Comments on: adam smith – fight journal https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/ burn is an online feature for emerging photographers worldwide. burn is curated by magnum photographer david alan harvey. Wed, 07 Sep 2016 08:29:51 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.2.4 By: Sean Gallagher https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-100225 Sat, 15 Oct 2011 07:11:41 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-100225 Adam…Picked up a copy of Elle Men here in China today, as I have an image and story in there this month. Was flicking through the magazine and noticed your story was in there too, with the credit Adam Smith/Burn! Nice job. If you haven’t seen it, let me know and I could scan and send. Best, Sean

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By: Chris & Jessica – ADAM SMITH. BLOG. https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-75837 Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:55:27 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-75837 […] met Chris while working on my ongoing Fight Journal project. Chris is a fighter and coach at Charlies Combat Club. He was one of the first people I met […]

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By: bear cieri https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-62387 Wed, 03 Feb 2010 17:20:29 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-62387 Nice work Adam.

From a purely aesthetic point of view the story was very successful. I really enjoyed the visual beauty of many of the images. I’m thinking particularly of numbers 1, 3 and 17. This clean look may add to the sense of thinness others have added to the critique.

Regarding the story aspect, I am a bit confused. Overall I think the story is about MMA fighters as a whole, but one particular person makes several appearances throughout. I feel the project may be more successful if you focused your attention on a single subject and really develop that person’s story. If you want to encompass the sport as a whole, I think we need to see more faces.

All in all a good story and a great start. I hope to see more from this project.

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By: Gustav Liliequist https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-62264 Mon, 01 Feb 2010 17:24:52 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-62264 Very good photography of an interesting subject matter. Part of the challenge with regard to the subject matter is going beyond action sports photography and I think you are succeeding in this respect. Another challenge, in my view, is portraying MMA as something which is not simply brutal. Although MMA certainly has a very brutal side, it is also, as you submit, “disciplined.”

It is probably easy for the casual observer to dismiss MMA as little more than brutal, but with a little bit more study of the subject matter at hand it becomes clear not only that comprehesive technical skills are key for success in this area but also that a considerable amount of respect exists between the fighters. My suggestion would be to focus a bit more on conveying this side in the future.

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By: Adam Smith https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-62135 Sat, 30 Jan 2010 16:33:27 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-62135 Andrei — I used a Nikon D80 / Tamaron 17-55 and a Nikon d700 with 35mm1.8

All — Thank you so much for your comments and insights. I’m very excited to continue the project and take it to the next level.

Adam

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By: Tommy https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-62117 Sat, 30 Jan 2010 12:00:55 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-62117 Adam Smith – well done on this fine publication.

Some nice photography here. My only criticism would be in the portrayal of the subject matter – I wonder that it doesn’t accurately portray the brutality of the actual ‘sport’. Perhaps it is the edit from what is the larger project described by DAH and Bob Black, but for me it just falls a little short imho of portraying MMA which is brutal in all its poetic choreography. All that being said the photography is good. Enough said.

Congrats and well done,

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By: Andrei https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-62052 Fri, 29 Jan 2010 11:47:54 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-62052 Veri nice work, Adam! Love the atmosphere!
Can you tell me what camera do you use and what are the lenses you most often work with?
Much appreciated!

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By: Chad D. https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61995 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:11:06 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61995 Adam,
Congrats on being published in Burn Magazine. I know how much time and energy you have invested in this project and I am glad to see it paying off. There is an intriguing spread of comments here in regards to your essay. Some people have enjoyed it, some have turned away in distaste, but many people have taken the time to tell you what they think of it, which I believe is the sign that you did the job you set out to do. Your photographs capture a world that the majority of the population (and I suspect all of your viewers here) will never know or partake in. It opens people’s eyes to something they know nothing about; something they can’t relate to, understand, or even hope to feel. For me, having been next to you as you learned about and studied this “sport”, and also having been on the other end of the camera, with you photographing my battered face and scarred fists covered in another man’s blood for reasons that no one but me will ever understand, I commend you on capturing the emotions, the isolation, the brotherhood, and the immense energy of this hobby, this sport, and this life. Cheers and best of luck in your future work. I am excited to see where you take this project and your future projects.

