Portraits of up and coming fighters

Fighting is such a raw and primal discipline, and I think it is important as a photographer to try to capture that essence. Sporting spectacles like MMA and boxing continue to be popular across the world, and people love to watch fighters in the ring. But, there is more to being a fighter than simply throwing punches, it is about presence, power, character. And I feel that these photos go a long way towards capturing the true nature of these up and coming pugilists. 

The profile of a fighter is one of the first things people notice, and I find this very striking. You can see the differences between these fighters, their image, and the way they look. But, these photos all convey that they have a unique power and presence. I chose to go with close-up portrait photography to try to show that the features of every fighter are different, but they all possess that innate primal instinct that fighters have. 

No matter the different facial profiles, bodies, hair, and tattoos these fighters have, they are all uniquely beautiful and striking. Trying to capture this as a photographer is really exciting, and it gives such a great perspective into the raw, primal appeal of fighting as a discipline. 

These guys have sculpted bodies and expressive faces that were a joy to photograph and made the editorial photography process really simple. I particularly liked the way their tattoos were able to stand out, and the muscle definition of their bodies told its own story.