Submission Challenge 2020 Part 2: Relentless.

Dorian taking command. Cedar Park, TX.

Jiu jitsu has become one of my favorite subjects to photograph. There's a beauty in the art of fighting that some people just cannot appreciate. I think a lot of people misunderstand fighting. While it may mean many different things for many different people, I love fighting for the technical aspect of putting yourself in a situation where the best person will emerge victorious. This is the venue where all of the hardwork, sacrifice, and determination are all put on the line in of the most vulnerable experiences you can put yourself through. While competing can certainly be satisfying for your ego when you win, losing can also teach you things about yourself. Invaluable lessons of understanding the self.

Making jiu jitsu photos specifically brings me a sense of peace and bewilderment. To see and understand what these competitors are doing and knowing what it took to get there gives me such a huge appreciation for any fighter. I love watching the human body twist and contort and explode in the pursuit of dominance and defense. I am especially fond of watching smaller fighters take on the bigger ones (and Dorian does this EXTREMELY well). Where in the past it was once believed that the bigger fighter will always win, jiu jitsu is a direct expression of contradicting that idea--the most skilled will win, not just the bigger opponent. And at the end of the day regardless of who you are, everyone taps, everyone grows.

Jiu jitsu is art, it's science, it's love. You just have to see it and be open-minded to appreciate these parts of it.

Dorian was not letting up on this dude who was so much bigger than him.

The setup...

...the tap.

Never a dull moment with Dorain on the mat.

An exhausted competitor falls into family after a tough match (Dark Clan Fight Lab).

Stay Creative,
BLUE731.