issue / 10
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EDITORIAL / 10
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Less is more.
Photo Davide Biondani. a brief glance
ISSUE / 10
CONTENTS PLACES / vietnam
THE ORDER OF THINGS / simone ART NOW / OLIVIER VRANCKEN
BLAST THE BORDER TOUR 2011 / THE GIRL BEHIND THE TOUR / FRAGMENTS /
COVER: Simone Bertozzi, boneless. Photo Davide Biondani.
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e bertozzi
/ sailing west kirsty smith photos and words
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www.abriefglance.c EDITOR and CONCEPT Davide Biondani. (davide@abriefglance.com) ASSOCIATE EDITOR Guido Bendotti. PHOTOGRAPHERS Eric Antoine, Leo Sharp, Eric Mirbach, Marcel Veldman, Kévin Métallier, Federico Tognoli, Friedjof Feye, Garric Ray, Alex Irvine, Fabio Montagner, Chiara Tiso, Marcello Guardigli, Alan Maag, Kirsty Smith, Chiara Terraneo, Davide Biondani. CONTRIBUTORS Mauro Caruso, Francesco Paolo Chielli, Jonathan Levin, Ailsa Hay, Leo Sharp, Ale Martoriati,Fabiano Ferronato, Mirko Obkircher, Mark Baines, Jeroen Smeets, Simone Bertozzi, Stefano Lillo. DESIGN Fake Donkey Lab. www.abriefglance.com
GET ALL THE INFOS at:
info@abriefglance.com abrief glance skateboard mag is a bulletin published by fake donkey skateboard asd. No part of this pubblication may be reproduced without the permission of the publisher. All right reserved.
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com
Photo Davide Biondani.
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www.abriefglance.com a brief glance
fake donkey lab
davide biondani photography.
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PLACES / 10
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vietnam / photography Chiara Terraneo. a brief glance
PLACES / 10
vietnam a brief glance
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PLACES / 10
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vietnam
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simone bertozzi
the order of things
photography Davide Biondani. interview Guido Bendotti.
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the order of things
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I’VE KNOWN SIMONE FOR OVER 20 YEARS. THE FIRST FEW TIMES WE MET WAS AT CONTESTS IN THE EARLY 90’S. I KNEW WHO HE WAS, AND HE KNEW WHO I WAS, BUT WE HAD ONLY EXCHANGED LOOKS AND SAID HELLO BRIEFLY. I DIDN’T LIKE THE WAY HE SKATED: “HEY, NICE STYLE, BUT HE ONLY SKATES MINIRAMPS, WHERE ARE HIS PRESSURE FLIPS?” HE HAD A PERFECT OLLIE AND SKATED FAST, WHILE EVERYBODY ELSE WAS STANDING STILL DOIN’ FREESTYLE. THEN I’D SEE HIM AT CONTESTS IN THE MID 90’S, SAID HELLO BRIEFLY… “HEY HIS STYLE IS DOPE, BUT WHERE ARE HIS 12-TRICK LINES ON LEDGES?” MEANWHILE HE WAS BUSTING THE BEST OLLIES AROUND, GRINDING ALL SORTS OF STUFF AND DOING THE BEST FS 360S IN THE BUSINESS. EARLY 2000’S, WE’D SAY HELLO EVERY NOW AND AGAIN… “HEY, HE STILL HAS A BEAUTIFUL STYLE, BUT WHERE ARE HIS BS LIPSLIDES ON BIG RAILS?” MEANWHILE HE PULLED THE BEST BS SMITH GRINDS ON TRANNIES IN HISTORY. 2011: SIMONE IS ONE OF MY FAVOURITE SKATEBOARDERS, HE’S GOT THE STYLE I’D LIKE TO HAVE AND SKATES THE WAY I’D LIKE TO SKATE. WE SPEND HOURS LAUGHING ON THE PHONE AND CARVING THE BOWL, THAT IS, WHEN HE GRACES US WITH HIS PRESENCE.
STYLE IS FOREVER. HE ALWAYS CHOSE TO SKATE THE WAY HE WANTED TO, WITHOUT LETTING HIMSELF BE INFLUENCED BY THE TRENDS OF THE MOMENT, AND HAS ALWAYS HAD THE MOST PERFECT, CLEAN AND NATURAL STYLE YOU COULD DREAM OF. PRINCE BERTOZZI IS THE PRINCE OF STYLE AND INSANITY. HE WAS RIGHT ALL ALONG. I WAS WRONG. HATS OFF FOR PRINCE BERTOZZI, WHO HAS ALWAYS REALLY UNDERSTOOD WHAT SKATEBOARDING IS ALL ABOUT.
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OLLIE ONE FOOT.
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You know you’re old right?“
Youth is a quality, not a matter of circumstances.” (Frank Lloyd Wright). You know you’re crazy right?
I’m not crazy, I’m just slave to a few contorted obsessions! You know we hate you because you never show up right? Maybe that’s because you haven’t looked deep enough?!
Explain why even though you’ve been totally ripping on a skateboard for more than twenty years, you’ve chosen to keep a low profile.
