YIKES!!! Help Wanted!!!

[DanielLane]

Ok, so I just found out about 2 minutes ago. On this Saturday, October 1st, there will be the largest MMA fights ever in Hawaii, and it's taking place here on Kauai. My friend Jason is a trainer and pro fighter. He talked to the promoters about me. They just decided that I will be the exclusive photographer for the whole thing! Nobody else. Just me! 14 fights scheduled. The first 10 are up and coming amateur fights, but the last 4 are full on pro. Jason is fighting in the title match, and the others fighters against him and the other 3 fights are pro fighters from around the world.

So here's the problem. I've never shot MMA before. Not once. I have no idea what I'm going to do. Flash? No Flash? High ISO, small aperture for high speed?

So I'll be shooting it all with a D300, my old D90 as a back-up. (Man I wish the D400 was out already!!) I was planning to bring an 18-105 f/3.5, a 70-200mm f/2.8G, and maybe bring my 11-16 f/2.8 for some cool aspect shots. Should I also bring the 35mm f/2.8? I so wish I had one of them fancy new f/1.4's!! That would be nice!

Have any of you ever shot anything like this? Any input you have will be GREATLY appreciated! These shots are for the fighters, For about 18 different web sites, and two different MMA/Fighting magazines! Holy Crap I'm freaking out! I stand to make huge cash on this if I can pull it off!

[Niresangwa]

Originally Posted by DanielLane

Ok, so I just found out about 2 minutes ago. On this Saturday, October 1st, there will be the largest MMA fights ever in Hawaii, and it's taking place here on Kauai. My friend Jason is a trainer and pro fighter. He talked to the promoters about me. They just decided that I will be the exclusive photographer for the whole thing! Nobody else. Just me! 14 fights scheduled. The first 10 are up and coming amateur fights, but the last 4 are full on pro. Jason is fighting in the title match, and the others fighters against him and the other 3 fights are pro fighters from around the world.

So here's the problem. I've never shot MMA before. Not once. I have no idea what I'm going to do. Flash? No Flash? High ISO, small aperture for high speed?

So I'll be shooting it all with a D300, my old D90 as a back-up. (Man I wish the D400 was out already!!) I was planning to bring an 18-105 f/3.5, a 70-200mm f/2.8G, and maybe bring my 11-16 f/2.8 for some cool aspect shots. Should I also bring the 35mm f/2.8? I so wish I had one of them fancy new f/1.4's!! That would be nice!

Have any of you ever shot anything like this? Any input you have will be GREATLY appreciated! These shots are for the fighters, For about 18 different web sites, and two different MMA/Fighting magazines! Holy Crap I'm freaking out! I stand to make huge cash on this if I can pull it off!

I seem to remember one of the regulars has shot some MMA, or maybe some boxing, it would cover the same things... I saw it on their blog a while back. I want to say it was Sime, but I'm not that sure. I"m looking through his site right now though...

Edit OK, so I gave up on Sime's blog. Too many pictures of him wit his shirt off.

I"m sure you googled it already, but this seems to be decent, at least one of the paragraphs.

[MattG]

Disclaimer: This is opinion and not borne of experience

Is this contest in a boxing ring or cage? This may dictate what vantage points you can get and thus what shots to look for. If cage, the shots in mags I have seen all seem to be taken from above the cage line and look to capture knees upwards of the two fighters when standing. If you are shooting through the wire, for example during submission or wrestling, then a half body shot will be fine. You'll need the widest aperture you can get away with to both reduce the impact of the cage mesh and also to allow fastest shutter speed. Jim Bryant previous sports posts may be able to shed some light (like what I did there?!) on appropriate shutter speed and ISO.

If it's a boxing ring scenario, shots I've seen used before all are shot from the mat up during the fight, then in the ring as winner's arm raised.

Also try and find out from the promoters as to the expected fighting styles for each bout and this can help you get in position - if you have a fighter fast out of the blocks throwing 'bombs' then at least you'll be prepared.

Good luck.

[graciousness]

If anything, the lighting will be pretty good in the ring or on the stage. I know it's not similar sport, but I have shot in a very dark billiard hall and of course, over the table are the bright billiard lights. I didn't have to use the flash due to the lights being bright enough and also the dark background provided quite a dramatic scene.

