# Couple Skate Pics



## Alvizzo913 (Oct 14, 2005)

I got a Nikon D40 for Christmas and have played around with it, but still really don't know what I'm doing. I went down to the skatepark with a couple buddies today and snapped a few pics. They look like they could turn into something good, but I don't have the slightest clue on how to edit them well. I played around with a few but I'm not sure how good they are, so you be the judge.

1.









2.









3.









Can anyone take a look at these shots and make some suggestions? Feel free to play around with them, that's actually what I'd like if anyone has the time. Thanks in advance, I really want to get better.


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## mimic (Jan 9, 2006)

My suggestion would be to get Photoshop and learn as many photographic touch-up techniques as you can. I've been an amateur photographer for about 10 years now. Took 3 years of photography in highschool, and another 3 in college. I still don't know everything there is, and hopefully never will. I have a Canon Rebel XT DSLR. My favorite thing to do is play with the f/stop to get some great depth of field effects. It's where the foreground and background are blurred, but the object is crystal clear. Like this...










There are a ton of photography and photoshop tutorial sites... google it and have fun. If you have any specific questions, feel free to ask. Also, if you got a starter kit, and it came with a lens, I don't know about Nikon, but Canon's was pretty cheap, so you may want to upgrade your lens. Something like a 17-85mm lens is a great all around lens.


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## Rennsurfer (Jan 17, 2008)

*Mimic already posted the best suggestion. Get VERY familiar with PhotoShop and learn as much as you can about it. Other than that, you can maybe add a Nikon Speedlight to fill in the subject shadowing, too.

I've been skateboarding/surfing since the early '70s and also shoot/write for a skateboard magazine. Using a Nikon D70 and SB28 Speedlight. The best advice is a lotta practice. Like anything else in life... you'll get good over time. The more experience, the better. *


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## Dave 330i (Jan 4, 2002)

Relative to composition...

The top two are ok in expressing what the skaters are doing. The bottom picture looks odd with one arm, so the picture does not display his balancing act as well. The relative angle of the skater with respect to the ground is hard to judge because of the position you were in when you took the picture (has that isometric view). Get those two slackers to the left out of the picture.


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## richifever (Mar 8, 2007)

Those look great! I love the back ground and how you can feel the environment. My only opinion is that you should give the skaters room to move in the picture. So put them at one end or the other (i.e. if he just got on the grind and is coming from the left, then frame the skater on the left and leave space on the right to give the audience the idea of movement).


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## Guest84 (Dec 21, 2001)

Tell them boys to get some air!


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## jvr826 (Apr 22, 2002)

Welcome to the fun! Last year I purchased a D80 and a few lenses and have been having a blast shooting with it. I have a lot to learn...

I like the first two, good light and shadows at least. I agree with the others, give the guys somewhere to go. The subject doesn't have to be in the center.

Focus seems a bit fuzzy, the image is not as crisp as I'd expect. Did you have it on the Sport setting? I found shooting surfers that this was best for clear photos with auto focus.

I picked up an 18-70 D70 kit lens on Craigslist which is actually pretty nice and crisp. Lots of guys buy lenses, play for a while, then sell and get something else. CL is a good place to find decent local stuff.

Read the manual, then read it again about 50 times. These cameras do way more than is obvious from looking at them. Lots of modes and settings hidden in there.

I just got an SB600 a couple weekends ago. The last flash I bought was 25 years ago, so, um, they have come a long way. It's incredible what this thing does on it's own!


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## billygoat777 (Dec 24, 2007)

yo just thought id like to share this old pic of me... i think it looks sorta artistic

http://s208.photobucket.com/albums/bb256/billygoat777/?action=view&current=kickflip.jpg


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## Clean540I (Jan 12, 2008)

looks like fun.


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## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

Getting good skate pics is pretty tough. Most pros use really wide lenses (down to the fisheye range) and shoot with flash, because it's almost impossible to get the right lighting and the right angle simultaneously (and having the wide-angle lens helps you get into tight spots that you often encounter at skate parks). Of course there are always exceptions - I've shot with a telephoto lens at bigger parks a few times and been really pleased with the results.

Here's an edited shot I took a few months back (I did these as part of a series, so the coloring is odd but it was the effect I wanted for what I was doing):









Freezing your subject by using a fast shutter speed (1/1000 or faster) isn't always the best option in action situations. In some cases it looks better to use a slow shutter speed so you can actually see the action happening. One thing I hate about skate parks is the fences that always take away from the subject, and even with a 2.8 lens it can be tough to isolate the subject. You can blur everything out by using the slower shutter speed and tracking the subject. Of course you run the risk of missing the shot (because many of them won't come out when you're learning), but it's a risk worth taking IMHO. Here's an edited example I shot a month or two ago, at 1/125 if I recall correctly:









Shooting from a really low angle (i.e. laying on the ground) can create a good effect (and put the fences below the shot!). Laying down and letting the skaters fly over you can get a little sketchy, but the results can be worth it if your lens is wide enough. 