Maybe because for me skateboarding is something intimate, I never really cared about showing myself around. I started skating in 1988 and from
that moment on, I never stopped. In one way or another I kept doing it because it always made me happy. The truth is I always enjoyed skating with my friends and that’s it.
You grew up in Romagna, but have nothing to do with braggarts from
there. By the way you live you would seem more like a lover of Welsh fog than of “Romagna’s disco-scene”.
I’ve never really thought about how I was supposed to be, nor what I was supposed to do to be accepted. Ravenna is a small provincial city, so peoples’ attitude there resembles the stereotype of an obtuse-minded city.
It is slave to trends and gossip. Nonetheless it is not that bad to live in,
little chaos, few problems, a lot of art, and the sea close by…What do you think? Should I go live in Wales? At least we’ve got fog in common!... Romagna is always Romagna though!...
You’ve always skated with the Zattoni brothers, and like all the skaters from your area, you’ve always skated well, without any excellent street spots.
I don’t know the exact reason, but I do know one thing, our scene has
always maintained a good level because the people that skated have always considered skateboarding for what I have always thought it should be: a
way to play and have fun with friends, and like all the games you play with
your friends, you invent a way to appreciate it according to the circumstances, regardless of what others think and what might happen. Maybe this
is what always pushed us further. I remember times when we would land tricks without even knowing its name, then we’d see them in videos and
we’d learn its proper name too. Sometimes you wouldn’t even be able to fall asleep from the excitement of having landed a difficult trick!
FS NOSE GRAB TAIL SCRATCHER.
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Why have there always been skateparks where you lived?
Because the scene has always been united, never divided. Those who belie-
ved in skateboarding also believed in its progression, and struggled to make it grow. Since the 80’s we were lucky enough to have people who knew
what had to be done and they did it. The ramps came as the result of the
idea we had of skateboarding in that precise moment! And anyways there were many parks in our area, and this definitely helped us grow a lot. What are your first memories of skateboarding?
The very first memory is a white Variflex board with green cubes as a graphic, and slamming really hard on my ass! But pretty much my first
memories concern a vacation on the French Riviera where I used to go
when I was a kid. That is where I saw the first skate ramps.Then there was a period at the Scintilla park, where there used to be many good skaters
that were older than me. It was a tightly-knit group, difficult to be a part
of. You had to earn your respect. It was a good scene, way ahead of its time. Many people stopped skating and others continued for a while, Filo
Barattoni is one of those who still skate at an absurd level; a real local
legend. Over the years I think he must have been a real style master to me. Why did you choose to skate the way you do? Over the years you were
faithful to your style of skateboarding, without being influenced by the trends of the moment.
For me a skateboarder is like an artisan: each has his own attitude and own ability of interpretation. I find it is unjust to catalogue a skater only by the way he does a trick. For me it is a combination of aspects, sometimes a
skater has style just by the way he pushes on his board or how he interprets a spot! Influences are very important, but this does not mean they should get the upper hand. If there is something beautiful about skateboarding,
that is identifying who does it and what his choices are. In my opinion you can often understand much about a person by the way he skates. So for
me the issue is not about the tricks, but everything surrounding them. I’ve always been inspired by my idols like Jeff Grosso, Julien Stranger, Tommy Guerrero, Ray Barbee, etc… so I have tried to grasp some aspects.
Skateboarding is not a fad, it is a 360° view of one’s experiences transferred
to a physical vehicle, and when you understand its meaning, your life takes a
different turn. Sometimes it decisively affects your choices and the way you see things. Anyone who has skated for real, sooner or later will come back to skateboarding, even if for only a brief moment, and feel happy.
BS SMITH GRIND INTO THE DEEP. a brief glance
You’ve always complained of the fact that you’re “old” since
What do you respect in a person?
even when you were 16 years old?
really don’t know yet!
I’ve known you. Did you have this “old man soul” attitude
Let’s say that over the years this quality of mine has become
I really admire people who know what they want because I
more marked, but this may derive from my sly character. I
What motivates you when you go skating?
older, and every time I see kids 10/15 years younger than me
orderly shoes, friends, good blues music…and a couple of
always had difficulty accepting the fact that I was getting
skateboarding, I feel extremely envious. Maybe it’s my way of exorcising the passing of the years! Ah ha ha.
What pisses you off about today’s skateboarding?
The fact that there are people who think that becoming pro means throwing themselves down 20 steps or huge gaps. The fact that there are people that only give a fuck about
getting a sponsor without grasping the true enjoyment in
skateboarding.The fact that like in all trendy things, there are people that brag of having done it, even if for only a month, thinking they understand its meaning, and giving out pearls of wisdom!
Let’s talk about serious things: you have got a noteworthy
tradition when it comes to new girlfriends. Do you want to tell us about it?
I go to the Lazise thermal baths, on Lake Garda!!! Why do you always go to the same place?
