Shooting a Boxing Match

Doug

Doug

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Doug
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I am shooting a boxing match in the near future and feel it is a good excuse for more kit

Currently have:

D300
70-200 F2.8 (Sigma)
18-70 (Nikon)

Now I know that flashes won't be welcome there (thanks to the suggestions in my lighting thread) so thinking I should concentrate on faster glass.

Is a 50mm 1.8 going to be a decent enough focal distance?

I will have all areas access so getting right up to the ring won't be a problem.
 
If I was you with a D300 - I'd use a 17-55mm f/2.8 - job done!
 
awp said:
If I was you with a D300 - I'd use a 17-55mm f/2.8 - job done!
Click to expand...

Believe me if I had the funds that would deffo be in the camera bag :love:

Sadly the funds do not allow such a purchase atm
 
well I answered your question! :) 50mm is too long. Use you 18-70 and up the ISO.
 
we went to cardiff to watch the khan and gomez fight, and my friend took in a 350d with a std kit lens wacked up the iso (think he went all the way to 1600) and the photos came out well,
 
awp said:
well I answered your question! :) 50mm is too long. Use you 18-70 and up the ISO.
Click to expand...

Ahhh ok.

I did wonder about 50mm being abit too long!

I suppose I could pick up a 35mm 1.4/1.8 if I can find one for a decent price :)
 
I think you'd still be better with a zoom - but depends on the eventual use and whether croping afterwards will adversly affect the quality you need.
 
Just stick your camera in the ring and you will be fine
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Not great examples - but I wouldn't argue with a boxer. ;)
 
So that's what I am worried about. The dark conditions!

What sort of focal range were they taken at?
 
78mm
78mm
66mm
unknown

from the EXIF

but all at far side of ring and lack punch!
 
i used the d300 and the 16-85vr most turned out well and find even being ringside you need a zoom, lighting varies a lot from venue to venue some brightly lit some not so, have done5 amateur comps and 2 pro tournaments and have been allowed to use flash at both.

best lens is the 17-55 f2.8
 
Poor lighting around because the Ring was located Amongst the night life of Thailand:love:
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I've covered a few boxing matches over the years.
Firstly I'd use a zoom. My preference was 28-70f2.8 so your 18-70 is the nearest. I did use flash as it was allowed. If TV is there then lighting may be better and flash not needed. Always best to check with the promoters first.

Next take plenty of shots. Boxers are notorious for feint a punch. If using flash watch out for the ropes and make sure they dont block your flash. Best place is under the bottom rope with off camera flash bracket.

Finally you can get some good "corner" shots but be careful where you position yourself and dont wear a white shirt...... you may end up with blood spatters all over you :thumbs:
 
Done plenty of boxing - I have two bodies with me. One with 28-70 (2.8) and the other with 70-200 (2.8) on it.

To be honest it is the 28-70 that gets used most - if you are ringside it covers the ring quite OK.
I have never been to an event where flash was allowed - and wouldn't like to use one myself. But - each to their own.

Would not recomend a prime (once again, personal preference) as it gives you no flexibility to zoom in or out of the action.

I try to keep my shutter speeds min 1/400 - 1/500 - set ISO and aperture accordingly. Depending on the light, I've been able to get away with ISO800 - and other times had to do ISO3200, so depends on the lights.

Manual is my usual setting, the light is normally quite consistent in the ring so once you have it set to the way you like it.. just stick with it.
And don't worry about leaving the crowd dark - just get the exposure right on the boxers.

Got plenty of boxing stuff on my Zenfolio.. some good, some not so :D
If you feel like having a look..

The outcome of your shots depends a lot on the boxers - sometimes you get fights where almost 'nothing' happens and you're lucky to get a handful a decent shots.
THen at other times you can have a three minute fight and end up with 100 decent shots..
 
Try getting hold of a used Tamron 28-75mm 2.8 just over £200 if your lucky, with that and the high ISO of your D300 it should be a good combination ;) i got the 2 below at a boxing tournament in Thailand, well more of an exhibition really, but i was quite a bit away from the stage, with D300 and 18-200m lens, which is far from the best for this sort of thing, but i bumped the ISO right up, exif should be intact on these.

1
Boxing1resized.jpg


2
boxing2resized.jpg
 
Here some of my boxing pics

These were taken with my tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 with flash
http://balsanghera.com/photography/2009/03/sarj-fight-280209/

These were taken with my sony 18-70mm kit lens cant remember if I had flashgun at this point.
http://balsanghera.com/photography/2008/11/sarj-cruiserweight-title-fight-041008/

Both sets were shot using auto :bonk: but I now have a better understanding of using apature mode etc and the next set of pics I take at a boxing match should be a huge improvement!
 
I shoot a fight night (kick boxing, mma, boxing, K1 etc) and use the flash
I didn't at first but there is so much gig lighting in the latter venues that it makes no odds and I use a diffuser so as not to glare the fighters.

I use cheapish f2.8 glass but don't run at that aperture all the time
f2.8 iso 1600 and 1/100 ish without flash
f3-4 iso 400 and 1/100 - 1/120 ish ...off the top of my head

if you're ringside then 50mm cropped will be far too close to the action for most of it
you could get away with 20-30mm maybe?

Also don't stick the camera to your face and then get your camera kicked as fighters stick their feet out beneath the ropes...I got far too close and got clobbered a few times in one night...daft and I learnt!

(but obviously not the first time it happened! although that first one was bouncing against the ropes before a match :p)

just my two pence

p.s examples on flickr or here

oh yeah! final thought, if you do get ring side and use a flash(+diffuser) then don't shadow your shots by shooting the flash whilst it's against the ropes... DOH
 
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