RobertLynn Offline Upload & Sell: Off
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https://roblynn.smugmug.com/Mixed-Martial-Arts
I forget what year the 7D came out, but I used to shoot a lot of MMA with it, when I got mine. I used mine in tandem with a 1DIII and a 40D. I shot my first MMA event with an original 5D and a 30D. I now shoot with a pair of 1DXs and a 1DIV as a backup. Prior to that, I used 5D3s. Before that, I used 1DIVs. You can say, I've used a heck of a lot of the Canon line up to shoot these events.
Your largest problems in an MMA event will be the lighting. I can deal with the cage. I can deal with shooting over a cage. But bad lighting is a major culprit or crappy pictures. Yes, the cameras can focus in "low light" but we know that the focus is a lot more accurate in more favorable conditions.
You'll find promoters that don't light their events well- you'll have them where the lights are different color temps (in the same environment, but not "blended" so to speak)
https://roblynn.smugmug.com/Mixed-Martial-Arts/2014/CDMMA-10-11114-Altoona-PA/i-GFGB9Xq
Look at the difference between the center of the cage here, and the edges
https://roblynn.smugmug.com/Mixed-Martial-Arts/2014/CDMMA-10-11114-Altoona-PA/i-gpDMtmX
Or really RED mats
https://roblynn.smugmug.com/Mixed-Martial-Arts/2014/Pinnacle-112614/i-P4c5xmT
https://roblynn.smugmug.com/Mixed-Martial-Arts/2015/Pinnacle-10-50915/i-kJ3DRsg
Shooting through the cage sort of sucks with a wider lens. I wish I could just shoot a 70-200 all day, but some cages are smaller than others, you've got to use the 24-70...which gets more of the cage in focus...yuck. You'll have a lot of battles with flare, as well as degradation of image quality due to the fence obscuring the lens, especially at higher ISO.
The shutter speed you want is, bare minimum, 1/800. Use your ISO to adjust. Shoot ISO 6400 if you have to. You need the motion stopped. For the fence- get your lens as close as you can to it. Use a hood and practically press the hood up against it. I've seen a lot of photographers get grief from different commissions for their proximity to the cage or other officials. It's important to generate a good rapport with these folks.
Don't bother the officials. Don't try and get them to move for you. Don't spill sodas anywhere, reek of cig smoke, body odor, whatever. Don't wear offensive clothing. Your job as a journalist is to be low key. I wear a shirt with my name on it, and "MEDIA" on the back. I always make sure to secure my credentials and be professional. Sure, you may not be making a pile of money on the gig- but you better bet your ass you're being judged on the way you behave.
I didn't generate the reputation I have by being the best photographer out there; I'm certainly not. I'd be willing to bet Scott Kelby could come to one of my events and whoop my ass with a camera! I generated my reputation as the best MMA photographer in our area based upon my interactions with promoters, commissions, fighters, fans, et cet. That's sort of true- a lot of it had to do with my interactions with training camps. I have trained Judo and JuJitsu for over a decade now. I also happened to be a photographer with the gear to shoot weddings...much the same as you need for MMA. I ended up shooting as press for the 2nd MMA show that was legalized in PA...one I had to pay to get in! (those days are long gone lol). From there I watched how I carried myself. If you piss off a fan, you piss off a promoter. If you piss off the promoter, count on never being back.
Count on other photographers being there and causing you grief. Some just don't know what they don't know. Count on people stealing your photographs. Count on LOSING money doing it. Count on fighters being angry you don't give your work away.
The best thing I can tell you is this- buy the best camera you can afford. I think that one of the best values in a cameras right now is a used 1DMK IV. They shoot ISO 6400 very well and I'd have no problem starting over with them tomorrow.
You can decide how you want to shoot- do you want to be an MMA photographer, a PJ, or an event photographer. In my opinion, they all do something a little different. I have a lot of MMA photographer friends that go apeshit over shooting weigh in pics, stare downs, walk outs. Truth be told- I've sold so few of those. People love the action shots the most. The people that are doing the "cute" things with the gloves on the mat, or fence out of focus...it's like tribal tattoos. Been there, done that. Not needed lol.
Oh...SHOOT RAW. JPG sucks. NO FLASH DURING A FIGHT!!!!!!!
Be prepared to jockey the wheel for a focus point, for settings (ISO) when you're in challenging situations too!
Be prepared to hate your first few gigs...and every gig after.
But have a blast doing it!!!
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