Punching out of the norm: a unique look at sports photography

Lessons in lighting

“One of the biggest challenges I faced was lighting,” reveals Ray. “During the day, the light was much brighter near the cave mouth and nearly black towards the end of the cave. I used speedlights to manage the lighting contrast and creatively shape the light to my needs.” Keeping his kitbag light and the set-up simple, Ray opted for several Nikon SB-5000 speedlights paired with the WR-R10 to wirelessly trigger and control the flashes via the Nikon CLS system to get around the problem. “This set-up proved invaluable!” he says. “Especially when the flashes were positioned at the top of a 7m light stand. Later, I asked Misha to throw some horizontal jumps with aerial poses, lighting them with just one hard speedlight on the floor of the cave, which cast distinct shadows on the walls. By keeping the lighting minimal, it’s easy to feel disoriented and I was able to rotate the images in almost any orientation depending on the desired effect. I hope the viewer feels as if they’re floating in space with these images.”

Top tip: “When night fell, it got really dark. Seeing, let alone focusing, on the action became a challenge. But having someone shine a headlamp on the boxers gave enough light to see and get sharp, in-focus pictures.”

Creating captivating compositions

True to his approach of travelling light, Ray used the NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S, NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S, and NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S to bring his vision to life. “The 14-24mm was a clear choice to capture the expanse of the cave and really showcase the environment, while the 24-70mm is one of my most used lenses and gave me the perfect range for the images where the boxers took more of a central focus,” he explains. “I used the 70-200mm for focusing in on a subject and compressing backgrounds at the longer focal lengths. Growing up boxing myself, I saw the cave not so much as a background but as a representation of the inner mindscape of the fighter – a place of focus, discipline and challenging one’s fears. I had some preconceived concepts going into the cave, such as elongated and distorted shadows to represent the inner stories of the fighter and the cave being a strong character in the pictures. In exploring this otherworldly environment, I tried to stay open and, in keeping the set-up simple, I was able to stay mobile and adjust to what the cave presented me with.”

While composing, Ray relied upon the camera’s EVF, with its 60fps refresh rate and 5760k-dot resolution to frame his images. “The EVF was a revelation!” he says. “It’s so bright, clean and sharp and feels strikingly close to the optical viewfinders I love. It helped to be able to really see what was going on in the frame, especially in the very dark environment of the cave.”

Top tip: “Capturing powerful action is one thing, but I also like to play with the environment as a character. Try to capture not so much what you see, but the feeling of the moment and how the action transforms and blends with the environment.”

Keep it snappy

Unless the intention is creative blur, keep your shutter speeds high for crisp, sharp images. “I used high shutter speeds – 1/500 secs or faster in daylight – to freeze the action,” says Ray. “However, when using flash, the approach changed. If the flashes overpowered the ambient light, I could rely on the flashes’ short duration to freeze the motion instead of the shutter speed. I use similar settings in a traditional boxing setting. What really changed was the creative approach and figuring out all the challenges the cave presented.”

The H+ (Continuous High Extended) mode was another of the camera’s features that Ray used to capture the high-speed action, enabling up to 120fps at 10 MP. “During daylight I grabbed a few with the high speed burst mode, and found it pretty amazing,” he says. “It let me minimise the number of takes on a given image with critical timing, leaving me more time to explore other creative possibilities. I photographed almost entirely in RAW for maximum image quality and flexibility, but I did turn to JPEG for the high-speed burst modes.”

Top tip: The improvement in the Z6III’s VR opens up a lot of creative possibilities, especially with motion blurs, panning and photographing in very low-light conditions.

Focus first

Using AF-C with 3D Tracking allowed Ray to select the focus point of the action photo, lock onto it, and have the camera track it seamlessly as it moves. “The autofocus on the Z6III performed wonderfully, locking onto the action without getting lost in the flying punches, so that I could give my full attention to framing and capturing the moment.”

Top tip: “I always customise the settings to my needs, so a good tip for action photography is to set the camera to continuous AF and set AF-On button to control the focus exclusively. This way I focus with AF-On when I need to and can take a picture at any time, as even a moment’s hesitation could mean a missed opportunity.”

The Nikon Z6III in review

What was your first impression of the Nikon Z6III?

“The Nikon Z6III exceeded my expectations, feeling like a mini Nikon Z8 or Z9! Coming from those cameras I felt very comfortable with the Z6III and was very impressed by its speed and handling. Just a few weeks ago, I used the Z6III alongside the Z8 for the Red Bull Dual Ascent – a rock-climbing competition, where I was climbing a rope up a 220m dam. I used the Z6III over the Z9 to save weight and was very happy with its performance.”

How did it handle the conditions inside the cave?

“Inside the cave was extremely dusty, especially with the boxers dancing around. With me often lying on the ground to get dynamic angles, the camera ended up completely covered with a fine layer of dust by the end. No worries, though. I just gave the camera a quick wipe down afterwards and it was ready for the next project.”

How did the Z6III help you to bring your vision to life?

“With the camera’s overall speed, reliable focus and familiar handling of the Z8 and Z9, the Z6III just let me stay focused on creatively capturing the action. Plus the viewfinder is awesome!”

Who would you recommend this camera to?

“Anybody getting deeper into action and sports photography. But, on the flip side, experienced pros who might need a lighter camera in their arsenal or an additional lightweight body as a B or C cam for filming.”

What’s the secret to making the most of this camera?

“Take some time to really get to know the camera and customise the set-up to your needs. Then get it out there and throw this camera into the action!”

Kitbag

Nikon Z6III

NIKKOR Z 70-200mm f/2.8 VR S

NIKKOR Z 24-70mm f/2.8 S

NIKKOR Z 14-24mm f/2.8 S

Nikon SB-5000 speedlights

WR-R10 wireless trigger

Gimbal