Every time some little detail changes; a tree has grown or a
new bath, so if you will it’s like going there for the first time
isn’t it? I read on a gossip magazine that according to psychoanalytic theories it is a form of male narcissism…ha ha ha. Tell us a little about your obsessions…
Where should I start? Ha ha ha…I’m not sure where they
originate, but I know I must live with them. What disturbs
me is not being in order, especially when my wheels are not
perfectly white. I usually clean them every time I come back from skating…Aesthetics are very important to me!
Why have you never travelled the world to skate more “professionally”?
Because what I had here was always enough for me to feel good and have fun.
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A long sleeve shirt with rolled up sleeves, clean white wheels, beers.
Have you ever felt robbed of anything within skateboarding?
I don’t think so, at least not up to this point. I never searched for a particular recognition. Of course it’s pleasing when
someone appreciates the way you skate. It’s important to
transmit something that is yours, which I think is the best form of recognition.
Will we see you in another ten years?
Sure, maybe at the thermal baths, or if you go to Wales on vacation I’ll be there already! I’ll meet you at the pub!
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BS OLLIE.
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ART NOW: OLIVIER VRANCKEN / Building character
As a young rebel, Olivier Vrancken (1974) from Antwerps decides to leave school and become an artschool drop out. For years Olivier worked in Antwerps as a creative for many different house parties, painting
large murals and stages. As a graphic designer he worked for bands and music shops throughout Belgium.
A fifteen years later, and a few life lessons richer, Olivier decided to stop graphic design and focus completely on a career in the art world. Judging by his work and resume from the last two years, his new career is off to a great start.
Interview : Jeroen Smeets
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You’ve had a few hard obstacles to overcome. What happened?
because it makes you manoeuvrable in your work.
2002. Together with a few other guys I got into a big project and
Within no time your name got picked up by gallery’s worl-
was left big huge debts. Four years long I’ve worked in the Har-
in London and Subwalk in Arnhem. How did you make this
I was working as a graphic designer, and all was going well until we got financially screwed by a client. That was a big hit and I
bour of Antwerps to be able to pay of my debts. In 2007 I had to stop working here because of an accident with my back. In the
meantime I started living with my then wife in the Netherlands.
That ended in a divorce in 2009 and a co-parentship over my two childeren. It was a hard time, the last ten years have been a real roller coaster ride.
In which ways did these setbacks form you as an artist?
I’ve stopped working as a graphic designer in 2009 and choose to make what I wanted to make. I’m finding my peace in this now,
because i have a focus. At the same time I’m also still working on my insecurties. Whenever I see work of artists around me then I ask myself if I’m working in the right direction... At the same
time I think an artist always has to remain a sense of insecurity,
dwide. Nice/Nice in Hamburg, Alley in Hasselt, East Gallery happen?
I created a Flickr page for my art work in 2009 and met the first people here. I got invited to my first group show in 2010 at the
Subwalk gallery in Arnhem. After a short periode with multiple exhibitions I realized it influenced the way I was working. I was
working from deadline to deadline. Say for example that you have an exhibition coming up with ten works, but you’ve only finished three so far. Then you can only finish the last works with making concessions. That’s why I’ve decided to keep myself a low profile
for now and focus purely on my art. This way I have more time to experiment. In the spring I’m having a solo exhibition at the East Gallery on Brick Lane in London, i’m slowly working towards that now.
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OLIVIER VRANCKEN
Building character
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Talking about your work, it’s got quite an abstract look, but you can still see the graphic design influences. Is this a choice you made, or did it happen by itself?
In the beginning I was very much looking for my own style, which always starts with your own visual interests. Graffiti, illustration, contemporary abstract art and the old masters are just to name a few. I appreciate the
surrealistic work of Giorgio de Chirico just as much as the illustrations of Saddo from Romania, or the graffiti inspired work of Remed from
France. By looking at other artists I’m always trying to develop my own
style and use new techniques. In the beginning I’ve really adapted my way of working on graphic design in my paintings. People that asked me for
group shows would place me amongst other graphic designers, that would mainly work digitally. I’m trying to keep more away from that now, and focus on the fine arts.
What does your creation process look like? How do you go to work on your paintings?
With my first works I made a sketch first and then I kinda painted the
surfaces of the sketch. I wouldn’t change much anymore, it was very planned. Now I’m trying to let that go. I’m starting to work bigger to bring
more life and emotion to the painting, which works better on the bigger
canvasses. Now i’m starting with a small pencil drawing on the canvas and I start painting as I go along. There is more freedom to let the paint do the work.
What’s in store now for the future?
