Inside the Cage: A Cage-Side Photographer’s Perspective

At the end of November, we were commissioned to be the photographers for Superior Challenge. It was our second time at the event, but with a completely different responsibility. This time, we weren’t there to film or support a documentary. We were responsible for the photography of the entire event.

Being back felt familiar. Earlier in the year, we had been there while filming Linus Jönsson for Embrace Monkey, covering behind the scenes, the walkout, and the fight itself. That experience helped. The environment wasn’t new, but the task was.

This time, my position was right at the cage. Moving in and out, photographing fighters up close, and constantly coordinating with the cameramen to stay out of each other’s way.

Working cage side forces you to be present and precise at all times.

My wife was stationed in one position with the 130mm lens. We made that decision early. One of us would be limited in movement due to positioning, so it made sense to lean into that limitation rather than fight it. From her spot, she worked patiently, capturing moments with intensity and focus.

The result was clear. The images she captured with that lens feel intimate, almost as if the viewer is inside the cage with the fighters. Sweat, tension, and concentration compressed into a single frame.

Meanwhile, I worked the floor. Walkouts, transitions, and mid-range shots during the fights. Angles that helped tell the story of the event as a whole, rather than isolating just the action inside the cage.

Two perspectives. One event.

After every event, there’s reflection. What worked, and what could have been done better. This time, I felt I could have pushed my creativity further with the wider lenses, especially the 16mm and 30mm. I found myself staying too often at the top of the cage.

There are powerful images waiting lower down. Through the fence. Tight angles. Fighters pressed against the mesh, sweat catching the light. Those are shots I want to explore more going forward.

Covering Superior Challenge this way reinforced something important for me. The cage isn’t just a boundary. It’s part of the frame. And learning how to use it creatively is part of the craft.