Skatepark Shots

Starskream666 · Jun 30, 2013

I don't use off camera flash much and it proved tricky, i think maybe the batteries were too flat but i wasn't really getting enough power (first pic only)

Brycycle53 · Jun 30, 2013

the first is just very dull, so much grey in the sky and on the ground and i feel like his yellow shirt could pop a lot more.
Also watch your figure-ground relationships it look as though he is stepping on that thing in the background and there is a pole going through his bored.
lighting wise i would try to make the flash higher and add another one on the other side of him. but the shadow the board is casting across his belly is unpleasing.

I shoot alot of bmx and i will get my lights set up and take a couple test shots with the riders standing there, and sometime when they do the trick and arm or sokething will cast a funky shadow and i go to plan B and reset the lights to fix it.

Edit: i kinda combined the two photos into one in my comment. oops

brian_f2.8 · Jun 30, 2013

try putting the light in a different spot. the light is hitting the skateboard which makes a shadow(as seen). if the light is behind the camera in this set up, you would illuminate everything you want.

Starskream666 · Jul 1, 2013

Thanks for the comments. Unfortunately the skatepark is very small and was very busy and the girl I had holding the flash was being impatient haha. The weather was overcast and I did want the sky to come out like that, but agreed the rest of the image is not very vibrant, and yeah clearly the shadow thing. I only have one flash aswell, we started off firing it at his back but It wasn't giving the desired effect, I think my batteries were just running low.

masquerad101 · Jul 3, 2013

I actually like the first 1 best maybe for the composition.

35mm4me · Jul 3, 2013

I like #2, but the back ground takes away from the rider. Try a lower F stop like F/5.6 or 9. That will blur the back ground and draw your eye to the rider.