I’m working on my solo show in London, which will be somewhere in the spring of 2012. I’m pretty nervous for that, as I’ve never had a show that
big yet. So I’m really focused on that. After that we’ll see what happens. I
know I’m focused and fully commited to my art, so good things will come.
www.oliviervrancken.com
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Blast! the border tour 2011. Italy / France
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Going around my local spots with the Blast! team was just great, one of the best experience of my life: it was the first time for me to have the chance to skate with a full team. I live in a small village next to the border, Ventimiglia, which is the suburb of a town that doesn’t actually exist in my opinion, so you have to deal and have a lot of fantasy with the few spots you got; I wouldn’t ever expected to find all the Blast! guys one morning by chance at a spot in Imperia for their first day of the Border tour 2011. They were explaining to me that they were going around that area to find new spots, but knowing by myself what those towns could offer to a skater I thought they would have spent the whole week on the other side of the border, France, but thanks to their creativity, their different styles, they full skated those days through the streets of Imperia, Ventimiglia and Nice. Every day a new spot, everyday a new trick from each of the guys… watching all the photos and clips together, skate randoms spots found while driving, eating dinner all together, the right mood of an actual team. First time the empty pool was skated, with its banks steeps and roughs, or the bump behind the train station with the metal edge that you could grind it through… and a lot of other spots that I never thought about. They made me see my local spots with a different eye, I had the impression of not being home, everything seemed to be new even for me. Other than had the opportunity to skate with them we hang out the nights a lot, drinking beers, talking about spots for the day after, watching clips, listen to music, while having hot barbecues and talking about past tours. It was everything new for me. I understand now, one more time again, how the skateboarding passion can let you meet a lot of new people; at the end of the tour it was like to say goodbye to really old friends even if we only met the week before and it was a good feeling for me. I hope I will have another chance in the near future to skate with them, they left a good mark on me.
Thanks to everybody.
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photography Davide Biondani words Stefano Lillo.
Sailing West.
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LUCA CRESTANI / kickflip over. The “furious” tag below Luca’s mega kickflip at the train station is perfect and looks fake: he dared even with a cast on his wrist, spot’s pretty rough and landing’s definitely not a smooth one, also is a famous hangout place for local hobos. a brief glance
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Sailing West.
FABIO COLOMBO / ollie over. This huge ollie from Fabio at Imperia speaks for itself, a lot of people were clapping and cheering: old guys, moms, rich young guys looking from their multi million boats and of course all of us were astonished! Fabio started from the beach front with people cheering at him, below there was a restaurant and all the employees there were outside checking the big ollie... I still think they’re telling their customers nowadays. a brief glance
CARLO CASSAN / wallride nollie pop out. Carlo Cassan at the secret spot: the abandoned pool. Check his shirt and you’ll have an idea how tough is this spot: flat ground was literally crumbling away leaving a very slippery blue dust, plus at landing you needed to be very careful not to fall into the stagnant water. This was a very bad spot but so funny and true that won the “best spot of the tour” award.
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MAURO CARUSO / nosebluntslide. Mauro’s noseblunt slide, framed in a typical Cote D’Azur postcard from Cagnes Sur Mer, a town that stretches to Nice with his smooth promenade with perfect curbs and benches...yes, you can tell the difference!
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Sailing West.
MELKIOR / blunt pop out. Marco Melkior pops out a fat blunt in Imperia at this authentic spot fixed by the locals. Sometimes a bucket of concrete opens chances of infinite fun.
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LUCA CRESTANI / kickflip wallride. A good kickflip to wallride is always a pleasure for our eyes, hard, tech and fast‌doing it on a steep wall like this means you own the trick. Crest knows.
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Sailing West.
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CARLO CASSAN / pivot to kickflip out. Carlo Cassan into a drained river after summer in Bordighera. He spotted this spot randomly a few years ago while riding a train so I knew from start it’s location when he told me about it. Unfortunately the small river made it impossible for a good run. When we got there we immediately realized that we had to do a lot of cleaning so we took our brooms and with the help of a small plate the spot was ready to go in less than 30 min.
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FABIO COLOMBO / bs kickflip. Fabio owned the spot here, he was able to ride one of the most dangerous and off hands things in central Nice: a bs kickflip on a huge arch that was a little meter wide with a bunch of skate stoppers just in the middle. He landed it 3 times in a row just to tell you how good and crazy you need to be on your board. Amazing. Coolest pic from the tour in my opinion. a brief glance
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MELKIOR / tre flip. What’s better than starting a skate tour with a tre flip on some rocks in the middle of blue sea? Pure genius.
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Blast! the border tour Sailing West.
MAURO CARUSO / fs crooked grind. Mauro fs crooks in Nice’s Place Massena, that marble ledge is so worn out that even a basic grind can launch you on the flat cause it’s so krooked and your trucks will hang up immediately.
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MAURO CARUSO / ollie. Just in front of the ligurian seaside lays Corsica, when sky’s clear you can even spot it’s mountain line. I’m wondering if those cannons on Imperia promenade never fired...Mauro ollies one outside of our flat.
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MAURO CARUSO / fs kickflip over. This kickflip over the rail is the last one from a 3 tricks line; clean and high it even seems to pop out from the thick grey clouds.
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MARCO LAMBERTUCCI / bs 5-0 grind. We were all watching Marco’s trick, it felt like being there with him trying it. Run up looked like ancient stones, hubba was really rough and Marco took the hardest side of it for the trick. Things got even harder with a lot of funny passers by that, like in a movie, stopped by just to watch working so on Marcos’ nerves. Even maritime police stopped by but Marco landed the trick in their face.
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Blast! the border tour
Sailing West.
