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BetterPhoto Q&A
Category: Action & Sports Pictures

Photography Question 

Melissa Olsen 		 

Photographing a Boxing or MMA Event


I am going to be shooting an MMA (Mixed Martial Arts) event in a week. I have a Nikon D200 and a Speedlight, and will be shooting with my 18-200mm 3.5 AF VR. I have no idea what the lighting conditions are going to be like at the event. Also, I have to shoot through the "cage". I am looking for sports photography tips!

Thanks!


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August 02, 2007

 
- Gregory LaGrange

BetterPhoto Member
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Gregory LaGrange's Gallery 		  If you're right by the ring, shoot wide through the hole in the links. If you're back in the crowd, you can see if any of the back rows will let you shoot down into the ring over the cage. If it doesn't, then shooting through the cage is all you can do. Avoid the flash - you'll just illuminate the cage.


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August 02, 2007

 

Melissa Olsen 		  Thanks Gregory! I will be right by the ring, and I'll have some access to a basket above the ring as well. I didn't think about the flash illuminating the cage ... thanks for the tip!


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August 03, 2007

 
- Gregory LaGrange

BetterPhoto Member
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Gregory LaGrange's Gallery 		  You don't have to shoot everything wide. But zoom in enough to keep the aperture open enough to keep blur. The longer the focal length, the more the cage disappears, but your aperture goes above f/4 fairly quickly so you have to find a useful compromise.


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August 03, 2007

 

Melissa Olsen 		  Again, thanks Gregory! I so appreciate your help and suggestions - I'll let you know how it goes, the event is on August 17th.


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August 04, 2007

 

Bruce A. Dart 		  Melissa,
If you shoot available light, and you should for several reasons -- not the least of which you photos will be better and there is less distraction from using the flash -- you will probably need to use a higher ISO (unless you have fast lenses). The D200 has a "high ISO noise reduction" feature that needs to be turned on in this situation. Without it, you will likely get images that are so "noisy" (grainy) that they may be unusable. With it, you can get some nice results.


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August 07, 2007

 

Melissa Olsen 		  Thanks Bruce!


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August 07, 2007

 

Jack Utter 		  Hi Melissa,

Is this for a Client or for Fun? If it’s for pay, you should already know how much lighting there is and what ASA and Lens you’ll need. Going in "cold" without test shooting first makes it hard to know how the images are going to turn out and adds to the stress of making "acceptable" work, besides NOT being very Professional.
You should be using the Nikon 70-200mm F/2.8 'cause your lens’ F/3.5-5.6 is not fast enough. and you'll most likely be using 100mm and longer focal lengths and be up around F/4.5-5.6 which means you're going to be 1 ½-2 F/Stops in the hole. And don't be fooled by the VR Marketing, because that's only for "Camera" movement, not your "Subject’s" movement. And your Subjects are going to be moving!!
2dn, you know that when objects are in front of you (i.e., the Cage) the focusing points of your lens will be jumping between the Cage and the Subjects. So… you'll have to Focus Manually! Start practicing, cause the action won't be in one spot and you'll need to know (instinctively) which way to turn the ring when the subject is nearer or farther away from the last Frame. It'll give you a whole new appreciation for the "OLD" Shooters of action sports events (like Football and Basketball) with ALL manual cameras and lenses.
If this event is for FUN, it'll be a good learning experience. Regardless of what others think, indoor arenas are NOT brightly lit. Most likely this is going to be lit from above and cause hard shadows, especially if you’re shooting “up” toward the lights. I've shot lots of Horse Shows indoors, with F/2.8 Lenses, and I still had to use 800+ ISO in order to “Freeze” the action. Partly because the Footing is a dark color and the Subjects are usually dark. But Pan-Blurs were a piece of cake ;-)
Good Luck with this endeavor and don’t forget to LEARN something new!
Regards, Jack


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August 07, 2007

 

Melissa Olsen 		  Thanks for all your tips Jack! I am worried about my lens not being fast enough...but at this point I can't afford another lens and the only other one I have is a 85mm 1.8.

I am doing this as a "favor" for my brother-in-law who is promoting the fight - his usual photographer is out of town. I have told him that I can't guarantee anything since I've never done a sporting event before. I am hoping I can pull this off!


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August 07, 2007

 
- Gregory LaGrange

BetterPhoto Member
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Gregory LaGrange's Gallery 		  You can use the 85. Your framing and where they are in the ring in relative to you are just means that you'll have to pass up on some shots if they end up right in front of you.
Is this going to happen in an arena that host a pro basketball team, or is this a smaller event?


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August 07, 2007

 

Melissa Olsen 		  It is small event, I think it can fit 5,000 people. Thanks again Gregory!


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August 07, 2007

 
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