Taking me back in time. This was shot on Provia 100 (I think, I didn't scan the borders). There's a pretty big drop on the other side of this rail, and you can see we stacked bags at the base of the stairs to catch the board in the event it went flying. Skater is Miguel De La Tejera (Of the hats). You can see I drag the shutter a little bit to keep the ambient exposed correctly. That's what makes that strange outline on his front-side.
I'm thinking this was shot in 2004.
To me it looks like the board shot out from under him in this particular shot. Also would have like to see this shot with a little faster flash duration. But all and all i like it. Do you remember what lights you were using?
Equipment wasn't like it is today. It was so unreliable (especially after a few spills). Odd's are this was the 555 kit, with Quantum 4i's for triggers. The combination of the two was incredibly unreliable.
The flash duration was actually really fast. Hard to tell because 1. This was film. 2. I did drag the shutter during sunset, with a ton of bounce all around. But honestly, the max x-sync speed was 1/250th. It wasn't going to get that much better even if I used the max.
You're right the board probably did shoot out. But the lights went off, so this one got scanned :)
You don't have to tell me about equipment not being like it is today haha I've been shooting bmx for 20 years. Been there.
To me the little bit of motion blur isn't that big of a deal. Would have been cool if it got stopped a little more but is what it is.
But to me a photo that was not a make or at the very least looks like a make shouldnt see the light of day.
Did he at least land the trick at some point during this session?
He did. I have a digital version that looks a lot more solid. But it was with a Canon G2/long lens, and I just like this composition better.
Additionally, a front-nose on a 9 is a pretty weak trick. So while I agree with you that not-makes shouldn't see the light of day - I'm a lot more lenient (or was in my early 20's) on these types of ambient shots in regards to timing/lockin.
This one in particular is much less about the trick, and more about the location composition.
I like this angle a lot for sure.
And the fact that he did make it that session makes it better.
As far as ethics go for most bmx work the trick needs to be landed when the same day. For some really big stuff it needs to landed before the photo can run. And it can be manipulated in post to make it looks bigger or harder.
Personally im a little more strict. For bigger things the trick has to be landed the same day and in the time the time that the photo is trying to be made. If photo gear is packed up and the dude makes it then i don't submit. And for easier stuff it just has to be a make.
But yeah definitely this angle and the motion blur is no big deal. Back in the day a lot of shooters were trying for that look. Idk what the light readings were but I feel like you could have stopped it just a little more with a few 285hvs. I dont know what you were dealing with though