Maybe you have your favorite snowboarding poster, or a killer skateboarding background on your computer. We’ve all seen some pretty amazing sports photos out there, but when it comes to documenting your own shredding adventures, you probably come up a bit short. Extreme sports photos, if you know how to take them right, can be killer. If you don’t, you’ll end up with a crappy blur, maybe a hand or leg, and definitely no record of that sweet 360 you landed.

So I’ve put together a short primer on how to take better boarding photos, so you and your friends can relive those gnarly memories.

Point-and-shoot v. digital single-lens reflex camera

Point-and-shoot cameras are compact, easy to use and usually feature a number of creative features like black and white shooting and video. They’re also super portable and can fit in your pocket or bag. But the qualities of photos from a digital single-lens reflex (DSLR) camera to those of a point-and-shoot hold no comparison. DSLRs are way better.

Professional photographers almost always use digital single-lens reflex camera (DSLR) to take those amazing photos of your favorite athletes. These cameras take sharper, more focused photos that your point-and-shoot could ever imagine. DSLRs are especially important in sports photographs as they can take rapid succession photos, and are easily customizable as the lenses are interchangeable –fish eye lenses are particularly popular in skateboarding photos. Unfortunately, they also cost a bundle. For just under $1,000, you can get a decent camera body and lens, maybe two, and shoot away.

Location
When beginning your photography endeavor, start by setting up your camera for shoots in places that are predictable. For example, snowboarding pipes or skateboarding jumps are easier to shoot – at least if you’re looking for an aerial shot - because you can anticipate where the rider will be in the sky before you shoot. That way, you can frame your photo and focus your camera before the jumpoff.

Shooting
Timing is by far, the most important aspect of sports shooting, as critical moments - like tackling a perfect trick - only happens once.

Planning and preparation like adjusting the shutter speed (how fast or slow the image will be captured) or depth of field (how sharp the foreground or background is in a photo) is crucial to getting a good photo, otherwise your product will be a total waste.

Be aware of your lighting as well, as too little will either force you to use your flash – which I despise – or give you a dark, underexposed photo. Too much, and your subject will be washed out or grainy.

Another tip is to look out for bursts of color, as locations like mountains tend to be washed out by white snow. Focus on those small amounts of color – like snowboarding jackets or board graphics – to give a shine to your photos.

Conclusion
Sports Illustrated photographer Jerry Lodriguss says it best:
- Master your craft and your equipment
- Be Prepared
- Get in position
- Focus
- Timing
- Pay Attention
- Take a Chance
- Keep it Simple Stupid

Here’s some inspirational links for you as well.

Photo blog: snowboarding - http://photographers.snowboard-revolution.com

Snowboarding photography website - http://www.snowlution.com/home.html

Rapid succession photo: Shan White - http://gallery.speedo.ca/main.php/v/desktops/snowboarddesks/Shaun_white.jpg.html

The 100 Best Skate Photos on Flickr! - http://thehotcrew.com/2006/09/19/the-100-best-skate-photos-on-flickr/