Rotating the camera to an arbitrary angle can add some interest sometimes, too:









Sequences are also fun. Here's the first one I found in my stockpile... not too great, but gets the point across (shot at 5fps). These sequences are pretty easy to make in Photoshop (CS2 or higher):









Keep shooting and have fun, photography is an awesome hobby!


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## EdCT (Mar 14, 2002)

Alvizzo913 said:


> I got a Nikon D40 for Christmas and have played around with it, but still really don't know what I'm doing.
> Can anyone take a look at and make some suggestions? Feel free to play around with them, that's actually what I'd like if anyone has the time. Thanks in advance, I really want to get better.


The suggestion to move the subject out of the center is a good one, in the first one, I'd try taking out some of the right side with a little cropping and in the second, the left side, essentially, creating space in the direction the skater's facing.

The third pic would be really good, except as Dave pointed out, the arm thing kills it.

I like the "dutch tilt" and the composition is really good, you've got the two guys in the lower left, some nice diagonals in the shot - but that arm ........

I disagree with the suggestion of going out to purchase and learn photoshop. Learn to take pictures first, then use Pshop if you find yourself wanting to do serious photo manipulation.

You can do all the *basic* corrections you need in most any simpler and cheaper software - you can edit contrast, brightness, you can crop and resize - don't go immediately for Pshop, it'll just confuse you and distract you away from your naturally great eye - having a great eye is a gift, keep developing that!! :thumbup:


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## billygoat777 (Dec 24, 2007)

yea dude if ur going into skate photography get a fisheye


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## EdCT (Mar 14, 2002)

SONET said:


> Getting good skate pics is pretty tough. !


Sonet,

Just my opinion, but having been to a handful of photo competitions (and winning two), I can tell you what the judges would say - crop the bottom third of all those shots and you've got yourself a great picture.

Anything that doesn't need to be in a photo and can be cropped out should go - and we simply have no need for those foregrounds.

The foregrounds are distracting our eyes - we want to look at the airborne skater, but instead our eye looks down, we're pulled away from the subject.

Our eye should always be led somewhere and then land there - and stay there.

Ed


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## SONET (Mar 1, 2002)

EdCT said:


> Sonet,
> 
> Just my opinion, but having been to a handful of photo competitions (and winning two), I can tell you what the judges would say - crop the bottom third of all those shots and you've got yourself a great picture.


I appreciate your feedback. I keep the bottom 1/3 in the shot because the kids I'm shooting like to have a point of reference to show their friends what they launched off of, what they're trying to clear, or how much air they're getting (or so people can identify the park where it's taken). The shots in skate magazines I've looked at are often the same way, and I'm guessing it's for the same reason.

And congrats on your success! I'd love to see some of your work... do you have anything online?


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## BuzzedHornet (May 25, 2007)

For me the foreground (take off and landing) on skate pics do tell allot about the story of the image. But they could be cropped a bit and still keep the prospective. Try slower shutter speeds, getting lower and opening your f-stop some to isolate the skater from the background some. You have a good eye for horizontals in the back ground, you skylines look nice and even. That is something i have issues with when I shoot sports.

If you don't have the cash for full blown photoshop, try lightroom. It is a great program and easy to learn. Shoot RAW so you can make small adjustments in lightroom in post.

Shoot shoot and shoot more. Take your camera with you everywhere. Now days you don;t have to pay for film so you should be able to crank out thousands of shots and learn learn learn.

If you like to shoot cars and learn check out this board... www.freezingspeed.com great group of people there who want to share and learn.

Cheers!



SONET said:


> I appreciate your feedback. I keep the bottom 1/3 in the shot because the kids I'm shooting like to have a point of reference to show their friends what they launched off of, what they're trying to clear, or how much air they're getting (or so people can identify the park where it's taken). The shots in skate magazines I've looked at are often the same way, and I'm guessing it's for the same reason.
> 
> And congrats on your success! I'd love to see some of your work... do you have anything online?


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## EdCT (Mar 14, 2002)

SONET said:


> I appreciate your feedback. I keep the bottom 1/3 in the shot because the kids I'm shooting like to have a point of reference to show their friends what they launched off of, what they're trying to clear, or how much air they're getting (or so people can identify the park where it's taken). The shots in skate magazines I've looked at are often the same way, and I'm guessing it's for the same reason.


I understand, in that case - create a separate set for yourself - perhaps have prints made in larger sizes.

I'd try that and some without processing just to have some real nice natural shots.

Good work though - good eye.

Ed


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## brandon5069 (Mar 26, 2006)

Nice pics, OP!

Focus seems a bit soft, but otherwise good stuff!


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