Cage Fighting is gaining each day more and more fans around the world. Due to spectacular arenas all covered with wire, from which the fighters cannot leave, and more violent blows than those used in boxing, this is the fighting of the new generation.
During one of the few Cage Fighting events that took place in Portugal, I had full access to both the backstage area, and the arena. I was able to photograph the violence of the fighting and the spectacular effects of the cage in a photograph. This show, that was packed of spectators, took place in Maia, a city in northern Portugal where there are many supporters of fighting sports.
In this event there were fighters from Portugal, Spain, France, Brazil, England and Romania and were amateurs, professionals and veterans. Some were former boxers who converted to the cages, other, younger, began fighting in the cages and look at the boxing veterans with some sleaze. Meanwhile, the elders try to prove that they have padding to fight any type of ring. I chose to treat the photos in black and white to focus our attention only on the bodies of fighters and their expressions, conveying the ferocity of their attacks and their intensity. At the same time, black and white makes disappear the reader’s view from distractions. The photos were taken with a Canon 5d mark3, with a Sigma 50mm art 1.4, without any use of flash. There were a lot of challenges with the autofocus, due to the cage, therefore I had to use just on focus point and no follow focus. [Official Website]
