Skateboarding

[mrbillf]

Hi All,

I haven't posted any pictures for a while lately so I thought I would post some of these I took last week. Even though they aren't the greatest pics but I think the moment and timing has been captured. All taken at Bondi Skate Bowl.

Enjoy,
Bill

[PiroStitch]

Nice shots mate. Love how you captured the timing especially in the third pic. I had a go at taking pics of dirt jumping on bikes, but struggled a lot - couldn't get it right.

[Alpha_7]

Great work Bill, we've missed our dose of Sk8ing pics. Love the distorting you get with the 10-20, personally I think it makes the tricks seem more impressive due to the apparent distance between foreground skater, and background bowl and audience.


How close are you to getting a skateboard in the head, camera or elsewhere ? When taking these shots.

[Willigan]

Great shots Bill. The first & third are my picks. My brother used to skate, so I watched a LOT of sk8 videos & saw enough stacks to appreciate how hard these tricks can be. Keep em coming!

& nice shot of the stickers on the deck in the first - make 2 copies & clone out the quiksilver logo in one & the globe in the other & try selling to the companies

[drifter]

I really like the first and the third one .

[wendellt]

i think these have a great feel and perspective to them, the tone lis excellent too wit the grey blue sky and small details like the sun backlighting the skateboarder and the cool flare, i think this is the best set of skateboarder pics i have seen from you

[mrbillf]

Thanks to all for your comments.

wendellt Wrote, i think this is the best set of skateboarder pics i have seen from you

Thanks Wendell, yeah I was pretty happy with these and got them printed at A4 size (Looks great) I actually like #2 while everyone seems to like #1 & 3. Needless to say they are cool pics as well.

Alpha_7 Wrote, How close are you to getting a skateboard in the head, camera or elsewhere ? When taking these shots.

Thanks Craig, yeah I get pretty close to them. Anyway, these guys all know me and my distance by now but in #1 I was very close - like about 2ft - Scary stuff. I was think 'Not the len, not the lens please'... #2 was about 3ft and #3 was a different shot. The set up was camera almost on the ground pointing slightly upwards and flash with sync cord to the left pointing towards the skater. All done with no eye in the viewfinder. It's all guess work . Should be used to it by now. Been taking about 4000 skate shots in the past 6 months.

Regards,
Bill

[timbo]

Fantastic shots Bill. Mr Capa would approve - you're getting close enough to really capture the feel.

How many head injuries have you seen in tyhe time that you've managed to capture 4,000 shots?

Tim

[mrbillf]

Timbo,

I've seen a few head injuries plus more and one that comes to mind was a very serious one. It was in the same bowl at Bondi. Which the at the deep end it's around 12 feet from bottom to the top copping. This young kid must have been around 12-13yr old didn't have any pads or helmet on what so ever. The only people that wear pads I've noticed are the older guys like 35 yrs +. The young ones must think that it won't happen to them. Anyway, this kid was a little sharky in the bowl and earlier was bragging to his mate about his new $400 skateboard. Well, sure enough he came off the top copping and crashed backwards to the bottom of the 12ft bowl.. He laided there and didn't move. Everyone jumped in to get him while people were ringing triple 0 the next thing his eyes rolled back for about 15 secs and there was panic. Anyway, he came to and then the ambos came and took him to hospital.

His mate said, he asked his parents for pads as the skateboard was his birthday persent. But his parents said we spent so much money on the board that they couldn't afford the pads/helmet. Gees, for average protection (ie Knee, elbows and helmet) it would have cost about $100 extra. Lets face it the board cost 4 times that. I think protection is a valuable investment in this sport. My young fella (also age 12yr) doesn't ride with out them - this is coming from him.

The moral of the story is include at least a helmet when buying a skateboard....

Regards,
Bill

[PiroStitch]

Sorry to be blunt, but people who skate, blade or bike w/out helmets are just dumb. Ignorance is not an excuse as a lot of the pros who these guys admire wear helmets as well.

It's sickening of such injuries when it could have been prevented or lessened (to a certain extent).

Anyway, that still doesn't take away from the fact that their top pics....even tho the guys aren't wearing helmets...

[mrbillf]

Thanks PiroStitch,

Actually pic #2 & 3 they had Knee pads on and pic #3 he also had waist guards in his pants side. The first guy Pic #1 didn't have anything.

Pic #1 is a French fella came over for the comp
Pic #2 is a Aussie skater - pretty well know. Jackson is his name
Pic #3 is Renton Millar who is a Pro from Melbourne I'm told. He actually came in 2nd place last Saturday.

Regards,
Bill

[PiroStitch]

Bill,

I'm referring to helmets Broken arms, elbows and legs will heal....a broken head will but not that greatly

[timbo]

Timbo,

I've seen a few head injuries plus more and one that comes to mind was a very serious one. It was in the same bowl at Bondi. Which the at the deep end it's around 12 feet from bottom to the top copping. This young kid must have been around 12-13yr old didn't have any pads or helmet on what so ever. The only people that wear pads I've noticed are the older guys like 35 yrs +. The young ones must think that it won't happen to them.

Bill,

My son and I were down there a few months ago playing with my LensBaby and he took this shot just as a young kid – we later found his name was Lachy – stepped off the rim. He'd been nervous about it but all his mates were egging him on. As you can see from the shot his back foot was already off the board and it was all downhill from there. His head bounced off the concrete at the bottom and he was out cold for about 5 mins. We called the ambos and his parents and he eventually came round... he promised us he wouldn't go back in there without a helmet!

[CraigVTR]

Not wearing protective gear in such sports is crazy. But the young have no fear, as can be seen in the shots.

lots of crazies on motorcycles do the same thing, shorts, tshirts and a helmet, because they have to wear one.

The shots really capture the, no fear, i can do anything with this board, even fly, attitude.

Craig

[BBJ]

Bill cant say anymore than whats been said, other that i think these are great shots and looks like the right time to do it make it more ineteresting.
Cheers
John
BBJ

[jerrysk8]

really nice pics bill. was this at the bondi bowl-a-rama? was really keen to go down for this. they were even providing free accommodation for media.

1st pic - got some crazy flare goin on there and face is slightly covered. frenchies name is alex. more pics of frenchies touring here --> http://www.skateboard.com.au/forum/read ... =32691&p=9 (pics by drew)

2nd pic - face is slightly covered and maybe a bit more flash to make him pop out a bit more. also good to show the coping to give better judgment of amount of air he's getting. i used to see jackson skate my local when he was really really small and now he's ripping in vert. can do 720's!

3rd - its an arse shot.

helmets and pads are a definate must for riding vert, skating street is a different story.

i pick up my fisheye tomorow so can't wait take some pics with it.