SKATE PHOTOGRAPHERS

In my opinion the real street photographers are the ones who skate. Not to say photographers such as Winogrand, Kertesz, and Davidson weren't very good, but in the modern age I feel these individuals are the ones who put in the most work. It's a culture that I can relate to.

At one point I did skate. For 2-in-a-half years actually. It was in my early teens when there wasn't really much to do in a small town. Your imagination had to run wild in order to feel sane in such a shitty place. So, discovering skating I was able to look at things differently. The sidewalks and roads seemed so interesting and they become an imaginary park. It was fun especially when you had a pack of people skating with you.

And that drove me to learn other things. Because of skating I was inspired by music which led to learning how to play guitar. Then photography became interesting since most of the best shots I saw were on album covers or intense shows. This led to my inception as a photographer. And I have to give credit to skateboarding for this. It helped me broaden my imagination on other interests.

There are days I forget why I do what I do. And then I look at these individuals. These skate photographers. They continue to create bodies of work not matter what. And that's what inspires me. They hustle. They create. They make work whether people like it or not.

Their approach is direct. Much like skating where they see something and figure out a way to make it look cool their art translates the same way. They see a composition unfolding they take picture. Group of drunk dudes pissing on the wall, take a picture. An interesting look at a piece of trash on the ground? Take a picture. They find inspiration from lots of things whether big or small.

The volumes of work they produce in books, zines, and gallery shows are just a figment of what they can do. Honestly, skate photographers have such a hard work ethic. It's just nice that people who have the same interests are out their getting noticed for their hustle.

I'm trying to take up skating again. Yeah I know. I'm a little old to be doing something like this, but I don't care. I want to be able to create that broad imagination like I did when I was young. I still have it, but skating may help inspire me to look at things differently.


If you want to know what I'm talking about check out these photographers here.


Ed Templeton


Deanna Templeton


Ray Potes


Andrea Sonnenberg


Ross Farrar



Remember that this is just a sample of the many that are out there making it happen. These are just my favorites.