A recent martial arts event

My son is doing some marital arts now and at one of the events recently, the instructors got to show off some of their skills.
This is in a basketball gym with typical lighting for that situation. I was far away, this is what I came up with.

As for learning....I would like to understand how to be more deliberate with my subject and composition in this type of situation. Can you guys help me with how to 'flatten out' the background in these settings?

Thanks

Corey

Couple speedlights on your subject and drop your ambient with your shutter by two stops.


(it sounds so easy doesn't it?)

Yes it is a crop.

My guess is that the lens that you were using was wide open at f4.5.  This kind of limits what you can do to stop action and blur backgrounds.  You are into one situation where there is no substitute for speed. 

If you look, this appears to be over exposed.  The kickers leg was likely directly under one of the flood lights on the ceiling.  You could have gotten away with shooting at 125 instead of 60.  Also, in this situation, I regularly shoot my D200s at ISO 800 or 1600.  This would have gotten you closer to 250 and would have stopped the action better if not completely.

As for the background:  I think that you really mean "blur" the background, not "flatten".  For this you need to either get closer (which will narrow you DOF) or get a lens with a wider maximum aperture (which will do the same thing at a given distance.)

I think that your compsition is fine.  I might crop a little tighter (to the flag, but leave it in, and from the bottom.  Getting the peak of the action is very difficult.  You have come very close here, you may even have hit it!  This requires several things which all come down to shooting a lot.  First, you need to know and understand what is going on so that you can anticipate the peak and be ready for it.  Second, you need to know your camera extremely well and be able to prefocus on the correct spot and hit the shutter just before you want you image.  There is always a lag in an SLR but it should be consistant so that if you do this enough you will increase, but never perfect, your success rate.

Work, work, work, work, work . . . that's all I ever recommend any more!

Ed

Thank you Ed, I think we were typing at the same time and I just saw your response.
I should have put on my heftier lens. I will have to get it out. I dont use it that much because I havent taken the time to get to know it. Finishing typing, and immediately changing lens.
Yes, I do intend that I would like the background blurred and it makes sense what you are saying. Sometimes I just have to hear it again.
Thank you for the compliments. This was my very first martial arts event and I had no idea what to expect or when to expect it, so thank you.

Corey

Oh I know Susie, Im not expecting to make it look like its not in a gym, I just want to be shooting in the best way for the environment.


...Brides are funny!   Im glad they have you.

cool John, thanks.