Stretching out my comfort zone....

Shorty

Shorty

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Not sure this is in the right section but here goes.

I'm in a really random mood to go down to the rec park at the bottom of my road, in the pray that there's some kids at the skateparky area there[just a couple of ramps, really].
Now I KNOW once I get there I'll slink away and be too scared to shoot anything if anyone is there, esp with the kids round here. AND I also know I would feel more comfortable wit/get better shots with a different lens[only got kit lens :(].

BUT can anyone give me some inspiration and/or tips on how to make the most of what I'm dealing with, inc. my noobiness to people/street/skateboarding shots - as of yet I only really shoot animals, so this is a change for me and I'm not sure how to make the most of it with what I've got camera/lens wise and personally.


Any tips off anyone?
 
Your kit lens is fine :)

Just go to the kids "hey kids I don't suppose you mind if I take some photos of you skating? I'll give you the link to a website where you can get the photos off to use on your facebook or whatever" and just stick them up on flickr. TFP so to speak.
If they get arsey or lary (big group, possibly will to show how macho they are to their mates, depending on age) don't get beat down, just tell them to suit themselves and walk off. If they're older then they'll probably be chuffed, younger, they're probably well 'ard larin' you off.

As far as the shots go, f/4 1/250 should be okay, however mix and match, see what works. Try using on-board flash.
One of my best ever mountain bike photos was done using on board flash, a 10-20 and a 350d, so next time anyone poo-poos it I'll bring that bad boy up :p
 
Well as I'm a newby to the world of photography, I can't give any tips on that side but I do work with kids and I'd say that even if some of them might look a bit scary, the majority are very nice and will like the attention and chance to show off for you. As it's been said just approach them and say something like 'lads, I'm trying to get some shots of skateboarders, would you mind if I took a few of you in action'. Maybe take a pen and paper, get their email addresses and tell them you email them the best photos.
 
I agree with the advice already give re just chatting to them and ask if they mind you taking some shots. At a TP meet last year in London there were some kids showing off on their stunt bikes and they loved the attention of a load of us toggs all shooting them from different angles. Got chatting to them and they were a great bunch of lads :)
 
I would say you giving them your flickr/facebook is better than you gathering their e-mail addresses or whatever... we live in paranoid times!
 
play to there egos:thumbs: if you go up, and just say something like 'hey, you guys any good?' just wait and see the response... youl have them showing off, and doing whatever they can in no time:)
 
Wow thanks for the replies! Im going to head off there in a couple of hours maybe an hour, and will try what you said. I'll see what kinda kids there are there today cos some of them around here are known to hang around the skate park just to cause trouble[they dont skate or bmx etc]

Now I'll just hope that on a gloomy day like today there's at least a couple of kids there :) Thanks very much and I'll post up some shots if any of them turn out OK.
 
Well that was a wasted journey :( got there and I could see 3 kids, I thought 'great' not many to deal with, as I got closer I realised they were youngish and were on those foot scooters, and were only building up momentum to get half way up a ramp to let themselves roll back again.
And it started raining too, so having spent a total of 5minutes there. I am back home.


Shall try again tomorrow!
 
Oh the joy of photography!
 
It's hard to see what's going on at the skate part area as it's shoved in the back end of the park and my road comes out by the front end. So if they're taking a break etc. you can't see them cos they;re behind the ramps and like today until I'm closer by you can't see what they're on [I thought these guys were on rollerblades today[


I may go back out today if the sun holds out a little bit longer!
 
The shots might work better later in the day anyway, creating a more dramatic lighting. Don't give up, try again later. I look forward to seeing he images.
 
Well the sun came out not too long after my last post, and I've just got back from there.

It was OK, it was the same guys from this morning except a couple more joined them [on BMXs] so I got some shots at the least[well 2gb worth, memory card started screaming at me!] I'm just uploading them now so will see what kinda shots I got!

I did feel a right numpty though, not long after I started taking shots did one of the BMXers take out his DSLR and tripod and started taking proper, knowing what he's doing shots with it. My confidence got knocked from that moment onwards if I'm honest.

There was one skateboarder there who arrived late a couple mins before I left. Tried taking stuff of him but he obv didn't want me to as moved onto a ramp out of my view afterwards. OH WELL.


Btw, I have no idea what kinda shots you're meant to get from this kinda togging? I tried loadsa diff angles but nothing worked and I'd get more ramp in than action/person :shrug:

I'll do a thread once I've edited through the pics that are OK...What section would it need to go in? *numpty*
 
I'd put it in sports. Sounds like a reasonably sucessful trip to me. You certainly got a lot of shots.

thier are lots of these kind of shots in the Sports section, you could have a look and see if you can work out how they were taken.

Try not to be put off, its all good experience :thumbs:
 
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