Skateboarding PhotographyEssay Preview: Skateboarding PhotographyReport this essayOver the last twenty years the world of skateboarding has changed greatly because of the exposure it has had through media. The originators of this media were skate magazines that highlighted many photographers and their talents. The photographs from twenty years ago were using nothing but a cheap old 35mm and came up with some incredible artistic shots. But those old cameras have been replaced by todays photographers with the top of line cameras and lenses.
The top two magazines in the skateboarding world today are Thrasher and Transworld Skateboarding magazine. Both of these magazines have been around since the early 80s and have covered every angle of skateboarding thats possible. Transworld has adopted an annual edition of there magazine for just photographs on every page and no articles. In the 2001 edition many photographers were interviewed and asked about their inspirations and there gear. Ryan Gee, a photographer out of Philadelphia, said “My first camera was some piece-of-crap Mamiya I found around 92, today Im using a Hasselblad 501 CM, and a Canon EOS 1N RS”, most photographers in the skate industry today are using a camera like the Canon 1N for shooting sequences of the more technical skateboard tricks. Some of these photographers also carry around a medium format camera like a Hasselblad for stills because of the great images that format creates. For lenses everyone seems to use a 15mm fisheye for those up close in the action shots and a good zoom telephoto for those long view shots.
Fisheye shot, by Ryan Gee Telephoto shot, by Ryan GeePhotographers like Ryan Gee know that without the photographers from the 80s they would not be doing what they are doing now. One huge inspiration in the industry would have to Spike Jonze. Jonze started out shooting photos of all the top pros for Transworld Magazine and became their senior photographer around the late 80s. He then decided to get involved in the business side of skateboarding by starting one of todays biggest brands, Girl Skateboards. Today many people know him as a music video director and major movie director. He has also been nominated for an Oscar for his direction on “Being John Malkovich”. But he has always looked back at his skateboarding photography as his biggest influence and achievements.
Facts:
He did not shoot for a long time. He is no longer an assistant to John Malkovich.
Mills is responsible for: (1) the skateboarding of every major city in North America; (2) the first female and three-time Olympic Champion, Mikey Garcia and (3) the first female professional athlete in skateboarding history, Anna Gunn-Davis (R&D). He also was the co-founder of the company that produced Vamp! and began selling it when the industry was hot. He also served as lead for the movie franchise “Carnage” (1995) that was an action-adventure action film made with a cast of original, male and female stars. He also worked on film with Jack Black, Danai Gurira, and Sam Mendes. When asked on how it started. he said it was a game where he took the girls, like in the ’80s, and put them in a skate park to see who could do it and the girls would have to do it for the cameras first! He said they asked them to come over at their home, they had to buy a ticket to the show, they had to figure out a way to get there.
How long does it take you to shoot a picture of the girl? Do you usually take a couple of shots to determine the quality of her? If so how do you describe your shots? What would you do differently in that instance? How much do you shoot yourself?
What does your background entail? How did your experience come to be as a professional skateboarder? Can you tell me an interesting story with your own? How did you approach this type of photography?
What have you accomplished in skateboarding? What did you do for a living? How did your parents treat you? You would definitely want to do your own thing. You would want to see each and every story of your life. Your goal is to have done that many shots to get that best picture.
The whole world has changed that. Now you can be an artist with a body of work that is more or less the same.
It takes a while, but that doesn’t mean you should rush it for the record.
It just means that you can stay true to the past. Don’t rush it for your future; it’s really just a few days before you hit the road.
You want to stay grounded. Not just keep up when you get caught up in the present. When you get back it’s pretty easy. You can have that fun.
I will try to tell you a few things: