MMA Photography from MN

jimmywires wrote in post #5176051
dwight funny you should say that.... I shot cagefest 3 last nite here in Hampton Va. they were horrible bummed me out all day. if you don't mind snap i would like to post a pic and have you and dwight help me if you would.

I understand that! Anyway, still haven't gotten images to FightWireImages but I just did my blog entry and put a couple out there ... link is in my .sig.

My new favorite blogger. Thanks, Dwight.

jimmywires- Yeah, no problem- post'em. Let's see what you've got.

Jimmy, cut your shutter speed to 1/500th, f/2.8, ISO1600 and shoot manual exposure mode if the lighting is consistent across the cage. 1/500th is plenty fast.

I am going to my first MMA practice tonight (not to take pics). I'm pumped!

crazyskillz07 wrote in post #5182943
I am going to my first MMA practice tonight (not to take pics). I'm pumped!

Remember that you are at PRACTICE and it is OK to tap. I had a hard time understanding that and walked away pretty dizzy a few times...

ok dwight my target shutter speed is 500 and what ever i can get away with my iso.do you have any shooting advice in a boxing ring. thats my next event king of the ring same stuff mma in a boxing ring. shucks can you make it to the east cost and hold my hand. lol

Boxing:

Bring extra cards, because you'll be shooting more as it's 100% stand-up action, and you'll be relying on your burst rate a little more to capture the action.

Some of the better shots that capture the "spray" from the punch is right after the bell, as the corners has poured water over the fighters heads.

Used properly, the ropes can help shield your lens from the lights.

Per usual, keep that aperture wide open and that iso high, 1600 sounds about right, and the shutter should be no "slower" than 1/500 in most instances, light providing.

I've shot boxing a few times, and it's good action, but it really isn't my proverbial cup of tea. That, and it didn't pay. I guess you could say I'm a sucker for paying my bills.

MMA:

My camera has a 1.6x crop factor, and as such my prefered lens is the 35mm f/2, which I usually shoot with the aperture value at 2.5 to prevent DOF issues. Very sharp, fast lens, and a fraction of the price an "L" zoom, and plenty adequate considering I'm shooting against the cage as opposed to the "big" productions where one would have to shoot from behind a catwalk.

Snap is right ... lots and lots more images in boxing ... I'll shoot over 2000 for eight bouts. I shoot 1/500th, ISO 2000, f/4 with two 1DMIII's with TV lights. I do not use high speed drive except I have it on for the main event where I will use it sparingly ... you have to anticipate the punches. I shoot with 24-70mm f/2.8L. Be ready to shoot anybody who goes to the mat ... this is the one thing I can't get into my head ... I almost always put my camera down when they go down ... it is weird. Also be ready for jumping up on the ropes at the corners in celebration ... be ready to back away from the mat to get this. Remember to stand up on the mat (being careful not to use the ropes too much to haul your butt up 'cause you'll knock someone else off) when the announcer is giving the result and yell if necessary to get the victory shot with the ref ... don't let them walk away from you without a huge effort ... I am now in a position of be very proactive in this area at my venue but at the beginning I didn't and lost out on shots I wanted. If you can get a second body put something long on it like 70-200mm to shoot corners ... if you can, get up and walk over near the corners or other places where you can get a good angle ... between bouts it is OK to block some viewing. Also remember you can lean in pretty far ... Ed Mulholland practically crawls into the ring sometimes and gets awesome shots. Don't go overboard but do remember that everyone knows you're there for pictures and if you aren't interfering with anything then give it a shot ... they can only kick your butt out!

Yes, I can come hold your hand: $2000/day plus all expenses, 1/3 rate for travel days ... see my website near the bottom of the home page. I am not cheap but I am fun!

jimmywires wrote in post #5183579
ok dwight my target shutter speed is 500 and what ever i can get away with my iso.do you have any shooting advice in a boxing ring. thats my next event king of the ring same stuff mma in a boxing ring. shucks can you make it to the east cost and hold my hand. lol

thanks guys... if you're ever my way look me up ill buy the beer

Kudos to Snaplocally. He help me with my first MMA event a few weeks ago. He gave some great advice. Still need to get better at shooting through the cage.

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Do you know what you just did? On your first outing you took better shots that about 90% of the other photographers that go to these things. Now you've got to learn to custom white balance, and tighten your PS workflow a little, and you'll be doing fun stuff like answering advice questions and getting invites. Good work.

ps- feel free to post these in my thread at the UG

::thumbs up::

custom white balance? what about custom white balance.... hold on class is in session let me get a chair. lol

jimmywires wrote in post #5190800
custom white balance? what about custom white balance.... hold on class is in session let me get a chair. lol

Whether you shoot RAW or not, CWB (custom white balance) is anything from essential to very useful. It takes about 30 seconds once you are used to it on your camera. Basically, you take a picture of a neutral gray, I use a digital gray card, and then use that to set a custom white balance using your menu. When done, you then set white balance selector on the camera to CWB. You probably need to read your manual and then try it five or ten times. I shoot boxing/MMA RAW and rely on my CWB so I don't have to screw around with it in post processing. As an alternative, if you shoot RAW, you can take a shot of something neutral gray in the ring/cage and then apply that adjustment to you images ... but this is much more work.

do you do this at the event?