workouts are usually in some kind of ballroom and you will need to strobe them...it does get crowded, and is tough to get "clean" images...hope this helps, there are plenty of UFC/Strikeforce shots on my site from weigh-ins that will give you a sense of what it is like...

http://edmulholland.co​m

If you have any other questions shoot me a message, I'm on and off planes all day today, heading to an assignment in Mexico, but will be back on tonight...

One other note, if you have any questions about what you can and can't do while onsite, seek out Esther Lin, she shoots for Strikeforce, she's a friend of mine and very cool, she'll point you in the right direction...

Thanks Ed - I didn't find Eshter (but I think I saw her shooting in a studio setup.) I did meet Tracy Lee who is also pretty well regarded in MMA circles.

My shooting pretty much stopped w/ snapshots at pre-event activities, w/ my 70-200 and on-camera flash. Getting access to the next level turned out to be another thing entirely, which I was not "well known enough" to secure (according to the event gatekeepers...)

My thanks to you ALL for the advice...