Sports Photography - Multi Exposures

Mellor

I'm interested in doing a few multiple exposures/composites. I think they can be used excellent in relation to sports photography, but i'm struggle with the best way to apply it to my particular sport of interest (MMA/BJJ/etc).

From what I've seen so far, the technique works best with subjects that move across the frame, such as people flying through the air, or along a track, or some other trajectory.

Such as;


or



The problem I'm having in applying it with MMA/BJJ is that a lot of the movement takes place in the one location. There's enough spinning, rolling, throwing, falling etc, to portray the dynamic movement I want, but its overlaps movement from previous shots in the frame.

Which ends up like this;


Which might be the effect that some people are after, but I don't think it works as well. Here's a shot from the Judo (which would have the same movement issue as BJJ/MMA) at the Olympics, which shows how excessive overlap causes details to be lost.



Another combat sport at the Olympics, Boxing.



This works much better as a photo (don't like the way they were merged though, eg the ropes). But its composite of 3 different instantaneous moments, and not of continuous action.


So, has anybody any suggestions on how to achieve this style with a subject that doesn't change location a whole lot? Any help appreciated.

One idea I had was to set up the angles so the background was mostly monochrome and to "pan" the subject through the frame.

pete4130

It's one of those combinations of the subject and shooting style that don't work well together.

The nature that they are in the same location for a longer period of time means you are left with the overlapping options you've described unless you want to spend a lot of time masking stuff out on multiple exposures.

You could try rear sync flash on a single shot and see how that works. It's not exactly what you're looking for but it could push you in another direction of thought.

kjt

I'd agree with Pete for the most part. It works better when the subject is not moving in the same spot but you can play around with it. With a few layers and working out what you want to be at the forefront, it can work nicely in post.

This is one I tried that worked:

Mellor

kjt wrote: »

With a few layers and working out what you want to be at the forefront, it can work nicely in post.

That one works. And the point about image st the fore front is the kind of tips im after. Maybe 3 shots and assign hierarchy in post.

pete4130 wrote: »

You could try rear sync flash on a single shot and see how that works. It's not exactly what you're looking for but it could push you in another direction of thought.

Rear sync is done thing I'll look at next, whether this multiple exposure works or not

Rew

If I were you I would try get a high angle with a wide lens take shots during the fight and hopefully you can composite multiples tother to show the progression, like the boxing shot.

Another option (from my very limited MMA experience of being to one cage tournament) you could take shots from multiple fights and composite showing lots of fighters hopefully in separate areas of the ring. Much like the muti exposer someone did of all the flights taking off from Dublin airport a while back or the shot from the olympics showing all the competitors on the indoor cycling track at once.

As you said you self it doesn't easily lend its self to the style but I think you can get some nice results.

the_doctor199

It can certainly be done with MMA, it's tricky but your best bet might be to shoot them as a sequence then mask together in Photoshop afterwards. As KJT mentioned, be aware of the physical space in your layers in Photoshop and it looks good (having see through body parts is silly imo). And not too many images in the scene or it will look to crowded and won't convey the same message.

Good luck!

Mellor

I think I'll emerge this thread with 2 or 3 "methods" to try.

Rew wrote: »

If I were you I would try get a high angle with a wide lens take shots during the fight and hopefully you can composite multiples tother to show the progression, like the boxing shot.

I'm going to give the boxing shot a go. It's not movement, but 3 separate instances, but if i get the right action and movement, and I'm in the right place. I might get 3 instances that form 1 sequence.

Another option (from my very limited MMA experience of being to one cage tournament) you could take shots from multiple fights and composite showing lots of fighters hopefully in separate areas of the ring. Much like the muti exposer someone did of all the flights taking off from Dublin airport a while back or the shot from the olympics showing all the competitors on the indoor cycling track at once.

My first attempt will on an open mat not a cage. So wide angle of multi events will work. however, I don't know if I can set up in a fixed location for a long time.
I would be great if I could have a camera fixed at a high angle to capture events over a few matches, but i'm not sure how to do this.

As you said you self it doesn't easily lend its self to the style but I think you can get some nice results.

because if doesn't lend its self well, if I can pull it off it will be more unique.