Ice Skating Photo Ideas: 5 Shots and Safe Tips

Plan the rink visit

Outdoor rinks look best around blue hour, the short window after sunset when the sky is still deep blue and the rink's string lights have come on. Check sunset time for your location and arrive a little before it, so you can skate first and shoot when the light is at its best. Indoor rinks have steadier light all day, but it is often flat and overhead; look for the brightest corner or a spot with decorations behind you.

Check the rink's rules about phones on the ice before you start; some rinks restrict them during busy sessions. Wear gloves you can use a touchscreen with, or plan to take one glove off only while standing still at the barrier, and keep your phone in a zipped pocket while skating.

The 5-shot rink list

Save this list for your rink day. Five different moments make a better photo dump than twenty versions of the same glide.

• 01 Lacing up: a close shot of hands tying skate laces on the bench, with knitwear sleeves and the rink blurred behind. It sets the scene and needs no skating at all.
• 02 First wobbly steps: the moment someone steps onto the ice holding the barrier, arms out, laughing. It is honest and usually the funniest frame of the day. Shoot from the barrier, off the ice.
• 03 Side-on glide: your friend skating past you from left to right, mid-stride, with the lights behind. This is the hero shot; more on it below.
• 04 Holding hands: two people skating together, holding hands or linking arms. Shoot as they come toward you along the barrier or glide past side-on.
• 05 Hot drink after: hands wrapped around a cup of hot chocolate or mulled drink, skates still on or slung over a shoulder. It closes the story and gives your cold hands something warm to hold.

Shoot the details while you are still off the ice

Lacing up and the hot drink are the easiest shots of the day, because nobody is moving and you are standing on solid ground. Take them first and last. Get close, use the main camera, and let the background blur into rink lights. These detail shots also make good photo dump covers because they read clearly at small sizes.

Holding a cup is the simplest way to make hands look natural in a winter photo; our guide to what to do with your hands in photos has more ideas if you feel stiff.

Side-on and blue hour: the hero shot

Side-on is the most flattering angle for skating. It shows the glide, the lean and the scarf trailing behind, and it keeps the skater at a similar distance from the camera for longer, which gives the phone more time to focus. Stand at the barrier and let your friend skate past from one side to the other, close to the barrier but not touching it.

Frame with the lights behind them. String lights, a decorated tree or a lit building turn into soft bokeh, and at blue hour the sky adds a deep blue backdrop that makes warm lights glow. Follow the skater smoothly with the phone as they pass, and shoot a short burst as they reach the middle of your frame. Our blue hour photo guide explains how to keep faces bright as the sky darkens, and the string light photo guide covers using rink lights as your main glow.

As the light fades, the phone needs longer captures, so expect more blur. A little motion blur in the background is part of the look; if the face blurs too, ask your friend to skate a bit slower on the next pass.

Skate toward the camera with a burst

For couples and friends, the second great shot is skating slowly toward the camera, holding hands. Stand at the barrier at the end of a straight section, outside the skating path, and ask them to skate toward your corner at an easy pace, then turn away along the barrier before they reach you.

Start a burst as they come toward you and keep it going for a second or two. Most frames will catch a wobble, a blink or a half-turned head; one will catch the laugh. Pick that one. Burst controls vary by phone, so check how yours works before you go, or tap the shutter quickly several times.

This is one of the few times the ultra-wide lens is not the best choice. Use the main camera and let them get a little closer instead; the ultra-wide makes skaters near the edges look stretched. For more on making the couple feel natural, see our couple photo poses.

Safety first on the ice

Ice is hard, and phones and skaters move fast. These rules keep the photos fun.

• The photographer stays off the ice path: shoot from the barrier, the rink entrance or the bench area. Never stand still in the middle of the rink or step into the direction of travel to get a shot.
• Beginners do not handle phones mid-glide: if you are still finding your balance, keep both hands free. Skate to the barrier, stop and hold on before you take the phone out.
• Stop before you shoot: take photos while you are standing still, not while skating, and put the phone away before you move again.
• Watch the flow: skaters usually move in one direction around the rink. Look before you stop or turn, and do not ask friends to stop suddenly in busy traffic.
• Protect the phone: use a wrist strap or a case with a grip and keep it in a zipped pocket on the ice. Cold can drain batteries faster, so keep it warm between shots.

Phone tips for cold rinks and motion

Tap your friend's face to focus before they start skating, and if the bright lights make the face look dark, tap and drag the exposure up slightly. If the ice and lights blow out to white, drag it down. Phone camera controls vary by device, so check what yours offers before you are standing in the cold.

Flash is rarely needed at a rink and can bother other skaters; it only reaches a few steps anyway. If you want a flash look for the hot-drink shot, use it off the ice at close range. To lean into movement instead of fighting it, our motion blur photo guide has ideas for intentional blur.

Common rink photo mistakes

Most disappointing rink photos come from one of these, and each has a simple fix. For the rest of a winter day out, our Christmas market photo guide pairs well with a rink visit, and these winter coat poses work before you lace up.

• Shooting head-on from far away: move to the side and shoot as the skater passes.
• Waiting until full dark: blue hour gives sky color and lights at the same time.
• One frame per pass: use a burst, then pick the laugh.
• Zooming in from the other side of the rink: wait for them to come closer instead.
• Shooting while skating: stop at the barrier first, every time.