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The girl BEHIND the tour
The Girl Team. Spoken about in main piece.
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photography Kirsty Smith.
Kirsty Smith has been a part of my life for over 16 years now so you can be forgiven for thinking that the following may be a little biased. I can safely say that to this day I have never met a more inspiring and charismatic person than Kirsty. Without her motivation my life would definitely not have taken the fruitful path that it has. Kirsty has been a teacher of art for well over ten years, applying her considerable talents as a designer and photographer whilst conveying this knowledge to her students. Kirsty has travelled extensively, sometimes tagging along on skate trips with myself and quietly documenting the shenanigans from her own unique viewpoint. Although her photos have been included in magazine articles for many trips in the past, she has never had her own portfolio published in any skate media. Having recently completed a masters degree in photography, she has taken her images to the next level, about which I am beyond stoked. Strangely though, the following pages have got me even more psyched as i believe she has finally gained the recognition she deserves! Leo Sharp.
This is me, in full experimentation mode. I had been teaching a group of students about Polaroid and had some spare. I took it on tour and hey presto a few lifts later and I had some great portraits. I reshot these on a light box still wet. This where I fell most at home, playing with ideas and pushing my creativity.
Leo and I where asked to cover Vans Downtown
Showdown, at the The famous Lingotto Building in Turin, Italy. I was shooting the incidentals and portraits for Vans
which was great as I spent most of my time in the presence of Ray Barbee, a guy who loves photography as
much as I do. This shot of Ray was taken on my iphone
while we were chatting about apps. I love it more than any of the other photographs I took that day.
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Etnies tour 2008. This was the first time I had shot large format
portraits and the first time I had met Ryan Sheckler. I had heard
rumours about him being a prima donna but what I met was a down to earth guy who worked bloody hard. He spent most of the tour
fulfilling commitments elsewhere before retuning to us to shoot
photographs and film for his section. I shot this at South Bank, after he had spent the whole morning signing shoes and posters.
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How long have you been shooting skate photography and how did it all start?
I would never really call myself a skate photographer. I would hang out with my partner Leo travelling to cities shooting
skateboarders. He would shoot the tricks and I would hide in the corners photographing the skaters with my little Nikon FM 2.
It took me a while to feel confident enough to get into faces and start shooting photographs I was proud of. What’s it like living with Leo (Sharp)?
Leo and I have been together for nearly sixteen years. When I
first met him he was quite shy and I was this person who never
stopped talking. The first time I saw him shooting on location I
knew I had picked the wrong degree. From that point on I hung
out in the photography studios. Hence not getting a great result for my degree but leaving with a new found passion.
The girl BEHIND the tour
Is Leo a huge influence on your work?
I think we balance each out. We are both extremely passionate
aboutphotography and constantly bounce ideas off each other. I love the research side of photography, exploring new ways to
shoot images. I recently completed an MA in Photography. I
felt like I had so many ideas in my head and no time to explore
them. It’s great having Leo as my partner; he has as much thirst for photography as I do. We never get board of talking crap.
You have shot your fair share of skaters portraits in your time, any memories which really stand out?
I remember the first time my photographs went into print. I had been on a tour to Scotland with the Girl team. Not sure they realised an actual girl was going to be part of the tour!
I remember shooting with Rick Howard, Marc Johnson, Mike
Carroll and Brian Anderson thinking at the time they must be
wondering who the f*** is this. By the end of the week we were
talking American muscle cars and fashion designers. I thought I brought some unique conversation to the tour. What’s next for you?
Leo and I just had our first baby, so I am not on the road as much
these days. However I still have big plans for a new series of skate portraits and I have started to research ideas for a PHD in skate photography. That might be the next five years sorted then…
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photos and words from every photographer who contributed to a brief glance until now
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FRAGMENTS FRAGMENTS FRAGMENTS FRAGMENTS FRAGMENTS FRAGMENTS FRAGMENTS FRAGMENTS FRAGMENTS FRAGMENTS
What would skateboarding be without the ability of some great photographers to capture and make these little fragments of time great?
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FR
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Where are you from? I was born in London, but Grew up in Milton Keynes. Since then I have lived all over the UK in Manchester, Bristol and Cornwall.
RAGMENTS
When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? I started shooting photos of my friends with a point and shoot whilst living and skating in Milton Keynes. There were and still are so many good spots there. My first article was published in RAD magazine in 1991. Since then I’ve never really stopped shooting skateboarding. Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? I studied art at university which included photography. What’s the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? The best is shooting a rad photo that you never planned at a new spot that’s never been seen. The worst is getting kicked or rained out just as someone is about to land the trick.
LEO SHARP
What other kind of photography you are interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? I love portraits of any kind. The human face is the most interesting subject for photography. When did you start skating? I started skating at the age of 11 in 1986.
Joe Gavin, Switch smith grind.
Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? For sure. I think you have to skate not only to understand the composition of a skate photo, but also to understand every element that goes into creating it. I’m talking about getting the skater to the spot, dodging security and police, waiting for good weather, waiting for the skater to be in the right frame of mind etc etc. Sometimes I wonder how skate photos happen at all!
