Pro photographer Tom Van Schelven shares his skateboarding photography tips. Flips, grabs, grinds and airtime require superfast shutter speeds and Tom’s graphic style of photography is epitomised by the harsh lighting and fluid movement he looks for when isolating subjects and reducing anything from the shot that disturbs the focus.
For me, the Nikon D5200’s 24.1 megapixel resolution has a high enough pixel count to take a wide shot from a precarious vantage point and crop it down afterwards without losing any quality. I love shooting skateboarding like this, and you’ll see it often in my work. My lens of choice is the NIKKOR 24mm-70mm f/2.8 as it provides the flexibility required to adapt with the skater’s rapid movements.
Tom van Schelven’s tips for shooting skateboarding:
- Know your subject – To capture really stunning shots, study the body language of the skater to anticipate their movements
- Think about lighting – Shadows and surface reflection can actually enhance your images if you pay them enough attention
- Aspire to simplicity – Look for crisp, clean contrasts and minimal subject matter
For a period of time, I use to took photos of skateboarders. Which is a rewarding yet patient work of art. You don't want too much in your background since the subject will more than likely be doing a 360 in mid-air. So there's your action right there, make it simple so that the central point is the skateboarder. Tom van Schelven gives three great tips for capturing a great shot.