Helpful hints

[illtaketheblame]

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/skater_chick_44_kc/DSC_0143.jpg

Shutter: 200
Aperature:F4.5

I recently bought a D80; still trying to figure everything out. This was the first time I shot skateboarding. I was a little disappointed at how the picture came out. Does anyone have a tips for me? It would be greatly appreciated.

Stacey

[ukanfoff]

angles, its all about angles.....
uhm also use flash at a different angle.

[klips]

Yay for skaters! Always good to see another skate shooter on here (although I haven't done any in a while, I guess I'm still waiting for my new toy).

You asked for hints, so you'll get them, probably in greater quantities than your expected but I have nothing better to do while I wait for clothes to dry:

1. Focus: Your focus is off. This is why it isn't sharp, and will be the main reason you're disappointed. If you look, you'll see the focus is actually on the signs in the background and not the skater. Because you've used a large-ish aperture, you're not going to get the whole scene in focus. Try prefocusing on the rail and then shooting.
2. Angle: To quote Lil John "let me see ya get low!!!" Skater shots look HEAPS more impressive from below, as it distorts the perspective to make jumps look bigger and rails look higher. Shooting flat to the rail is also not usually the most interesting way to do it, go on a bit of an angle and it'll be heaps better.
3. Flash: Get if off the camera. If you're going to be doing a fair bit of this, buy some cheap wireless transmitters and an old flash with manual settings then go to http://strobist.blogspot.com to learn how to use it. If you look through a skate mag in a newspaper I'm willing to bet that at least 85% of the shots have off camera flash, and that's being very conservative.
4. White balance: you've used auto white balance, which is why it looks kinda pale. Shoot it with the flash white balance on, and, if necessary, get into some post processing and make it a touch warmer/colder to give it some interest.
5. Practice. Nothing will improve you more.

I hope this helps. If you have any more questions just ask, and when you've taken more shots then post them up. Don't worry if it doesn't all come at once, that's what point 5 is for.

[illtaketheblame]

Thanks so much for the suggestions! I really appreciate the help. I need all I can get haha. Next time I'm out with the guys ill be sure to try some of the techniques you mentioned. Here are a few more I took...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/skater_chick_44_kc/DSC_0116.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/skater_chick_44_kc/DSC_0117.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/skater_chick_44_kc/DSC_0114.jpg


All were shot in pretty low light. I kept messin with the shutter speed but just couldnt get that dark grainy look outta there.. oook another question When does ISO come into play? Seems to me anytime I shoot on MAS or P modes it just looks grainy...

[illtaketheblame]

Here's some of my other photos I've taken in the past few months and crits and "helpful hints" would be appreciated. Thanks

1.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2282/2023918287_5eafab2de5_b.jpg

2.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2245/2023849367_c5e95afd71_b.jpg

3.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2045/2023849249_ba9f4b2444_b.jpg

4.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2262/1938113192_b23222d21f_b.jpg

5.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2232/1938077134_c5f60066c0_b.jpg

6.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2274/1936395757_2bf18b6a9f_b.jpg

7.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2417/1936395739_babb91ea09_b.jpg

8.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2091/1935615177_7cb8356467_b.jpg

9.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2400/1936410022_acf4c261c7_b.jpg

10.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2296/1927997690_4b57dfe2e9_b.jpg

11.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2044/1927997652_db4ca7723b_b.jpg

12.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2116/1927997632_edf1775bf9_b.jpg

13.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2130/1927997586_06eb6710ee_b.jpg

14.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2190/1925823540_bdcee50d6c_b.jpg

15.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2198/1925823504_ffe92607e9_b.jpg

16.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2257/1896693015_abaa203a16_b.jpg

17.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2068/1896692973_e68e388d35_b.jpg

18.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2245/1702163836_ddad5c1d30_b.jpg

19.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2245/1702163836_ddad5c1d30_b.jpg

20.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2033/1702163770_825196d471_b.jpg

21.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2331/1536068039_4384df3174_b.jpg

22.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1218/1464458615_fdcc626139_b.jpg

23.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1397/1465273670_0549d4b867_b.jpg

24.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1289/1348385160_b020c54e9d_b.jpg

25.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1375/1424191160_39c217ee5b_b.jpg

[illtaketheblame]

aaand more...

26.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1028/1348385146_5c83702ea5_b.jpg

27.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1186/1348385126_749545f22b_b.jpg

28.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1202/1348385094_e7816c7452_b.jpg

29.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1085/1055117484_25c7ee1738_b.jpg

30.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1191/1036096300_7d7c1a4952_b.jpg

31.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1061/1036096016_47bd3f95d7_b.jpg

32.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1283/1036096330_f5e68c5a18_b.jpg

33.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1221/750604428_fabff65e93_b.jpg

34.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1206/750604274_b55e6ac73b_b.jpg

35.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1037/643833621_4527deef98_b.jpg

36.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1127/643833771_5ec16c5e5e_b.jpg

37.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1404/636588530_d50c9301a2_b.jpg

38.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1037/591646531_5e97e797b7_b.jpg

39.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1098/591646615_23ed5251d6_b.jpg

40.http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1162/636557374_d425bf3ddd_b.jpg

Alrighty enough for now

[illtaketheblame]

Taken tonight. Never tried this before...
http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y248/skater_chick_44_kc/DSC_0149.jpg

Just me and my dog. Cant believe she stayed still long enough to be in the shot haha

[Erica Johnson]

LOL What kind of tips do you need? I love the 7-Eleven, lighthouse and muffin photos. :)

[purplerose]

I think you should play around with compositions more. Really nice colors and lighting in the clouds though.

Keep shooting! :)

[illtaketheblame]

Erica thanks I love to bake and always try to get some pictures of the final products haha.

[illtaketheblame]

Few pictures I took today thought i'd post them....

1.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2211/2090981903_a5419c1b9c_b.jpg

2.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2274/2090981907_88dcd49f80_b.jpg

3.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2328/2090981913_126705ceed_b.jpg

4.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2016/2091724192_55d1a0a95f_b.jpg

5.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2236/2091724172_149ed79158_b.jpg

6.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2173/2091724182_f5e84526c0_b.jpg

7.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2316/2091724166_c8bdaf1d98_b.jpg

8.http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2400/2091724162_a032b88568_b.jpg

[VenomVindicta]

Wow, some of those are really good.

i love the perspexctive on 37 :D

How on earth did you get the snake to look atyou in 33 though>? :O

Liking the muffins aswell. :) <3
Venom

[illtaketheblame]

Wow, some of those are really good.

i love the perspexctive on 37 :D

How on earth did you get the snake to look atyou in 33 though>? :O

Liking the muffins aswell. :) <3
Venom

Thank you!
I was out hiking a few months ago and ran into that little guy. Its a baby rattler im sure its alot bigger now haha. The only reason he was lookin at me was because he was ready to strike. I only got 2 pictures of him I was waaay to nervous.
Yay for food pictures! Pictures dont do them justice lol

[illtaketheblame]

What would be the best way to send a band pictures that you took of their show?