Photographing Skateboarders.

D

dionbee93

Messages
279
Name
Dion Bee
Edit My Images
Yes
Hi guys, I'm interested in photographing skateboarders/skateparks after my GCSE's have finished.
I've been meaning to do this for a while now, just havent had time etc.

So, please could i have some examples fo good skateboarding shots, and What makes a good shot?

All tips welcome, please give me anything you've got as i havent tried anything like this before!

Thanks,

Dion!
 
Please don't use a fish eye just because it's overdone.

A good shot is generally shot from very low (lying down ideally), if you have a flash maybe using flash to illuminate and freeze the motion of the boarder but you pan to get a sense of movement in the background
 
Uneducated_Rick said:
Please don't use a fish eye just because it's overdone
Click to expand...

Is it? Most mags still rely heavily on fisheye shots. It's used badly by a lot of people granted, but is still the most popular lens for skating (both filming and pics) I do agree though if you get one it is way to easy to rely on it. It's like having instant creativity on your cam.

Try to step back, and use angles that you wouldn't normally think of. My golden tip with any skate pic is give it a sense of where the skater has been and is going. If you can't tell how big the ramp is, or where they are jumping from (classic person in air shot with nothing to show what has happened) it does not make a good shot. Also only post landed tricks, it is the unwritten rule of skate photography.
 
Find cherryrig's stuff - he's pretty good with off-camera flash

Rick makes a good point about the fisheye - it works well but is the staple shot of anyone doing this kind of thing and if you're starting out, you're effectively copying the rest (and the best). Long lens stuff looks interesting and if anything, it's not as overused as the fisheye.

Flash is deffo something that works well but again, it's now fast becoming the in thing for skate togging. Used off-camera it's good and having several flashes (please don't get into the habit of calling them strobes - they're flashguns:)) works to create mood. However, why not go against the grain and shoot using natural light, looking for effective use of shadow etc? A lot of the good snowboarding photographers have forsaken flash and crazy lenses, opting for classic photography techniques to create amazing shots. the guy who does all the Burton stuff (Jeff Curtes) is a good exponent of this.

EDIT: here's Cherryrig's flickr site
 
specialman said:
Flash is deffo something that works well but again, it's now fast becoming the in thing for skate togging.
Click to expand...

i wouldnt say its becoming the in thing...its been the way to do it for 20 years.

most good skateboard/bmx photographers will have at least three off camera flashes, maybe more, apart from the very rare occasion that the shot really doesnt need flashes.

plus, you really need to know some skateboarders, and know a lot about skateboarding, to learn when to time the trick, where to shoot from etc. dont expect to turn up down the local skatepark and shoot from the sidelines and get any good shots.
 
Thanks to all you guys, I only have two lenses at the mo (none of which are fisheye), and two flashguns, no way of getting one off camera.
So I guess I'm limited in waht i can do.
I had noticed that most of the skateboarding/BMX stuff is shot from low down, and I was hoping to do the same.
I'm gonna have a look at cherryrig's Flickr now.

Thanks,

Dion!
 
joecobbs, okay, it is the in thing, same difference - what I'm saying is to be ahead of the pack you need to do things differently and possibly move away from 'the norm' to create a unique style ;)
 
Some VERY good photos on cherryrig's Flickr, I would be pleases if I get anything half as good as that on my first attempt!

Dion!
 
specialman, i hear what your saying, but its like saying to be one step ahead of the top studio fashion photographers try not using flashes. it will be very tricky to get a lot of really good skateboard photographs without using off camera flashes, because the skater wont pop out of the image. plus, using flashes isnt a style in its own right, how the photographer uses those flashes creates their own style.

im not trying to put anyone off but it is hard and takes a lot of time and dedication to get any good shots, knowing your subject inside out is the first step...
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top