Take care-
Chad

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By: Jason Hobbs https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61983 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 18:15:14 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61983 Hi,

Its been quite some time since I posted on burn – so here goes!

This sort of “sport” isn’t really my thing at all. Yet, I like Adams essey for the fact that it doesn’t rely at all on gratuitous gore shots. Yes we get a sense of the brutality of the fights: the way in which, (shots 11 & 14) one of the fighters is seemingly out for the count, while his opponent is ready to issue the final finishing blow – no mercy. But, we also see the extravaganza that is the event; the pride and the vanity of the fighters, not to mention their will to drive themselves in readiness for such acts of brutality. I wonder if the bible the fighter reads is for solace or inspiration?

I think this essay works because it made me ask questions about what I was looking at. I find that I admire the fighters for their dedication, but not for what they do. How can any society honestly condone such violence as entertainment? When it does, is it any wonder that the society is so replete with violence itself? I know that this is a story about the fighters, but I am really interested in the audience too. What sort of people watch this? Is at an all male audience as the eye candy in shot 12 suggests? Seeing something of this would, for me, be very interesting.

My only doubt come not from the pictures, but from adams words. I know that this is a tight edit, but to be anthropological this needs to be far wider in scope. What are the fighters backgrounds? Is there any commonality there? How does this sport fit into wider society? Who make up the crowds and the viewers? What does this say about the “in group”, but also what universal can be applied to the rest of us?

Jason

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By: marios https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61974 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:51:35 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61974 congrats adam, it’s awesome to see this on burn :)
this is a great story and it shows what it takes to get to the top… some of the images are very powerful… keep the project going…
marios

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By: Andrew Gray https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61955 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 07:56:58 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61955 I’m confused why some people are offended by the brutality and violence in these images. How can we see what is in our nature if we don’t want to look? I personally didn’t see this as a glorification of the sport, but more a repudiation. But that’s how I see it, even if Adam has a different view. #14 is the clincher for me, just a guy beating on another guy lying on his back, reduced to a childish state (but with deadly force), for what? I love the comment about the brightly lit ring appearing like a revival meeting.

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By: bob black https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61942 Thu, 28 Jan 2010 01:31:07 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61942 David: :)…totally understand, and totally understand the ‘tough’ edit…and i do like alot this 17-pic essay, and i was surprised, actually, that so many people didnt, or seemed to react negatively (too short, too much boxing, the content?), which i didnt totally get….that’s why i mentioned both the longer sequence and John vink’s work: to offer to the readership the idea that THIS essay was not only about ‘boxing’ but something else :))…anyway, i totally know and support that part of the way you show work here and the edits (if asked by authors) is to make viewers think/work :)))))….that to me is really the great value of Burn :))….anyway, i think we’re on the same page and i really loved seeing this here :))

John: i thought of Poids MOuche, but then i thought, mentioning the book might be too intimidating, cause it’s an extraordinary book, a book of haiku really….and that last flyweight ‘boxer’ at the end is the perfect ending..:))….but yea, that’s what I was trying to suggest :)

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By: Tracey Tomtene https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61938 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:29:42 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61938 Nice work Adam!

I can feel and hear the energy of the crowd, the cheering, the sweat, the sound of the ref, ‘ding ding ding Round 2’! Your images suck me right into the action, much like a good movie (and for someone who has zero interest in the sport, this says a lot).

Congrats mon ami! Great to see your stuff on Burn:)

If you screw things up in tennis, it’s 15-love. If you screw up in boxing, it’s your ass.