What’s the story behind this picture? Joe skates raw street spots with so much steeze it never ceases to amaze me. This ruggedly high ram-raid barrier is in Joe’s home town of Manchester, England. I got a board to the head and camera shooting it but the result was well worth it! a brief glance
FRIEDJOF FEJE Where are you from? I am from Ganderkesee which is close to Bremen, Germany. When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? Actually I did it ever since I started skating, but the first real skateboarding-photos I took in 2009. Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? I’ve been reading books about it and my bachelor- thesis dealt with photography. What’s the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? For me there is nothing bad about it since I am just doing it for fun. What other kind of photography you are interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? Right now I pretty much enjoy those experimental stuff, but that can change within a week. When did you start skating? 10 years ago. Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? Not really, even if it sometimes seems so.
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Daniel Pannemann Ollie over.
What’s the story behind this picture? After I’ve scanned the negative of that Ollie, it felt like I had to do something special with it. So I took a random totally overexposed negative and left black fingerprints on it. Then I brought both negatives together and scanned them at the same time.
FRAGMENTS
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What’s the story behind this picture? We were doing a trip in Peru and we saw this spot on the road, while driving threw the mountains on our way to Ayaccucho. Landscapes were just so amazing and all the locals people who saw us skating were just so surprised and friendly with us, it was definitely a really good experience for all of us...
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Phil Swijen, Ollie one foot.
KÉVIN MÉTALLIER Where are you from? Biarritz, France. When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? Around 12 years ago, my dad gave me my first camera, a russian one, and i started to take photos of my friends during the skate sessions and also start at the same period making live music photos as well during some music festivals over France... Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? I actually start learning photography with my dad who’s was in charge of a photo department and started learning with him all the chemical technics and process with the black and white photography in his laboratory. What’s the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? Well, many good part of skateboarding photography : the scenery is the street so always interesting and different, lot of travels, meeting lot of different people... About the worst part, i would say the negotiations with cops and neighbors, and also to stay during hours squatted the nose in the pisses ! What other kind of photography you are interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? Actually, I love almost all the kind of photography (reportage, portraits, architecture...) but beside skateboarding i’m really into people, street life and reportage photography.
FRAGMENTS
When did you start skating? I’ve started skating when i was 16, in the middle of the 90’s... Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? I would say it helps for sure !!!
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Where are you from? Italy but I’ve been living in Melbourne for 4 years. When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? I’ve been shooting action skateboarding for 1 year. Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? Never so far, I learnt by my self and payed attention at what Biondani used to do when we were in tour together. What’s the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? Best part: the satisfaction of seeing the films developed and pictures published in magazines. Worst part: carry all that equipment with me all the time (someone told me I was lucky to be a videographer..I was!) What other kind of photography are you interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? Life and Death. Anything deserve to be photographed. When did you start skating? Circa 1989. Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? If you are not a skateboarder, don’t steal our souls!
MARCELLO GUARDIGLI
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Pascal Leniston, Bs tailslide.
FRAGMENTS
What’s the story behind this picture? When I bought my new flashes I had to test them. Pascal was keen to be my first “test man”, he was talking about this trick for long time. The run up before to hit this ledge is very narrow and you have to avoid a pole and a tree. He did it and the shot turned up. Happy days!
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ALAN MAAG Where are you from? Zürich, Switzerland. When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? I think I took my first pictures of skateboarding at the Grand Prix in Lausanne. Pontus Alv did a noseslide down a massive ledge right outside the stadium. That was the only picture I took there cause I was afraid to go on to the course. Must have been 1998. Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? Not until three years ago when I decided to try and live of photography. Took me ten years to realize that... So applied to a school and they took me. A whole new world opened up. What’s the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? Bad? The industry takes it for granted that you work basically for free and the Swiss market itself is even for a minimum too small. The longer I shoot the more pissed I am at the way things work. It’s not the brands fault, it’s just the development that took it so far that pisses me off. As a kid your stoked if your picture get’s published and if you get a sticker and a T shirt your blown away. Eventually you get better and invest more time, you got a hobby which you love, you become one of those guys who give skateboarding its face, its identity. Then you get older and understand that the market makes money and can at least support all the people who work at distribution, shops, etc. but are not willing to pay photographers at least a minimum they could actually live of. If you try to do so you will understand that many companies live of the work photographers and filmers do without giving back what they ought to. a brief glance
Some brands understand, some don’t. In general it’s not a problem of brands, but of the industry itself, I guess. Cause if you decide to quit working for it there are plenty of kids that will be stoked on a sticker and a T... So the dog is biting it’s own tail. Few photographers stand up for their cause. I often think that Idealism keeps the industry going. But maybe that’s what makes it real... Gives us our identity, cause we can actually do what we want? Good? The love, the power, the honesty, the individuality? Everything else, I guess. Everybody who skates knows the answer to this question, I hope. What other kind of photography you are interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? I messes with old films and cameras... I like structures and lately I try to do more studio work. People and even still life photography. I’m kind of shooting in all directions at the moment. When did you start skating? Twenty years ago?.. All I can do now are powerslides, wallies and no complies cause my achilles tendent is fucked. Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? To understand it? Yes. Or you at least need to spend years with skaters and I can’t imagine anyone doing that without being a skater himself. I think that’s the whole point of photography. You need to understand what you shoot in oder to document it in an authentic way. That’s why skateboard photography is so real.
