Fierro vs Zamarripa Fight Week - Photos by Melina Pizano - 09/15/23

A personal project I've been trying to work on recently is portraits. Before traveling to Tijuana I packed an Australian flag (for Skye Nicolson) and Mexican flag (for several boxers on the card) as a "just in case" situation. Ed Mulholland typically makes the portraits during media day, but this time around he asked if I wanted to take them (while he shoots behind the scenes.) With only 40 minutes before media day started (no pressure) I took him up on the offer. Fortunately media day was in the same hotel I was staying in. I ran to my room, steamed the flags and thought of various poses. I've used dramatic lighting with flags before so I knew this time I wanted the photos well lit with an emphasis on the pose and the boxer's home flag. In hindsight the only thing I would have changed is shooting with a different lens, like an 85 mm f/1.8 (which I didn't have on set.) While the emphasis was on pose and appreciation for the flag, to me, it would have made the photo pop a little more. Regardless I'm happy with the results of an impromptu portrait session. Side note: I had steamed the wrinkles out of both flags, but after a particular pose with the Mexican flag it wrinkled by the time we got to the last image of Fierro. I make this note because I try my best to focus on those details ahead of time when time allows.

All photos taken between September 12-15, 2023 in Tijuana, Baja California, Mexico.

Skye Nicolson

Skye Nicolson trains on the rooftop of the Grand Hotel Tijuana.

Side note: I saw on Nicolson's social she had been training on the rooftop during golden hour. I asked her if she was going to again. Turns out she was, creating the following photo session. Skye Nicolson on fight night
Erika "Dinamita" Cruz on fight night

Erika Cruz on media day

Christian Olivo

Angel Fierro versus Brayan Zamarripa final press conference. Angel Fierro versus Brayan Zamarripa fight night

Angel Fierro Media Day

In addition to the Mexican flag portrait, I knew I wanted to make a portrait of Fierro with his daughter, Allison. Fierro brings Allison's Minnie Mouse with him in the dressing room while preparing for his bout on fight night. In the last image on fight night, after Fierro wins his bout, he goes to Allison, where the Minnie Mouse can be seen.