Street skateboarding is an action-packed sport, and for many of the athletes who indulge in it, it becomes a true passion.
In the 1980s, skateboarding broke out of its confines in old swimming pools and dedicated skate areas and exploded into locations all over town. From impressive grinds along railings to flips over trash cans, street skating has become a part of the culture for many city dwellers.
As a photographer, it’s possible to snap realistic, dynamic shots of street skateboarders without too much posing or set-up. After all, your subjects are likely experts at what they do, and you just need to know how to capture their passion.
This guide suggests dynamic shots to snap, shutter speed considerations, and how to perfectly capture moments of skate culture.
The Power of the Right Skateboarding Shots
The primary challenge of taking excellent skateboarding shots is the constant motion of the subjects. While you want your shots to be dynamic, you don’t want every photo to be a messy blur.
To compensate for this, I mostly work with a very fast shutter speed. You’ll find that if you set your shutter speed to 1/1000th of a second, for example, you should get extraordinarily crisp shots that freeze your skater in mid-trick.
The downside of this is that you have to be super precise about your timing. Rather than waiting for the perfect moment, take numerous shots of each trick and move around so you have plenty of images to choose from.
Also, in this way, you can catch your subjects at key moments in their tricks. For instance, the point when a skater reaches the top of a half-pipe offers a great moment of potential to snap.
The best skateboarding photos should always showcase raw energy, power, and the capability of the skater. But you can also focus on fashion elements and aspects of the local environment, highlighting the interconnectedness of street skating and local culture.
If you’re going to integrate shots taken by the skaters themselves, take a look at this GoPro comparison guide, highlighting the best action cameras for extreme sports.
1. Find a Local Skatepark
Outdoor skateparks allow you to grab genuinely impressive shots while retaining the grit of street skating. Your subjects can dress how they like, with none of the “rules” that sometimes come with indoor skate centers.
They’re free to perform trick after trick, switching from the pipes and rails of the park to the curbs of the sidewalk. As a photographer, I love the mix of photos possible here: genuine street-style shots worked in with amazing tricks thanks to a handy half-pipe.
To keep the “street” feel, shoot skatepark shots with local color in the background – Integrate well-known local buildings or landmarks, street signs, or even passersby.
Remember to get the permission of anyone you photograph if you’re planning to share the images online.
2. Alternatively, Stick to the Streets
Of course, you don’t have to stay in the skatepark to get great skateboarding shots. The whole point of street skating is that it goes anywhere and utilizes everything.
If you’re planning to shoot street skaters in their natural environment, try to find an area of their town or city that’s reasonably quiet, so you’re not disturbing other pedestrians.
You can ask your subjects for recommendations. They no doubt know the best places for a fun and satisfying skate that’s unlikely to cause hassle for pedestrians.
Try to use the local environment as much as possible. Grab a grind shot on a stairway or curb, shoot a jump over a grate or manhole cover, or simply capture your subject’s determination to get where they’re going.
Street skating is often filmed in the late afternoon or evening when public areas are less busy, so make sure you’re properly prepared to shoot in low-light conditions.
3. Snap an Ollie
One of the most dynamic street skateboarding moves is the Ollie. Skaters use this leaping motion to get over and onto all sorts of obstacles, from sidewalks to railings.
Because the Ollie involves both the skater and the board leaving the ground, it’s the perfect shot to showcase motion.
You’ll need a fast shutter speed to capture the moment. I find that relying on blur to provide a sense of motion doesn’t work for Ollie shots, because it removes the high-definition crispness of the board being above the ground.
Take plenty of shots so you can choose the best ones. A good amount of distance between the ground and the board is desirable for giving the best sense of movement.
If your skater is jumping over something, get shots from both sides, as long as they can repeat the move safely.
4. Cut the Background
While photos highlighting the gritty reality of street skating are excellent for Insta and other socials, for branding and marketing shots, you can experiment with removing or even replacing the background.
I like to work with a very dynamic shot. Using a fast shutter speed, I’ll grab a sharply-focused, crisp shot of an Ollie or other mid-air move.
From here, it’s a matter of smart editing to erase the background. For brands, I often replace it with colors from their branding book or even a logo.
Skateboarding moves and tricks are such a dynamic way to grab attention, which is why they’re so often used by savvy brands.
Have fun swapping backgrounds out and experimenting with color to get your skateboarder to really “pop” from the image.
5. Focus on the Board
A truly dynamic angle is to catch the board when it’s as close to you as possible. The board should be well into the foreground, and the skater leaning back or already moving away.
The sense of movement in these types of shots is undeniable. The top of a half- or quarter-pipe is the ideal place to snap these shots, although you may need a few tries to get the sense of movement you want.
