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Summary: Suggestions and Tips

Most pics were shot with a fisheye lens 10mm with on camera flash or handheld with extension cord.
In contest situations it’s not very useful to use off camera flashes with light stands etc. because your have to move around a lot to adapt to the changing spots where the different riders do their tricks. Also with that many people around somebody might knock over your flash/ light stand. Some photographers still used some off camera flashes but for me this setup would be more in the way than it would help me get the right pics.

When you have a shooting with one or a couple of skaters it’s all different than you can place your flashes without having to worry about someone running into or having to change the position all the time.

When using a fisheye lens you have to be very close to the action sometimes like only 2 foot from the skater. I also used a 70-200mm lens for long lens shots. Those were mostly done with available light for the same reasons as above except that an on camera flash could not reach the distance.

For this trip I used a Tilopa packed with:

• Canon 30D
• 10mm Fisheye, 20-35mm, and 70-200mm.
• One dedicated Metz flash for on camera use
• 2 Nikon SB 25 flashes for remote use, Pocket Wizards to trigger the flashes.
• One Super Clamp, one mini tripod for a flash.
• One light stand (not in the bag)

Even though you might not use it or not use it a lot during a contest situation it’s always better to have the remote flashes with you.