Need some help with skateboarding pics

[Tarrynh]

Hi Guys,

Hope you are all doing well on this lovely day.

This weekend i am going to be taking Photos of my friends Skateboarding, and a little worried about what appertuare and Iso /settings to use.

Can anyone please give me some advise PLEASE ?

I will really appreciate it

Thanking you

Tarryn

[zona5101]

So the challenge will be to freeze action...that will require a higher shutter speed. I assume you will be in daylight so having enough light shouldn't be an issue. As a guess sunny 16 rule -you'll be at iso 200 1/200 f16...1/200 is probably too slow so move that to 1/800 at f8 iso 200 which should get the job done nicely and give you decent dof....But it is going to depend on your light...shoot in shutter priority and select a shutter speed around 1/500 or faster. Some board tricks where they spin the board will probably blur at 1/500 but that might be alright. You can always bump the speed up and the camera will open the aperture more...

[graciousness]

Go to FLICKR, search for skateboard or skates and look at the exif data on the photos and look at their settings.

I've actually just seen one from one of my contacts and it's a frozen mid-air shot which was cool. I'll provide you with the link to start with (I don't think he'd mind):

Skate | Flickr - Photo Sharing!

I think what the best thing you can do with such action shots is to anticipate for their direction and movements and shoot when you've got your focus locked in at the shot you anticipated for. You can always sense where the skater is headed and when they will be up in the air, so when they start preparing for the move and start skating, anticipate and prepare for that moment when they get in the air (like the one in the shot) and then shoot that moment. If you want a shot of them up close, wait for the moment when they are skating towards you and then be prepared when they are in front of you to take that shot.

Depending where the sun is (if there's any), of course, make sure that you're not facing the sun so they're not backlit, unless it's your intention to shoot them that way and want to use the sun as a rim light (which would be difficult in this case). But it would be a great shot if you're shooting around golden hours and get a silhouette action shot from one of them.

Look out for shadows, too.....sometimes when they cast a shadow against walls it makes a great shot.

Hope this helps.

[Jim Bryant]

Also google "skateboard" photography. I'm sure you'll find tons of photos and "how to" information.

[graciousness]

Shoot, I just read what I wrote on the post above and I broke my own brain.

Sorry......it's hard for to explain about anticipating for the right shot as it's late and I've ran out of proper language to use. Hehe.

[mosgood]

Hi!

Sounds like fun! Try shooting at least some of your shots from a low angle. You'll get some nice height when they take off from a ramp. I used my D200 with the 18-200 zoom lens. It has a nice range for close up & distance. I shot in continuous mode using short bursts of 5 to 8 pictures. I also tried my best to keep a fairly narrow DOF without blowing out my subject(s), since it was a bright sunny day. You will need a fast shutter speed too to keep the subject fairly sharp. I didn't use a flash because I didn't want any of the skaters to get injured worse due to being blinded. They took some pretty hard falls as it was. Stay clear of the action so you don't get hit by a wayward skateboard. They can fall fast & hard as do the skateboarders. I was surprised no one got badly hurt!

Some examples from a shoot from about a month ago:



Exif Data:

Camera	Nikon D200
Exposure	0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture	f/6.3
Focal Length	18 mm
ISO Speed	400
Exposure Bias	0 EV
Flash	No Flash

Exif Data:

Camera	Nikon D200
Exposure	0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture	f/6.3
Focal Length	22 mm
ISO Speed	400
Exposure Bias	0 EV
Flash	No Flash

Exif Data:

Camera	Nikon D200
Exposure	0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture	f/6.3
Focal Length	18 mm
ISO Speed	400
Exposure Bias	0 EV
Flash	No Flash

Exif Data:

Camera	Nikon D200
Exposure	0.004 sec (1/250)
Aperture	f/6.3
Focal Length	60 mm
ISO Speed	400
Exposure Bias	0 EV
Flash	No Flash

Have fun!

Marla

[Tarrynh]

thank you to every one for your advise and input with regards to this..

I have just been doing a little research on the skatepark that we will be going to and have just found out that its going to be an indoor park which means that all settings need to be changed

do you think i will be on the right track if i go with 1/250 with a F3 and an ISO of 800 ? or am i totaly off ?!?!

i look forward to hearing from you

[zona5101]

Originally Posted by Tarrynh

thank you to every one for your advise and input with regards to this..

I have just been doing a little research on the skatepark that we will be going to and have just found out that its going to be an indoor park which means that all settings need to be changed

do you think i will be on the right track if i go with 1/250 with a F3 and an ISO of 800 ? or am i totaly off ?!?!

i look forward to hearing from you

Maybe! You'll have to meter and see...

[gturner]

No, you will be far too slow at 1/250th.
Do you have an external flash? It is going to be the only way to get shots unless you have some serious lenses.

[Tarrynh]

I only have a standard kit. i.e 18-55mm and a 55-200mm lens no speed flash only the "default" flash on the camera.

this is going to be an intreasting day