Photos at skate park

[Chr1stof]

I was wondering what people thought of this. There is a big skate/bmx half pipe type set up in my local park. I have often driven or walked past and seen the riders getting big air etc and thought that it would make an excellent place to get some action shots. I was watching that photo programme on CH5 the other week and thought the shots of the skate park featured on there were really good, but obviously the girl was taking pics of her boyfriend and was surrounded by a TV crew.
I havent bothered as I thought with p*** paranoia and so on I might get lynched. Am I just being paranoid or would I be likely to be chased off by a pitchfork mob? Has anyone taken shots in this kind of location, if so how did you go about it?
The age range various from youngsters about 12 I suppose up to old teens early twenties (maybe older sometimes)

 

[lawrie29]

All you can do is ask!

I would say it would help having a business type card with your details on, offering to give pics to the people your shooting.

Any youngsters don't shoot unless parents permission (just to be safe) and don't do any private shoots.

I would also be prepared for some kind of p*** paranoia.....

If you are a member of a club, then you could approach some of the skaters to see if they would allow the club to shoot them, more than one tog and permission all sorted in advance etc. At least then you have some credability, and can tell the kids to bring parents along if they have any questions.

 

[Chr1stof]

I did a quick search and didnt find any "skate" threads, just done an advanced one and there seems to be quite a few threads so not impossible I guess!

 

[whiteflyer]

Just go, your being paranoid.

A few years ago I went to a park near me, just walked in and found that they had a skate park supervisor (just some chap to make sure the kids were behaving themselves) . A very quick word and then no problem and shoot away. There'll be no parent to ask, and the kids love have their photo taken, most will try to do even harder tricks to impress you.

A poor photo but:

 

[taffy047]

I was wondering what people thought of this. There is a big skate/bmx half pipe type set up in my local park. I have often driven or walked past and seen the riders getting big air etc and thought that it would make an excellent place to get some action shots. I was watching that photo programme on CH5 the other week and thought the shots of the skate park featured on there were really good, but obviously the girl was taking pics of her boyfriend and was surrounded by a TV crew.
I havent bothered as I thought with p*** paranoia and so on I might get lynched. Am I just being paranoid or would I be likely to be chased off by a pitchfork mob? Has anyone taken shots in this kind of location, if so how did you go about it?
The age range various from youngsters about 12 I suppose up to old teens early twenties (maybe older sometimes)

i know im young at sixteen and i know most of the kids where i take pictures at the skate park but trust me just ask there all say yeah !
they will try and impress you and go really big ! just ask and im sure they will be very happy for you to take picture of them.

 

[Forbiddenbiker]

For what its worth Mark, look like a pretty good shot to me.

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OP. Don't ask, its paranoia making you ask, so just get shooting ...get involved, but respect thier earned rights over yours by by keeping clear. Mostly you'll find they respond well to the attention, the occasional strop but otherwise anything goes.

I get my rear curtain flash syn out when I do those guys ...mostly it fails but I have a few keepers like this one

.

 

[Arkady]

Ask first. Chat to the sk8rs (FFS!!!!) and see if they mind being photographed.

Some will, some won't, some may get upset.
Most will be vain-glorious little gits who'll risk life and limb for you...

 

[DB_SamX]

I think setting's got a lot to do with it. I was in a park in Exeter and really wanted to take photos of them, but I felt very self-conscious, chickened out from asking them and didn't in the end.

However, whenever I go to London to shoot, I have absolutely no hesitation in shooting the guys on the South Bank, because it is so public, everyone is taking photos of them, so they are used to it. No need to ask either. Just stay out of their way!

Here are a couple from London: