DEFY Wrestling // Seattle, WA
A lot of people have been asking me over the past couple of months, "Wait, you shoot wrestling now?" There have been jokes about "bridesmaids, bands, babies, and body slams." A little back history on how I got hooked into Seattle's own DEFY Wrestling:
One of our friends Jim Perry came to Luke (my husband) last 2016 and told him about a new project he was working on: a legal pro wrestling company in Seattle. Ten years ago I remember sitting in the Rebar, throwing the empty PBR cans at Mr. Fitness, rooting on Simba Six-Killer and Ronald McFondle for a more cabaret SSP wrestling event. Fast forward to the present: Jim asked Luke if he'd be apart of the DEFY video + production crew, and if I'd be interested in shooting photos. I'm so happy that he did - DEFY has been unlike anything I have shot before. The community, the energy, the crazy impressive wrestlers. I can't seem to wipe the smile off of my face during the matches, or chants, or entrances. I shot the first show ring side with the freedom to "capture what I see" and processed the images as I saw fit. Everything felt gritty, raw, and enormous based off of the lighting set up the production crew created. Shout out to Tyler Kalberg, Luke Knecht, and Jim Perry for going big on the style. Luke edited the first two events that can be watched through DEFY On Demand. (See sneak peek videos at the end of this post.)
While I was only three months pregnant at the first DEFY event, I haven't been able to shoot ringside for a couple shows - dodging flying wrestlers probably isn't doctor approved. Yet I have been able to be apart of the madness from the balcony, and plan on capturing as many shows as I can in the future.
Thank you for welcoming us into your sacred wrestling family. We're all in.
Special shout out to Defy's #StreamerClub as well - thank you for always bringing your A Game!
Here are some of my favorite images from DEFY #1 'Legacy', DEFY #2 'Wolves At The Door', and DEFY #3 'Swerve City'. For the full galleries of my shots visit DEFY Wrestling's Facebook Page. Settle in, this one is a doozy.
DEFY #1: Legacy
Shown Below: DEFY Host Steve Migs / Matt Cross vs King Khash / Mr. Fitness vs Eddie Van Glam / The Devil Drexl & The Catch vs Nick Radford & Kate Carney / Jeff Cobb vs Big Jack / Greengo Loco & Batboy vs Los Sexi Mexis // Main Event: Cody Rhodes vs Shane Strickland
* ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT AMBER ZBITNOFF PHOTOGRAPHY. IMAGES CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT PERMISSION.
DEFY #2: Wolves At The Door
Shown Below: Darby Allin / Los Sexi Mexis / Lio Rush vs Shane Strickland / Eddie Van Glam / Su Yung / Angelina Love // Main Event: Davey Richards vs Jeff Cobb
* ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT AMBER ZBITNOFF PHOTOGRAPHY. IMAGES CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT PERMISSION.
DEFY #3: Swerve City
Shown Below: Moose vs Santiago / The Cunninghams vs Los Sexi Mexis / Davey Richards vs Lio Rush / Mr. Fitness vs Joey Ryan / Von Eerie vs Taya // Main Event: John Morrison vs Shane Strickland
* ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT AMBER ZBITNOFF PHOTOGRAPHY. IMAGES CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT PERMISSION.
Lastly, here are the highlights from DEFY #1 and DEFY #2 (edited by Luke Knecht) to give you another taste. For more information and tickets to DEFY's Events visit defywrestling.com.
ALL IMAGES COPYRIGHT AMBER ZBITNOFF PHOTOGRAPHY. IMAGES CANNOT BE USED WITHOUT PERMISSION.