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03/01/2003 01:00:48 PM · #1 |
Okay, here's the scenario. There's a kid (senior in high school) who wants me to do some pictures of him to insert in his graduation announcements. He is a skateboarder, long hair, baggy shorts, tie-dye t-shirt (you get the picture). He has won tons of competitions for skateboarding. Anyway, he came to see me because he heard I was a "bad" photographer (later, I found out that bad means good now), and he thinks digital enhancements "rock".
Anyway, he doesn't want anything "lame" or "smiley" or "dumb". He said more than once that he wants to look "bad" (again, meaning good). He made his own graduation announcements. They have a huge peace sign on the front with a skateboard in the middle of the peace sign. The weather here really isn't good enough for alot of outside pics, so I thought I better get creative. This is coming up next week, and although I have a few ideas kicking around in my head, I thought I would get some advice from the "cool" people out there. |
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03/01/2003 01:10:48 PM · #2 |
Tara, How about putting him in front of a cement wall and have him hold his skateboard. Of course he would have to have a serious look on his face and with his bagging close to top it off. Hope you figure something out. :-)
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03/01/2003 01:13:19 PM · #3 |
Bad like Michael Jackson ? lol (Don't tell him that)
Good luck ... sounds like a very interesting project. Keep us posted.
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03/01/2003 01:16:59 PM · #4 |
The biggest idea I have so far is to take him to a gym and have him ride in front of a chroma screen. I can then change the background to something cool, whatever I want. The cement wall is a good idea too. All of you special effect gurus ot there, I would love to hear from you!
By the way, he left a message on my machine saying he might bring a few of his "slugs". Okay, I am assuming they are not real slugs...would they be friends, boards, what??? I'll probably have to call and ask him, but if someone knows..it would save me from looking bad (bad means bad in this case) |
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03/01/2003 01:23:50 PM · #5 |
| I assume slugs mean friends but maybe he has pet slugs? Is there an indoor skate park in your city/town? That might be a good place to shoot. I like the idea of a cement wall. Maybe you could take that idea along with your chroma and put him infront of a cement wall with graffiti like peace symbols and anarchy symbols? Or give him a blank background like a canvas and have him and his "slugs" design it? Sounds like a challenging shoot. |
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03/01/2003 01:28:58 PM · #6 |
| I actually live in rural Idaho, so there's not much for graffiti (making some might be fun). In fact, finding a cement wall will be a bit of a challenge too! LOL! This kid is from California, and definitely a mismatch here, which is why I want to a good job for him. He seems like a good kid, and very smart and pleasant, just not someone I'm used to shooting at all. |
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03/01/2003 01:53:19 PM · #7 |
The shot I'd go for is him crouched down holding his board (kinda like the surfer stood with a surfboard shot).
If you can find anywhere suitable use a derelict background (which sounds unlikely) otherwise the screen sounds cool, er I mean rad, 'cos there'll be plenty of sites on the net with shots of walls covered in graffiti/derelict buildings you can use as a background.
If he's wearing a hoody you could use the hood to frame his face, which I'm told is pretty effective ; )
Good luck, and be sure to show us the results. |
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03/01/2003 02:00:08 PM · #8 |
| Gosh, Bod, that shot of you is awesome. Someone said you look like Kurt Cobain, and you really do! I wonder if I could get a similar result with his hair? (It's too his shoulders). These are all great suggestions. There is an old brick building outside of town that has a big parking lot - it's completely falling down and come to think of it, it has some grafitti as well. If it's okay weather that day, I might take him out there. It's about a 30 minute drive, so who knows what we'll talk about! Maybe I could bring along some Barry Manilow to listen to in my mini-van?? |
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03/01/2003 02:44:45 PM · #9 |
I suggest that you take some conventional shots to be safe, maybe in front of that brick wall, and then get some unconventional shots with some ceativity. Maybe you could photograph him kicking up his skateboard or posing at the top of an ramp edge or some other edge, shot from below, as if he is preparing to go off it. Maybe he could spin around on his deck as you capture him with a little motion blur. It should work well as long as you try to capture his character and you have enough light to work with. Good Luck.
T
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03/01/2003 02:48:37 PM · #10 |
go to MTV and look around there for some ideas
or go here
Tricks
james
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03/01/2003 03:46:31 PM · #11 |
It sounds like the skateboard is pretty important and is a big part of how this new graduate sees himself.
So, it should be a key component in the composition. Best advice may be to keep it all very simple. Try to create a strong mode with lighting. Stay in close, sort of like - a man and his board! Stairs, railings, concrete bowls, smooth flat surfaces, etc. all come to mind when I think of skateboarding. Off-angle images, irregular cropping and odd angular framing are common in youthful images these days as well.
An alternate idea may be to involve him in a scene at the local skateboard store? With lots of board related paraphernalia all around him. The focus should be on the teen and remember to set your focus off of his eyes. I hope that these ideas help.
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03/01/2003 04:04:53 PM · #12 |
| Have a look in the Perfect Photos thread. there's a kid seen from under his skateboard. Would that be an option? |
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03/01/2003 04:07:25 PM · #13 |
Good -- I mean bad -- luck on this project! I hope you'll post a shot or two when you're done! I'd give advice, but I wasn't cool even at the age when I should have been cool...
Message edited by author 2003-03-01 16:07:39. |
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03/01/2003 04:08:39 PM · #14 |
best case scenario, i think that you would want to get some shots of him in his *natural environment*. you mentioned the weather is bad--so if you cant get any cool outdoor shots, what about an indoor skate park? years ago, when i worked for this old magazine, Juice, we spent a good amount of time getting those action shots--but sometimes we would just do some neat portrait type shots. i like the idea of him standing in front of a wall, head down, holding his board out in front of him--sounds cool---if you can get the right lighting. i would definitely look into finding an indoor skate park--you could get shots of him perched on the edge of a ramp, etc. if not a skate park, then perhaps some area where he hangs out frequently. what might really be cool is to get some shots (weather permitting) of him doing some tricks in front of his school (after hours, of course!)! i can't imagine a better backdrop for graduation pics! ;)
Message edited by author 2003-03-01 16:14:24.
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03/01/2003 04:57:50 PM · #15 |
| Get down to your local book chain store. Grab or leaf thru a copy of Transworld Skateboard or Thrasher mag. Plenty of cool shots in there to get ideas. These are the standard skate rat mags. |
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03/01/2003 07:36:10 PM · #16 |
| fisheye lens always works |
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03/02/2003 06:38:05 AM · #17 |
If you want somewhere dry, is there a multi storey carpark?
Perhaps it's worth asking him where he goes when it's wet and he wants to skate?
This page //members.aol.com/salanole/myslugs.html seems to imply slugs are friends too. |
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