The only thing that I'm not sure about is if you need fill flash for the stage. Just imagine the lights like shooting against backlit subjects - having to use fill flash on subjects with their backs behind the lights. Although......using a flash may be too far away on their faces anyway so I'm not sure how much it would help, unless you have access to being right by the stage. I'm just imagining the scenario on taking the actions shots on the ring.

Also, I think you will be doing more anticipated shots on the ring so you can prepare for exposure. I mean, you can always see where someone's face is about to land flat on the ring, etc, and the worse thing that can happen is for you to use a very wide aperture and narrowing your DOF and not getting an action shot sharp on everyone involved. Also, your best bet probably is just to 'look for the light' and take your shots when the light falls right on your subject/scene and not to have to force exposure or light where it is lacking (shadow areas). You'll have too much on your plate already on the scene and actions to worry about lighting everything with extra gears, etc.

It also sounds like you're planning on bringing a lot of lens --- are you sure that's wise? It's probably best to bring one lens per camera so you don't have to worry about changing lenses all the time?

Anyhoo, that's my two cents. Not that I have experience in this at all. So I'll shut up now


-----runs away------------

[DanielLane]

Great info guys. I think it is in a cage. Not sure what kind of high up access there will be. But I can get right up to the ringside. closer than the closest paying customers even. I can possibly get the lens up to the cage even and shoot through with out the cage showing at all. (Cross fingers). I'm going to have a harness on me to hold the D90 with the 18-105 on the left and the D300 with the 70 to 200 on the right. That will probably be the most used lens. I want to get the sweat flying off of the face on a hit! I want to bring the wide angle for a possible above cage shot or two, and also may be cool to use for the belt presentation after the last bout to get a big wide shot of fighters and crowd and everyone. we'll see though. May be too much to easily carry. Skipping the 35mm all together. kind of pointless really...

My guess is there will be a lot of light. It is a fight and all. fighters gotta see each other well and crowd needs to see whats up. Bringing the flash as a just in case. Worried about the flash blinding someone in the fight as well. That would be bad!

[SwissJon]

Originally Posted by graciousness

If anything, the lighting will be pretty good in the ring or on the stage.

You're going to run into some real problems fighting with those lights.. They'll be coming from above, and you're going to be below the fighters with the bright lights behind them.

Worse.. You're going to piss them off if you start using flash as it's really distracting as soon as it's bright enough to be effective...

I suggest you take a step ladder and try to get as high as possible so you can shoot without pointing the lens directly towards a light.. Use a 2.8 lens, probably a 24-70 and a 70-200.. You might want to rent the lenses and a second camera body so you aren't faffing about changing lenses, and use a high ISO, the D90 won't cut the mustard on this.. I've shot the circus with spots and stage lights, and managed to get 1/100th at 1600 ISO which isn't nearly fast enough to freeze the action. I think your lights will probably be brighter if it's going to be televised, but I suggest you go there today and tomorrow and get used to the situation. You need to work out how to get a fast enough speed to freeze the action without disturbing anyone.. You could probably use flash if you can mount them high enough, perhaps in the lighting rigs.. But then you're going to get deep shadows below the fighters..

If you can get ringside and close enough to freeze sweat flying as they execute their moves, that would be really cool..

Good luck.. Sounds like you'll need it!

[Bruce A]

Now you really got him worried Jon. Sorry I can't offer any help - absolutely no experience with this situation. Is there anywhere/venue similar where you cant get some idea what the lighting is like and maybe get a practice run in?

[graciousness]

There's a cage????

That goes to show you what I know.



-----runs away again, this time, farther away-------

[SwissJon]

Originally Posted by graciousness

There's a cage????

That goes to show you what I know.



-----runs away again, this time, farther away-------

You've never heard of "Cage Fighting"?

Blimey, even 8 year old boys in the UK know what cage fighting is!

BBC News - Police to investigate boys' fighting event in Preston

[scootermcq]

This is not MMA, but : Few Wrestling Pics from the weekend

I was shooting ISO 800,1/250, f2.8 with flash

Too bright to drag the shutter and freeze with flash, not bright enough to get images without flash. Hope your venue is brighter than this was.

This one was ISO 1000, 1/80, f2.8 & flash. I was trying for more ambient and could stop some motion, but not really much more than you see here. Also, don't worry about the lights, they can add to the image. I like them in this one. Oh, and these were shot with a D300 as well