Andrea Wheatley: Escrima Champion and Boxing Enthusiast

I first met Andrea when I had the chance to photograph her for a magazine feature. At the time, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but she quickly became one of the most interesting and inspiring people I’ve met. Andrea is passionate about all types of martial arts, and her boxing classes are so good that I’ve been attending regularly myself!

Capturing the Essence of Andrea’s Strength

For the photoshoot, we did a range of shots—some with her wielding escrima sticks at lightning speed, right up close to the camera. While those shots were dynamic and dramatic, I ended up preferring this particular image. It’s relatively static, but I love the strong stance and the energy it captures.

As with all my interview-style shots, I try to leave a lot of clean space around the subject for text placement. This often requires balancing the composition to serve both editorial needs and artistic expression. In this case, I feel like the framing works for both of us—the image serves the page, but it also represents Andrea’s powerful presence.

Lighting and Movement

For lighting, I used a couple of strobes, along with ambient light to create a sense of movement in some of the shots. Though not as obvious in this image, the combination of lighting techniques added a dynamic energy to the shoot.

Building Connections Through Photography

One of the things I love about interview-style shoots is the chance to meet fascinating people and build lasting connections. Andrea and I became friends after this shoot, and her energy and passion for her craft are infectious. It’s also great that this shoot led to her pictures appearing in several magazines worldwide, expanding the reach of her story and her athletic journey.