Amateur Boxing

kman

kman

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First go at this kind of sports photography - just amateur boxers at a charity event to which I was offered ringside photography.

Light conditions were not great and was concerned about using flash during the fights so I pushed the ISO mostly between 4000 and 6400, using D700 and 50mm f/1.4 AF-S at around f/2.2 to f/2.8.

Here's a few from a total of 6 fights....

C&C welcome.

1. arty shot



2.

3.

4.

5. eye of the tiger?



6.
 
Nice shots, I did some kids circuit training tonight but just used my kit lens. They was more snaps than anything, wish I'd put the 50mm on now and worked that bit more as your pictures are so much better.
 
Yes I think a super fast prime in such scenarios (high shutter speed, no flash) is the key really. I started the night with a f.2.8 zoom but soon found its just not letting enough light in quickly enough and luckily I bought my prime along which just about produced these images with the ISO maxed out at 6400 and enough shutter speed to freeze action. I havent applied too much noise reduction either as I think the grainy effect works ok but the problem is having such a shallow dof and getting both fighters sharply focussed (in most cases didnt happen).
 
Smashing shots.... the first one makes a great great ad shot if cropped in from the right. To just into the glove.
 
Hi. Like #1, but its a bit overexposed, esp on the glove. The others are good action shots, but seem a bit soft. Have you seen
http://www.snaplocally.com/
He's on another forum, I think he's an amateur but he knocks spots off a lot of combat sports photographers.
 
There are some very good shots there with #1 standing out. For action ones though I think #3 and #15 are very good, telling a story of 100% effort. Noise isn't too bad either considering how high your ISO was.
 
Photodiva said:
Hi. Like #1, but its a bit overexposed, esp on the glove. The others are good action shots, but seem a bit soft. Have you seen
http://www.snaplocally.com/
He's on another forum, I think he's an amateur but he knocks spots off a lot of combat sports photographers.
Click to expand...


Thats some nice stuff on that site. Softness is down to shallow dof and the AF trying to keep with the movement of boxers - not easy especially once they within a few feet of me. I didn't use a flash (the boxers wouldnt appreciate it) hence I had to keep the aperture wide to let enough light in.
 
Nice photos!

Good to see some boxing photos on here, a bit of a change from the norm.
 
I really fancy taking some boxing shots, how did you manage to get into this? Interested me for a while now.
 
Mackie said:
I really fancy taking some boxing shots, how did you manage to get into this? Interested me for a while now.
Click to expand...

Best thing is to approach some amateur boxing clubs. Around my town there are several who came together for this charity evening. I was allowed to shoot by the venue operators who were part of the event organisation.
 
I've been asked to do a boxing shoot next month and didn't have a clue where to start (other than to use a high ISO and no flash), so thanks for these! :D
 
Photodiva said:
Hi. Like #1, but its a bit overexposed, esp on the glove. The others are good action shots, but seem a bit soft. Have you seen
http://www.snaplocally.com/
He's on another forum, I think he's an amateur but he knocks spots off a lot of combat sports photographers.
Click to expand...

Just had a quick look, great pics! Do you know how he gets onto their level?
 
Mrs B said:
Just had a quick look, great pics! Do you know how he gets onto their level?
Click to expand...

Hi. I imagine he is ringside and shoots from under the bottom rope or through the cage. Some shots may be from standing on the edge of the ring..
 
nice shots in difficult light. bet you took loads to get the action shots didn't you?
 
The photos are very high contrast! no detail in the blacks and whites blown out.The photos might look better if contrast was reduced?
 
I really like 1,3 and 15 as well.

Thanks for listing your equipment...I've been thinking of boxing for a few weeks and wondered if my 50 1.4 would be suitable. Good to hear it is! :)
 
As mentioned the contrast is way OTT and gives bad skintones.. quite red.. However having done a lot of boxing and looking at the exif I can see you where in simmilar conditions to what i am used to.. Do whetever you need to get the shot.. Personally I had the shutter down a bit from your 640 to 320 and still at iso 6400.. On a short lens you have more leeway with the shutter:)

To others asking.. Boxing is easy enough to get into at this level.. just contact your local boxing clubs they are always having exhibition matches with around 15 bouts...

Shoot from a nutural corner... have a stool/chair and dont bother if you ahve back problems because you will be doing a lot of twisting and moving taking a big strain on your back in funny positions..

I use a prime f2 35mm lens.. Quicker to find the shot when you take away the zoom and a 35mm on my crop camera is perfect for me.. gets my the full picture when they are at far side of ring and closups when they come near...

i have the center point on the canon ikle joypad thing so i can quickly move it about.. your at a shallow doff and fighters are seperated so I have the ability to quickly switch the point from one side tro the other.. set on 9 points.. set higher and it goes all over the place when your rushing ..

If shooting in a sports halll then you really should know how to manually set your white balance.. you dont want to be shooting in raw unless you have gig after gig of cards as you take so many shots.. no time for chimping.. If not a sports hall then see whichdirection lighting is coming from as its rarely evenly setup all round..


Some of mine.. includes younger aba at the blackburn venues http://www.kipax.com/index.php?g=COMBAT
NOTE: Pics not meant as portfolio , not even meant to be the best.. they are for sale (counters all got reset last week)


As with any indoor sport.. never be afraid to push the iso up to max :)
 
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Thanks for the tips and bringing this thread back up again! Certainly would love to do more of this kinda stuff and will try and seek out some boxing clubs

And will note the tip to set custom white balance and shoot jpeg instead!
 
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