FRAGMENTS
Timmey, Fs melon.
What’s the story behind this picture? Nothing special. It’s winter so few people go kill themselves at the moment and I like it that way. I’d rather shoot somebody with a good pop skating a hydrant and with Timmey it’s always easy to get a good picture of a snap. Sven Kilchenmann was there too and I think it was him who suggested to to do Fs 180 Melons... It all happened pretty spontaneously, but I really like the result cause it shows some of the main aspects of skateboarding; power and having fun. And a little bit of the 80’s I guess?...
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FRAGMENTS
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Alvin Francescato, Fs bluntslide.
What’s the story behind this picture? When they asked me to take a pic for Fragments, I had no idea who to call, then I thought to Alvin. He wanted to go to this rail, and after a quick warm up he tried straight this fs bluntslide. I was shocked.
FABIO MONTAGNER Where are you from? I live in a small town in northeastern Italy called Castelfranco Veneto. When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? It all started about 2 years ago when I bought a camera to film skateboarding ... and then I found myself taking pictures of my friends when we go skating…hahaha Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? No, I learned by observing the photographers I go out shooting skateboarding with, and trying by myself. What’s the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? The thing I don’t like is that looking through the lens you can not see well the trick. The best is when you get to valorize the trick in the picture. What other kind of photography you are interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? Sometimes I make pictures of clothes for my sponsor or landscape shots when I’m on tour When did you start skating? I started when I was 14 years, are now almost 10 years. Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? You have to have a clue what skateboarding is and know the moments when shooting.
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FRAGMENTS FEDE TOGNOLI Where are you from? Brescia, Italy. When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? I started in 2008 when Gio’ Grazzani forgot to bring a photographer on a Dumb tour. Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? Nope, D.I.Y. What’s the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? The best part is traveling with friends and visiting new places. The worst is the cold. The worst part is the cold that gets into your bones in the winter and the smell of piss that sometimes happens to breathe while waiting for a trick is landed What other kind of photography you are interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? Everything can be put on Istagram. When did you start skating? 2008. Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? Not essential, but helps a lot.
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Eric Liebisch, Bs lipslide.
What’s the story behind this picture? I took this picture during the fastest tour of my life: we arrived in Germani with the Dumb team and I had to come back home after only 2 days to work in my skate shop‌ At least i had the time to shot this bs lip.
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What’s the story behind this picture? This was the first time i’d met Michal, it was in Malmo I was shooting with some of the Carhartt guys, staying on Pontus’ floor the week before the première of In Search Of The Miraculous. He seemed like a quiet guy, his skating certainly speaks volumes though. Pontus was pretty entertaining, full don king mode, barking orders and generally riling people up. I think he was on over drive with the film and everything. anyway, Michal did this so easy that it kind of didn’t sink in. It’s a sick spot and i like the simplicity of the trick, sometimes that’s as important as technical ability. Either way, it never ran because I got a shot of Bram de Cleen coming the other way that got used instead..
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ALEX IRVINE Where are you from? Aberdeen, Scotland is where i consider home. Not that i’d ever go back and live in Aberdeen, but Scotland is home.. When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? Properly, when i was about 21. I was shooting my mates on a point and shoot before borrowed an Ae-1 off my dad and eventually i figured out what buttons did what and when to press them. Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? I did 2 years at a shitty college, but it gave me the basics and more importantly gave me access to a darkroom and more photo gear. What’s the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? Best - being able to be out skateboarding and get a shot that you’re stoked on, of a trick that you’re into, with someone you consider a friend. Worst - probably being broke. What other kind of photography you are interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? I like to shoot travel stuff. Hard to say what really, documenting people and places in foreign lands I suppose.
Michal Juras Fs 5-0 grind.
FRAGMENTS
When did you start skating? When i was about 13, my brother got me into it, let me tag along with him and his mates. Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? I can’t imagine why you would want to shoot skateboarding if you don’t skate. It’s not like it’s lucrative at all. Anyway, fucking man up, or fuck off..
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GARRIC RAY Where are you from? I was born in Portland, Oregon, but I grew up in Camas, Washington (which is a small town about 30 minutes from Portland). When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? To be honest, I'm not really sure how it happened. I'm 29 years old and I've been skating since I was in 6th or 7th grade. I started shooting photos a little after high school and I just shot photos of my friends skating for fun. I always liked looking at skate photos and I wondered how people got such cool photos of skateboarding. I started working a lot of jobs and saved up for some camera gear and over five or 6 years I started sending in some photos to magazines. Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? I took a couple darkroom classes at a community college, but for the most part I'm self taught. But in all honesty I had some good advice along the way from other skate photographers (luckily).
