I was fortunate enough to be able to attend the Krav Maga Winter Training Camp this year as both a photographer and a student. I couldn’t actually tell you how much fun it was, because you wouldn’t believe me. Thanks to James and Shannon Hiromasa at Colorado Krav Maga for hosting the event.
For those photography buffs out there, I did want to share a few pictures, and discuss action photography in low light of mixed sources.
Jeff Jimmo demostrates controlling your opponent for the Krav Maga class.
In a shot like that above, there is a mixed lighting source of flourescent and daylight coming in through the venue doors. Additionally, flash photography is a big no-no in a teaching environment, because it has a tendency to completely distract the class. So you need to be able to catch quick action, but at the same time be able to be discreet.
In all these images, lighting temperature was an issue. While I set the camera up for fluorescent lighting, even those have varying temperatures. I shot all the files in RAW and tried to balance them with my eyes in photoshop to overcome. While the pictures aren’t 100% consistent, they are plenty good for their respective application.
For all the shots on this assignment, I used a Canon Mk III 1D with a 24-70 EF 2.8 L lens. I also had a Sigma F1.4 50mm on hand, but didn’t use it because the Depth of Focus is too short in action photography to capture much of anything.
Krav Maga knife defense drills.
In the shot above, two students are moving very quickly to grapple with each other to avoid a shock from the much feared “shock knife” which can deliver 7,500 volts to your neck. Not pleasant. The trick here is to stop action, and stay out of the way of the students.
For both of the shots above, I used the same setup, and shot mainly a F2.8. The trick is that I used ISO 3200 for all the shots. Some would say that this is an unusable ISO, but for indoor action, it works quite well. I find that with the Canon Mk III 1D, shooting at ISO 3200 is not a problem, as long as exposed – or even over exposed. The noise is not distracting in most normal sized prints, and it much preferred to motion blur or underexposed shots at ISO 1600 pushed to far beyond their limits. However, if you severly underexpose ISO 3200, there is no way to recover a decent photo, even when using RAW.
Even at ISO 3200, I was able to slightly underexpose all of these image to help keep shutter speeds high, and then push the images 1/2-1 stop in Adobe Camera Raw before bringing them into Photoshop.
The drama is in the struggle in Krav Maga.
To convey the life and death struggles that Krav Maga training can put you in, I often focused on the strained facial expressions of the participants involved. When shooting in a crowded gym with over 200 people drilling, wide angles can be distracting.
Shock Knife defense is no joke.
That glowing blade is the spark coming off the taser-like portion of the training implement. Had I used a flash and overridden the ambient lighting, the blue/purple spark would have completely disappeared from the image.
Sometimes a bit of motion blurring is acceptable and shows action in the frame.
John Whitman demonstrates gun defense from behind at a distance.
This show could be better without motion blur, but it does show the quickness at which John Whitman can take away your gun and then beat you to a bloody pulp.
Remember your audience when shooting.
Even though you may want to focus on the drama of the situation, and the action, remember what your images will be used for by the organizers and teachers. Use a variety of angles and positions to showcase those involved in organizing and teaching at an event like this. They will appreciate being able to show others what they do. It will also help the training schools demonstrate the level of interest in both their martial art, and the instructors teaching it. Not every shot has to be an action shot.
So in summation, photography is almost always a trade off. Motion blur or noise was the compromise I was forced into for this event. Learning your gear will help you mitigate any negative consequences of the trade-off and keep you prepared for the challenging situations as they arrive.
Hope this post helps you in your low light adventures, whether it be martial arts, basketball, or even youth hockey.
