serious action shots

[farmerj]

Comments and suggestions appreciated.

This is the third event I have photographed like this. The second with my D90.

These are from the Northshield Crown tourney on Sat May 9th. This is only a couple samples. I have a total selection of 94 that I am working with. These fighters go full force and hold nothing back. As a result, NO FLASH is allowed.

Mind, These pictures have been seriously reduced in size for posting on the web. Otherwise they are unedited or uncropped.

Reduced from 300 to 72 DPI and resized to 15%

Nikon D90, Nikkor 50mm f/1.8 set to either f/2.8 or f/3.5 Apeture Priority Setting. ISO set to 1250 for most of the day.

building is the indoor hockey arena for the Chaska MN Fitness Center.

 

[KmH]

The backgrounds are pretty busy and the fighters lack separation from that background.

A longer focal length lens would help to blur the background and give some separation.

It looks like a hocky rink? Could you shoot from the ends rather than from the sides?

When I shoot soccer I usually stand right beside the goal and shoot the long axis of the field to minimize background distractions. I shoot the team that is moving towards me so I get faces and expressions.

Those helmets don't help a whole lot with faces and expressions, but still that's what sells.

 

[farmerj]

The list field (fighting area) is an area roughly 60X60 feet at one end of the hockey rink. Behind me 20 feet is the penalty and team boxes. The entire field is surrounded by people spectating it as well.

Think of shooting a boxing ring or a martial arts match.


Another way to explain what happens here.

There are two grown adult males (sometimes females) going at each other with baseball bats, FULL force. This is not choreographed. This is real renaissance fighting with ratan swords and staffs. Image someone hitting a baseball for a home run, and CATCHING the ball HITTING the bat. That's the force these guys are using. The better fighters take actual fencing and martial arts. This particular match was for the Crown of the Northshield Kingdom.


I hear what you are saying, just making sure I am fulling explaining the match. I do plan on trying some of your suggestions.

Instead of "standing", I was hoping to create the effect that the fighters were "larger than life", to do that, I laid on my right side. Partly to be courteous to those sitting behind me watching the matches as well.

I am in the process of acquiring a Tamron 17-50mm f/2.8 lens for the comming match on Memorial day weekend. This match however will be outside. 50mm prime lens was too long when the fighters got within 15 feet of me.

 

[inTempus]

That's some SERIOUS nerdiness.

I have to admit though, when the Society for Creative Anachronism had events in the park in the town where I grew up, I went and watched. I thought it was incredibly nerdy then too... but it was fun to watch.

I also get a kick out of the Ren Fests. I love how serious some of those folks taken themselves.

Good stuff.