I shoot skateboarding.

[Mathallowell]

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3441/3368057043_8091ce9e27.jpg?v=0

Jeremy Reeves, taken during the City Skateboards demo in Detroit, MI.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3596/3368881898_d67e90178e.jpg?v=0

angle dos

[rdompor]

Cool.

Do you have any other shots? Both shots suffer from a normal angle of view which doesn't really bring anything interesting into the shots. In the second, the skater is a bit lost in the background.

[Mathallowell]

What do you mean suffer from normal angle of view?

[rdompor]

I mean you took the photos from a normal perspective, and normal isn't terribly interesting.

When you shoot this way, you are pretty much showing the viewer exactly what they would have seen if they were standing there watching the event. Whenever possible, I like to get creative and put the viewer in a new/unusual/interesting point of view.

I'm not saying that normalcy doesn't work because it certainly has its applications. The thing is that when you shoot sports, especially an easily accessible sport like skateboarding, you want to try to emphasize the skill, athleticism, and difficulty involved by getting the perspective just right.

That's all. :)

edit for application to OP:
What you might have done here is try to get the trick to look difficult. As shot, the ledge and rail don't seem very imposing/intimidating. The average viewer doesn't see a 7-set with a rail to throw the skater off balance. They see a 2ft tall ledge down a few stairs that would take 2 seconds to walk down without any effort involved. Throw the ledge and rail in their face, emphasize the backside balancing act, and just put it all into perspective and you've made an interesting photo.

[Mathallowell]

this trick needs no emphasis on difficulty and was taken for those who know that. I've found when shooting skating it's rather difficult to find a unique angle without loosing the clarity of what trick it is, where the skater approached from, and where he's going to land, all three things i see as a necessity in skateboard photography.

[rdompor]

okay.

:)

[clark.moeller]

I dig these. Clarity is really nice, good job mate!

[Nick Pro]

this trick needs no emphasis on difficulty and was taken for those who know that. I've found when shooting skating it's rather difficult to find a unique angle without loosing the clarity of what trick it is, where the skater approached from, and where he's going to land, all three things i see as a necessity in skateboard photography.


He's just trying to help you out man. No need to go and defend yourself. If your not ready for C&C, please say so in your post.

My thoughts? I agree %100 with Ramon. The angles boring, the BG is very distracting, and it's hard to see the skater. If someone is going to look at a action sports photo, they most likely know the sport well, and know how hard it is to do certain tricks. If you have a flash, use it, even if it's on camera. When I shoot BMX or Skateboarding, I always look for angles that the normal viewer might not see. Do you want to get low and make it look more dramatic, or do you want to show the true size of the location, and shoot with a tele?

When you get off your high horse, and start looking at your work and accept that it's not perfect, maybe more people will be willing to help you.

[Mathallowell]

haha i wasn't trying to come off as a prick defending myself at all, if i'm not allowed to speak what i'm thinking then my bad. i'm fully aware my work isn't perfect, or anywhere close to it.

[JeffCanon]

There are no firm rules of composition only subjections. With action sports I agree that it's nice to have the approach and landing. But the problem with sticking firm to any composition rule is that they do not always work well. You need to ask yourself does the rule add or subtract value to the image?
IMO shoot wide and tight along with everything in between

#1) I like, but IMO it has too much dead space on the bottom, I would crop the bottom off to either 4x5 horizontal or square, and you would still have the landing and part of the approach.

#2) The first subject my eyes are drawn to is video guy in black, then the next video guy and on to the line of on lookers. The whole perspective view of the shot leads eyes way from the rider. Trying a square crop, cut off most of the handrail on the right. It is part of edge that leads eyes. Cutting it out might reduce the eyes from being drawn to the back of the image

[khall]

Who's Jeremy Reeves?
To me its just a picture of some guy sliding down a hand rail with some of his mates looking on.

[mikeassk]

Who's Jeremy Reeves?
To me its just a picture of some guy sliding down a hand rail with some of his mates looking on.
Its a Demo like the OP said.
Have you ever been to a demo?
Follow pro skateboarding?
If so i would be surprised at the questions.

A demo is where pros show up to a planned event to promote/entertain/ hype kids and skaters alike. Its a sponsored event usually by a skate company.

[khall]

Same Question....Who is Jeremy Reeves?

[JeffCanon]

Same Question....Who is Jeremy Reeves?

They seem to have missed the point of your reply. I hope you where trying to make point.
It's a big world and just because you may consider someone to be a celebrated or well know does not mean they really are and that everyone will too

I think Jeremy Reeves riders for the brand City Skateboards.

[Mathallowell]

Yeah, he is a professional skateboarder who rides for City Skateboards and Nike, plus others. If you've never given a **** about skateboarding are you really surprised you don't know someone in a skateboard photograph?

[cccc]

In the second shot, you should dodge out the background around the skater a little bit to seperate his shirt out.

I personally really like the shots.
A wider angle would have been nice on either of them, but both are quality imo

[computerguru3190]

I think the colors are really washed. Looks like you took the saturation up way too high. Also I think that some of the other posters are right, they maybe great snapshots of events, but they are kind of boring. No offense.

[DoOb's]

Matthallowell, im a skateboarder. And judging from these two images....where you could have stood was.

In you first photo there is a video guy on the left....now you should have done is got just to the right of him something like this....and shot up at the skateboarder....Well Jeremy Reeves....imo good skater. And you use a flash to the left of you and meter the building which could make a very nice impact on the photo.

http://i161.photobucket.com/albums/t216/RedDevil_018/3368057043_8091ce9e27.jpg

Sound better.

[mikeassk]

DoOb's:
On this ledge that would look crap because of the rail...

[DoOb's]

What if you were say on ur hauches...think i got that word right and using a wide angle or fish eye Portrait wise??.. But i yea i see what you mean Mike it would look crap.

Hmm oh well

[ChunkyDA]

To the OP,
I hope you take these constructively and keep shooting and posting in order to improve.
To me, this is a very interesting series. 2 shots of basically the same event run multiple times (look at the scrapes on the cement wall, who's gonna' pay to clean that up?). The only thing different is the video guy with the hat and white t-shirt is looking down into the camera on one and looking at the skateboarder on the other. The video guy with the jacket is capturing the same thing each time (and he seems to have the best angle). The skateboarder is lost in the bottom photo and the title to the post could just have easily been "I take pictures of other people shooting skateboarders". Again in the bottom photo, there is one guy with red headband standing by himself. He'd probably get a nice photo but he's using a video camera. Move around, if you notice that you are in line with 6-7 others taking pictures, move away from them and ask if the'y mind sharing their pictures with you. Your's will be different and they might want yours more than their own.
Let's see some more!
Dave

[Mathallowell]

in reference to the guy filming with the jacket, he truly does have the best angle, and rightfully so being the paid City team filmer. i do appreciate all the comments and critiques. To chunky, I see where you can say the title could have been "I take pictures of others shooting skateboarders" however, to me the other people are one of the best parts of the shot. never, and i mean never, will you be able to have that kind of session at Cobo hall due to security and what not. the event was just as important as the skater, more in the one where i was shooting up the ledge as opposed to down.