'Scuse me...one side...smark with camera coming through...

I’ve been intrigued by photography and pro wrestling (individually, not together) at various point throughout my entire life.  I didn't seriously acquire "the sickness" until around '99 or 2000, when I began sitting myself down and watching RAW and Smackdown start to finish. Likewise, I was never more than a casual snapshot-taker until my dad (a lifelong amateur shutterbug who specialized in travel photography) passed away in late-2002 and I came into possession of his cache of 35mm camera gear. There was something about holding those old Konica SLR’s and looking through the viewfinders. Forgive me if I sound a bit mystical, but at that moment, it felt right to pursue photography as a hobby.

Which beggared the question: So what did I really want to photograph?  By then, I was already searching out local indy federations to further feed my wrestling jones.  "Eureka!" I exclaimed...or maybe it was "Duh!"..."I'll photograph pro wrestling matches!" Moreover, that Moment of Zen gave birth to Stiff Shots Wrestling Photography (whose name, as well as its motto "When We Shoot, We Work!" reflects my fondness for both "sports entertainment" [ugh] and really, really bad puns).

After snapping shots from the audience for several months, I finally worked up the courage to ask a couple of local promoters if I could shoot ringside, even though they often had "official" photographers.  To my utter shock, more than a few of them said "Sure, no problem!"  Suddenly, I was crouched by the ring apron, trying to keep the action in focus while dodging video crews, managers, valets, and the occasional wrestler flying through the ropes.  Nevertheless, I was also capturing all the high spots, low blows, trash talking, and organized chaos from a "you are there!" perspective. (Did I hear someone say "combat photography?" Closer than you think, pal...)

It wasn’t long before promoters were inviting me backstage to shoot promo poses and candid pix of the wrestlers, many of whom started looking forward to the scans I’d upload to their websites. I also made a conscientious decision to give both the wrestlers and myself the best images I could, and began investing in pro-grade cameras and lenses, high-resolution film, and the like. (Could I get the same shots with a bargain digicam, or cheap Kodak film from the local supermarket?  Maybe.  But when I look at a 2400dpi scan right off one of my negatives and can count the beads of sweat on a wrestler’s face, I don’t regret one cent of my investment.) Through research and near-constant shooting, I’m always working to improve my photographic technique: I want it Brighter!  Sharper!  More Action Packed!

My current 35mm setup is Canon top-to-bottom: EOS 3 body with Speedlite 550EX flash and either a 24-70mm or a 70-200m zoom lens, both f/2.8 L-class. I also use an EOS 1 with a 50mm f/1.8 lens exclusively for promo shots, in conjunction with an assortment of photo backdrops and studio flashes; basically, I can walk into any wrestling show and have a professional portrait studio up and running in thirty minutes. I shoot Kodak Supra 400 film (ringside) and Kodak Portra 160 (promo); after making high-resolution scans directly from the negatives, I color and brightness correct by hand prior to uploading to web sites or online galleries.

Wrestling photography has become my favorite hobby.  It's a way of being involved in wrestling shows without actually getting in the ring (the occasional mid-match collision with wrestlers outside the ring not withstanding!). From a fan's perspective, it's neat to rub elbows with the workers backstage as they plan out their matches.  It's extremely neat to have someone like Mike Tenay remember you from a previous show and greet you with a handshake, to give Ariel or April Hunter or Tara Charisma first peeks at your newest shots of them, or to have Alexis Laree point me out to a fellow wrestler and declare "He's a professional."

So the next time you're at a wrestling show and you see a guy with grey hair, black leather pants, and waaaaay too much camera gear hunkered down at ringside, that'll be yours truly trying to live up to the credo "There's no shot like a Stiff Shot!"