Nov-27-2007

OCTAGON™ – The Book

By Thomas Gerbasi

At 20.5 x 26 inches, and weighing in at over 50 pounds, the book OCTAGON™ is not for easy reading on the subway or to be placed on your typical coffee table. In fact, pop some legs on this massive tome and you can make it a coffee table.

But after you inspect the 392-page book, which was printed and hand bound in Italy and limited to a run of 600 copies, it’s clear that this is not your run of the mill book about the fight game, or even your typical art book. It’s something much more, and the credit for that can go to the man whose photographs fill OCTAGON, Kevin Lynch.

An artist who has worked with a diverse array of clients from Harper’s Bazaar and Martha Stewart Living to actors Kirsten Dunst and Michael Douglas, Lynch - a lifelong fight fan – first began working in mixed martial arts at UFC® 40 in 2002, where he photographed the memorable first battle between Tito Ortiz and Ken Shamrock.

“It was grueling,” said Lynch of that first night Octagonside. “I was at first shocked because it’s a lot bloodier than boxing right off the bat, but at the same time it’s a lot more direct. There’s really no gray area on who won the fight. At times I had an uneasy excitement in my stomach because you would feel and hear the punches. This was pretty forceful stuff coming out of these bodies. But to stand and see thousands of people roaring, the adrenaline pops out of every pore of everyone’s body, and I feel absolutely privileged to be where I’m at in that moment.”

Needless to say, Lynch was hooked, and at the same time his work attracted the attention of UFC co-owners Lorenzo Fertitta and Dana White, who saw something more than your typical fight shots in the Los Angeles-based photographer’s pictures.

“These photos, whether action shots or not, reflect drama, emotion, and the heart and soul of what it takes to be a professional athlete in a sport where you may very well leave a different person from the one you entered as, whether physically, financially, or emotionally.” wrote Fertitta in the introduction of OCTAGON.

Eventually, the idea was hatched to have Lynch photograph every UFC event and every UFC fighter for a book that became OCTAGON.

Added White, “When we decided to move forward with the book project that became OCTAGON, there was no question who would be the photographer. And while Kevin’s talent is obvious, his understanding of this sport and its athletes was another key factor in our decision, because let’s face it – not everyone is willing to look past the misconceptions about mixed martial arts and give it the fair treatment it deserves.”

Little did everyone involved know that this project would take five years to reach completion.

“At times it was difficult, as the UFC was going through growing pains, but after each shoot, when I kept saying ‘This is my last shoot,’ I missed the sport, said Lynch. “I always felt like it was growing and transforming and becoming more exciting. I didn’t want to lose touch with being part of something great.”

The proof is in the finished product, with ‘OCTAGON' simply stunning from start to finish. From fight action to unique studio shots, the photos show you something new every time you see them. The crowning glory of the book though may be the ‘before and after’ shots taken of some of the game’s warriors just before and directly after they compete in the world’s hardest sport.

Said Fertitta, “the before and after photos Kevin has assembled are so compelling - and as an active art collector, these are some of the best art photos I have ever seen. That’s because a look into the eyes of each fighter before and after a fight tells a story.”

Of course, getting fighters to pose for pictures moments after a devastating loss isn’t always the easiest task to achieve, though once the project got legs, fighters were clamoring to be included in the book.

“In the beginning, the hard part was to get the ‘after’ pictures from some of these fighters,” admitted Lynch. “They don’t want to be remembered for losing or for looking trashed. It shows a vulnerability, but to me, it also shows a badge of honor. It was very difficult. Plus, I was also intimidated, and I had Dana and Lorenzo’s blessing, but when you’re in the locker room, you’re on your own. But eventually, people wanted to be a part of the project because they now see the potential and the historical value of it. It was the other way around at the beginning and I think you have to prove yourself. You’ve got to gain their trust and their respect and that comes with sticking with something for a while and not just flying by and taking advantage of these guys because they’re bleeding.”

Lynch stuck it out, and in the end, OCTAGON is the beneficiary of his dedication. And when asked for a highlight of his time working on the book, he doesn’t hesitate.

“I had the opportunity to actually get to know these fighters and get to portray them and honor them, hopefully, with my pictures,” he said. “To be able to be appreciated for that, to have access, and have a result of this wonderful book that Lorenzo (Fertitta), Frank (Fertitta), and Dana (White) have allowed me to produce is the true highlight because it’s like the crescendo. The size of it gives it the merit and the respect that these fighters deserve.”

For more about OCTAGON™, visit the website http://www.octagon-book.com.