I know its hard to believe, but sometimes I leave the sand and sea and head to random concrete bowls to see some action. There is certainly some cross-over between the athletes who surf and those who skate, but there is also a cool vibe in the skatepark that differs from the waves. So how to shoot such a scene?

Sun and shadows are the primary element to watch out for. The concrete on the bowls picks up and reflects a ton of light which can put the skater in a deep shadow. This can be good or bad, depending on what you are trying to accomplish. As shown in the first image above, the shadows can add a dramatic feel to the image. Alternatively, one can set up where the skater might launch into the light instead of a shadow.

Next, be sure to consider the background. Once the skater is above the lip, there is a threat of parked cars or even an outhouse cluttering up the scene. On the other hand, a set of sailboats on the bay presented a nice contrast!

Once you have your spot locked in, its time to tune in to the skater. What tricks are they trying to pull? What is the apex of that particular trick? Where will they launch? Once you have the basic understanding down, its time to put the camera on burst mode, tracking focus and a high shutter speed and let the action play out in front of you.

24mm; f/4; 1/640

Finally, there is the question of finish. Do you want the full color – glorious day look – or an edgier feel with no greens or blues? That all depends on the shot and the skater. Since this session was all of kids, I thought both finishes worked quite well. So get out to your local skate park, ask the skaters if they want some pictures and then enjoy the action!