FRAGMENTS
What's the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? I would say the best part is getting a photo that everyone can enjoy. Something that you'll be able to look back on 10 years later and you're still hyped on the trick and the skater. The worst part about shooting skateboarding is being reliant on someone else to get a photo. And, of course, rain, police, security guards and the general public.
When did you start skating? I started skating in the 6th or 7th grade, so I was 13 or 14 years old.
What other kind of photography you are interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? I think I just like shooting photos in general- landscapes, street life, night photography and portraits. If I don’t end up shooting a photo every couple days I start to get bummed.
Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? Yeah I would say so. I can’t imagine someone shooting skateboarding and not being a skateboarder first. Although I’m guessing you probably see a lot of that at contests these days. And if that is the case- I’m guessing you can tell whether some skates or not just by looking at the photos.
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Ryan Cassado, Fs 50-50.
What’s the story behind this photo? I’m always surprised when you don’t get kicked out a spot, especially when you have a posse of 10 dudes. My buddy Ryan Casado knew a bump to bar that he wanted to skate, but it was at a business and they were open when we showed up. Ironically the fence you see in the background was in the the way when we showed up, so the employees of the business actually helped us open the fence and all cheered Ryan on as he made this sketchy bump to 50-50.
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ERIC MIRBACH
FRAGMENTS
Where are you from? Moenchengladbach, Germany. Momentarily based in Bonn, Germany. When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? When it became obvious I really suck at skating myself. Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? I majored photo-design at University of Applied Science & Design, Dortmund, Germany
Erik Groß Frontside blunt.
What's the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? The waiting and hoping: to get the trick, to not get kicked out, to finally have what you've been trying to get. It's both, the best and the worst. What other kind of photography you are interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? Life. When did you start skating? Age 15. Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? I don't think so, I don't fancy myself a skater to begin with since I haven't stepped on a board for years now. It can't hurt to really know what you're dealing with, though. Take some slams to learn some respect. It'll help.
What's the story behind this picture? I took this photo of Erik Groß’ frontside blunt in Lisbon. We were on a tour, had the sketchiest weather and were busted a lot. This was one of these tours that feel a little off. Nothing was really working out. So in the end, we both were more then stoked we got this shot, it's one of my absolute favourites I took this year. Erik’s skating looks so effortless!
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MARCEL VELDMAN
FRAGMENTS Tim Zom, Smith grind.
Where are you from? The Netherlands, currently living in Rotterdam When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? 11 years ago. A friend of mine sold his slr canon for cheap, and I always wanted to have one but never had the money. Not too long after this I got a brand new TV from my grandma, since I only had a shitty black and white one. But after a week I noticed there was something wrong with the TV so I had to bring it back to the store. They didn’t have that model in stock at the moment and I got the money back. Who needs a TV anyway I thought and bought a fisheye. It was game on from that moment. Thanks grandma. Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? No, all trial and error.
What’s the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? The best part is everything except for the worse part. And that is traveling with all your gear. Too much stuff and too much hassle trying to sneak all your gear into the plane as hand luggage. But that’s the only thing. I love everything else. What other kind of photography you are interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? Life in general, we come across some cool/ weird/crazy/beautiful stuff or situations in our lifetime. Always carry a camera. When did you start skating? 23 years ago. Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? Yes, no doubt about it.
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What's the story behind this picture? Right after the trick Zom won a wheelie 'contest' on a bicycle with the local kids... wheelie friend!
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What’s the story behind this picture? Well, this is my favorite photo this year, it’s my friend Robin Wulf doing a footplant on a glass wall, I really wanted to shoot something through the glass there, I tried other things but it never worked, so much reflections on the wall made it impossible, here it started raining and it was super stormy, I managed to set the lights so it freezes the skater without having a huge flair on the glass. It was raining and he broke his board, he took Albert Nyberg’s board and did this one that came out as I wanted.
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ERIC ANTOINE
FRAGMENTS
Where are you from? I’m from France, I live in a village called Hangenbieten. When and how did you start shooting skateboarding? I started shooting skateboarding with my friends in 1995 approximately, then I lived in New York for a little bit and I shot my first “pro skaters” there for a real magazine. My first page in a magazine was in 1996. In 1997 Sugar magazine started and then it was on, I started taking even more photos. Have you attended any photography school or are you self taught? As self taught as it gets. What’s the best and the worst part of skateboarding photography? Best part is the traveling and meeting people. The worst is dealing with politics, marketing and magazines chief editors sometimes, not always.
Robin Wulf, Footplant.
What other kind of photography you are interested in? What do you like to shoot beside skateboarding? I shoot a lot of different photographs, a lot of portraits recently as I work for some more “news and trends” magazines, but I also shoot and teach ambrotypes with the wet plate collodion technique, this is what fascinates and passion me the most right now. i make my own chemicals and shoot on glass plates with a 1890 camera and lens. It’s a whole new (old) world. When did you start skating? I was 14...I am 37, and I still skate as much as possible. Is it indispensable to be a skateboarder to shoot skateboarding? Definitely!!
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wish you an amazing 2012...
davide biondani photo.
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live it to the fullest.
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