– Randall “Tex” Cobb

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By: John Vink https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61937 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:27:03 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61937 Bob,

Thanks for linking me but I believe the pictures on this link are better and even more to the point you’re making:

http://www.johnvink.com/story.php?title=Book_Poids_Mouche

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By: david alan harvey https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61934 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 23:12:29 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61934 BOB…

well perhaps you did see some pictures i did not see…Adam’s submission to me was i think around 50 pictures..i do remember some pictures away from the ring, a fighter at home i think, but were simply not strong pictures imo of a fighter at home…a gratuitous picture of a fighter at home just did not seem right to me, nor was it keeping with Adam’s other photographs…and the final edit here was totally approved clearly by Adam as he had asked for my serious edit…if a photographer asks me to do a serious edit, i take it seriously…i do edit just a wee bit loose here on Burn…why?? because i like to give the readers a little something to do…most of the critiques are right on….most of the best pictures are mentioned by the readers here and also most of the worst…when we do our print issue, you will really know totally what i think…and thanks for the frank discussion…what Burn is all about..

cheers, david

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By: bob black https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61924 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 21:41:02 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61924 DAVID :)))…i understand and sorry for confusion, i was writing on the fly (to pick up D)……i meant that i had seen a large number of pics from this series, not that there was a longer edit, per se, but working stuff…i do like the short edit here as it, to me, gives a very succinct punch (sorry for the pun) to the audience: it captures the silence and the ‘isolation’ (for me) of the sport)…and i think some of the other pics i saw carry the ‘story’ away from the ring, that’s what i suggested, because i was lucky by having seen wider…at that’s what people seem to want, more about who these men are and what drives them…which i agree with…that’s why i asked adam about a wider edit :)))…but, still it works for me as is :))…like 1 poem in a suite of poems about, say, boxing :))

Adam: :)))…my pleasure, i do really really like this edit :))…i just wanted to hear you talk about how you came to make the cut to 17 and go with an emphasis on the ring, the preparation and the moments in the ring…anyway, i think your story telling and the way you conceptualize stories is wonderful, intelligent and thoughtful and you sure know how to make a pic…especially like all the ‘negative’ space :)))….my pleasure to be a support…that’s why were’ all here for….so happy and proud of you

running

hugs
b

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By: eva https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61908 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:42:33 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61908 Me too, would love to see more.. will wait..

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By: Charles Peterson https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61907 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 19:40:08 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61907 Hey Adam. You’ve got an interesting eye. Would love to get coffee sometime. Ping me.

Funny, I thought about this subject as a potential project. Had no idea it was actually going on in the Pac NW though. Problem is I just don’t think I could subject myself to this energy being where I’m at in my life right now. I kind of hit that wall with the war re-enactors project I was doing.

The Ali photo doesn’t do it for me as it stands, though photographically it fits nicely into some of your other work. If it had more context around it (would work much better for me in between 7 and 8) I think it wouldn’t feel so out of place.

Anyway, would love to see what else you have and any editing help, if you so desire, is yours.

Take care,

CP

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By: Frank Michael Hack https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61901 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 18:07:54 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61901 Adam, Congratulations on being published on Burn. This is essay is strong and powerful in it’s imagery and composition, and demonstrates your excellent technique. Many of the images are difficult to look at. Myself personally am not drawn to the subject matter but it is important to document this huge cultural phenomena. It raises many questions, including your intent to document or to bring something else out of this. As a longer term project it would be really interesting to get behind the scenes and into these individuals lives. Great work, keep it going.

All the best,

Frank

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By: Adam Smith https://www.burnmagazine.org/essays/2010/01/adam-smith-fight-journal/#comment-61900 Wed, 27 Jan 2010 17:36:45 +0000 http://www.burnmagazine.org/?p=5465#comment-61900 Bob — You asked why the shortened version.

This is an edit of over 60 potential photographs. I have, at one time or another, shared all of these with you. And you are right, several of these photographs show life outside the ring, the downtime, the “other” side of the fighters, etc…

I think that you might be the only person that has seen those photographs. Several of the ones you are referencing were not submitted as part of this essay.

And here is why: At this point, I am simply more interested in conveying a mood, the feeling of what it could be like to compete on the most primal of levels. What it feels like to choose to confront base fears each day, to embrace the terrifying contradictions manifest in humans. What it feels like in the moments before you step into the ring.

I see this as an introduction. I am fully aware that there is a bigger story to be told. I hope to tell it. All in good time.

Bob, Thank you so much for taking a thoughtful interest in the work, discussing it with me, helping me think about my work in different ways, and letting me bounce ideas off you.

I really really appreciate it.

Thanks to everyone for your comments. Both positive and negative, they are providing me with lots of good food for thought.

Best,

Adam

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