Avoid slow shutter speeds. Although these will create a motion blur, you’ll lose the sharp focus on the board, disrupting the careful framing of the board in the foreground.
If possible, aim for a powerful color contrast. The red of the skatepark in this shot contrasts beautifully with the green of the trees and the pale blue of the cloudy sky, bringing the more neutral tones of the board even more sharply into focus.
6. Showcase Athletes About to Launch
Sometimes, the most dynamic shot is the one before the trick is actually performed.
Position yourself so you can catch your subjects just before they launch into their next set of moves. Frame these images so that the focus is on the face or hands.
Pensive expressions showing determination and focus are the inevitable result and make for striking images. Hands gripping the board, ready to move and react, also add a dynamic touch, even though the movement is yet to come.
Choose your location thoughtfully. A less cluttered background is better for these types of shots, as they won’t distract from your subject’s facial expression.
7. Get Down Low
One of the most exciting things about skateboarding photography is how experimental you can get with angles.
Getting really low is one of my favorite ways to highlight that the board is a critical part of what’s happening, as well as the rider.
From a low angle, you can capture skylines and local landmarks, as well as provide interesting new perspectives on the city hardware your skater is using for their next trick.
Consider centering either the board or the skater’s face, and take numerous shots to showcase their body in a number of different positions.
These types of shots are ideal for showing high-energy moves and the way skating becomes a part of the local environment.
8. Flat Riding Motion
Unlike traditional skate park skating, street skateboarding involves more flat motion: long runs on sidewalks, grinds on curbs, and fast movements through city streets.
Capture that culture by snapping skaters heading from Point A to Point B, perhaps with a local landmark or street sign behind them to show a highlight of their journey.
You can opt for a fast shutter speed here to capture crisp, clear shots. Alternatively, slow your shutter speed slightly for a touch of motion blur to indicate directional motion.
I like to take multiple shots while panning, keeping the skater in sharp focus while the background gently blurs. The result is the city whooshing by while the skater looks completely in control.
Create even sharper contrast by choosing neutral or pale backgrounds, particularly if your skater is wearing a brightly colored or striking outfit.
9. Allow Your Subjects to Be Silly
Whether you’re showcasing amateur or younger skaters or simply want to create a “blooper reel,” it always helps to have some less serious shots.
Skaters sitting on their boards, throwing and catching them, or simply laughing together, highlight the more lighthearted side of skateboarding. Why not get your subjects to draw a tic-tac-toe game in chalk, and show them pondering over it while they hold their boards?
Someone lying on their board after a long run of tricks is a neat shot to show exhaustion or satisfaction. Get them to flap their arms like a bird for extra silliness.
You could also consider shots of groups of skaters heading for a drink, or all sitting around with their boards on their laps, maybe waiting for their turn on a busy skatepark.
As well as simply being fun shots, these images are ideal for representing skate culture. They’re the types of shots you’ll find in skateboarding magazines or on social pages aimed at encouraging people to get into skateboarding.
Pro Tips for an Impactful Skateboarding Photoshoot
Make sure your gear is suitable for high-motion and potentially low-light shots. You should also check that you have plenty of clear, formatted memory cards, because you’re likely to take thousands of shots trying to snap the perfect trick.
Remember to work with faster shutter speeds for most motion shots. Experiment with panning and slower shutter speeds where the motion is flat or omnidirectional.
Let your skaters guide you. They know their skill, their capabilities, and their local area.
Remember that skating has its own culture. Don’t turn up to a shoot in a suit; you won’t live it down.
Be respectful of these skaters’ capabilities. They may not be flying half-pipes in the Olympics, but they know their tricks and moves, and will likely impress you.
Other tips for a successful skateboarding photoshoot include:
- Dress for the weather: Your skaters will keep warm through exercise, but you’ll likely get chilly waiting for the perfect shot.
- Remember your tripod: A steady camera is the key to shots with truly dynamic motion.
- Incorporate the environment: A stunning piece of graffiti or striking local landmark can become an intrinsic part of a great skateboarding image.
- Focus on urban elements: Even in the skatepark, make sure you capture urban elements to emphasize the “street” nature of this type of skating.
- Work with shadows: As the sun sets, make the most of the low light levels by snapping shots of skaters’ shadows as they leap and grind.
The goal of a great skate photoshoot is to capture the passion, the fashion, the culture, and the exceptional skill of these skaters.
Final Thoughts
If you’re lucky enough to be invited or commissioned to take photos of skateboarders, you’ll have so much fun. You’ll also likely meet some amazing people and incredible athletes.
These types of shoots have been some of my favorite ones. I got the chance to explore new parts of my city I’d never paid attention to before and got an insight into a subculture that’s rapidly becoming more popular all the time.
If you get the chance to photograph skateboarders, grab it with both hands.
