Below are some photographs I shot recently of one of First Tae Kwon Do’s Western Australian senior instructors in action. The sky was somewhat overcast and the sun was beginning to set, so the lighting conditions were excellent. Considering the very limited time for this photographic session (only around 10–15 minutes of actual shooting time), the results are satisfactory. More time would have allowed for more techniques and experimentation with positioning. As usual, my 85 mm prime lens did not disappoint.
This photograph worked out well; the subject’s face is clearly visible and the technique itself creates a somewhat balanced ‘Y’ configuration with a flow of movement from the lower right to the upper left. The subject’s belt, even though captured in spontaneous action, shows the embroidery on both belt ends nicely. FTKD WA has displayed this photograph on its Instagram site.
This second photograph might be better displayed with a 5:4 aspect ratio if used in a different context. (Here on my website, it is more for the purposes of posterity and attribution.) That said, sometimes it’s better to include more of the background scene to give some context to the action portrayed.
Although not captured at the peak moment of action, I like this third photograph the best. (A fraction of a second later would have been better, and I was limited to shooting at only 5 fps at the time.) It captures the subject’s absolute concentration and balance even in mid-air. Notice the symmetry in the two open palms on either side of the central action, almost like wings in a powerful downbeat.
The fourth photograph shows the quintessential Tae Kwon Do flying side kick. Framing the subject more loosely would have shown the technique’s height off the ground, but the subject would obviously have been less detailed. Shooting from a lower angle would have isolated the subject against the sky more, but would also have lost some of the context. It’s often a question of finding the right balance between things to achieve the effect you want, and different combinations will be better for different photographic aims.