Issue 120 free
20 12
PHOTO
Issue 120 • 2012 photo annual
ANNUAL
LAKAI LIMITED FOO T WEAR THE SHOES WE SK AT E BIEBEL / JOHNSON / MARIANO / CARROLL / HOWARD / WELSH / ALVAREZ / GILLET / BRADY / JENSEN FERNANDEZ / TERSHY / ESPINOZA / HAWK / WALKER / PEREZ / photo by Colen / ad #158 / lakai.com / crailtap.com supradistribution.com / lakaistickers@supradistribution.com
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follow all your favourite brands at: ultimateskateboarddist.com facebook.com/ultimatedistribution instagram: @ultimatedist
issue 120 • 2012 photo annual It’s a fact: Canada has very dedicated skateboarders and photographers, which feed content to more skate magazines than our population-heavier neighbours down south. Combine that with the sheer amount of content available daily on the web and it can be a little overwhelming and time consuming to wade through it all. As a result, standing out as original and creative is more and more difficult to achieve. With the ease and quality of mobile phone cameras, the wildly popular Instagram app, and the amount of digital bodies constantly being released, the range of photography from hobbyist to professional seems to have widened quite a bit. However, one can’t forget that owning a camera doesn’t exactly make you a photographer. This is our eighth Photo Annual, and trust me, it never gets easier. The past two Annuals placed more emphasis on photography-related editorial content, whereas this time we took a more visual approach and tried to stay true to the original photographic process. We focused on showcasing the endangered art of analog photography, while also curating a solid collection of high-quality digital images. To produce something in print that will last in a content-heavy world is far different than it was prior to the Internet Age. Concrete has been creating skate magazines in Canada since 1990, and we’ve always done it for our readership. Hard work does pay off, so if you’re an aspiring photographer, skater, or just a fan of print magazines, welcome to the 2012 Photo Annual. Enjoy all the hard work these photographers put into each image.
Brian Caissie, photo editor
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Concrete skateboarding
nick garcia
back smith / melbourne, australia etnies.com
timebombtrading.com facebook.com/timebombtrading
20 12 PHOTO ANNUAL
FEATURES
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WHY ANALOG?
LOAD, EXPOSE, REWIND...
44 MADE IN THE USA EXPOSURE GALLERY
58
SK8 OR DIE
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MADE IN CANADA
A WEEK WITH THE SK8 SKATES TEAM EXPOSURE GALLERY
DEPARTMENTS
10 14 18 22 26 86 90 92
PAST BLAST 2006 PHOTO ANNUAL FIVE SPOT BART JONES ART BLENDER ANDY MUELLER THE HASHTAG PROJECT #CONCRETEPHOTO BOTH ENDS OF THE LENS MATT BERGER SHUT DOWN BRANDON DEL BIANCO VIDEO LINKS IDENTITY ALEX OLSON COVER Walking The Plank photo & caption by
When you hear the name Trout Lake, you might picture picnicking on a sandy beach with the family dog swimming in serene waters. Not, say, a ledge off a roof with a drop that’s well over head height and a sea of ankle-mangling stairs below. This day at Vancouver’s Trout Lake started out with MATT BERGER having a few laughs about how unfathomable it was to skate before he started to lay into a few CROOKED GRINDs. But a hockey game starting in the rec centre below meant lots of gawking kids, bad jokes and justified concern from the growing crowd of passers-by. Opting to come back on a less busy day and just steps away from our cars, a big crew, including fellow Kamloops-er Stacy Gabriel, rolled up and sparked Matt to walk the plank a couple more times. A few tries later and he was safely back at sea level with another epic trick chalked up.
JAMIE MALEY GAP TO FRONTBOARD FAKIE photos
Andrew Norton
BRIAN CAISSIE
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visit concreteskateboarding com on your desktop or mobile device for the 2012 photo annual extras.
Concrete skateboarding
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FAKIE 5-0 FRONT FOOT IMPOSSIBLE | BLABAC PHOTO
FEATURING:
SEE JOSH KALIS REDISCOVER HIS DC HERITAGE IN HIS NEW CENTRIC S AT DCSHOES.COM/SKATEBOARDING
The first special edition Concrete Photo Annual dropped in 2005. Now that we’re eight deep, let’s take a look back at a past Annual that features both a global icon, and a globally iconic spot on the cover…
Photo annual August 2006
Tom Penny Backside kickflip [o] brian caissie
I think it’s safe to say that we all have our favourite skateboarders. At least some more than others as it’s impossible to point out just one. Tom Penny is an enigma—elusive and well respected, and maybe one of the only skaters that can recycle footage for a new part with no complaints from the viewer. His flexibility on all types of terrain is amazing to watch. Back in 2006, I was asked to travel with the Flip team to do some demos and hit the streets of Canada. We ended up going to warm-up at the Big-O pipe in Montreal one day, which has had its fair share of photos over the years. Just seeing Tom drop in I knew I should be ready for anything, so my gear was set up quickly. Next thing I know he was crouching backside flips inside the full-pipe. Within a few tries it was landed and I felt the pressure, that’s for sure. You don’t ever want to mess up a photo of this caliber. This still is, and might always be, my favourite photo I’ve taken, unless I get another chance to shoot with Tom in Canada. —Brian Caissie
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Concrete skateboarding
supradistribution.com habitatstickers@supradistribution.com
It’s kind of hard to write about someone as boring as Bart Jones. I mean, don’t get me wrong: he’s a nice guy, just really low key. On trips he’s just sort of the dude looking at his iPhone with headphones on somewhere in the back of the van. Yeah, so... I guess he takes the photos or something. He just sort of dispassionately sets up his flashes and then pushes a button until something happens, or doesn’t happen. Then he packs up and leaves. I wish I could find something that sets him apart from the rest of skateboarders and photographers out there. He’s just a real bland guy—sort of the blendinto-a-wall, monotonous, by-the-book, shrinking-violet type of human being. Maybe you’ll meet Bart sometime, but you probably won’t remember him. —Randy Ploesser
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Dancers
Photographers
Red Beanie Rockers
1. Prince 2. Ryan Reyes 3. Elaine Benes 4. Chris Farley 5. Shakira is pretty hot.
1. Jai Tanju 2. Brendan Klein 3. Fred Mortagne 4. Matt Price 5. They all good
1. Yukon Cornelius 2. Steve Zissou 3. Lawn Gnome 4. Taylor Swift 5. Ginger Army
Dudes To Follow On Insta
Travel Destinations
Canadian crews
1. @yeahboardshop 2. @swiftomatic 3. @grantbrittain 4. @profcatface 5. @sendxhelp
1. Chicago and ‘burbs 2. Vancouver 3. Lima, Peru 4. Anchorage, Alaska 5. Anywhere
1. Street Demons 2. Red Dragons 3. Pender Beach 4. Barrier Kult 5. Kids in the Hall
Night Club Essentials
People To Shoot With
Go-To Songs
1. Pocket Shots 2. Oversized cowboy hat 3. Fake ID 4. Glow-in-the-dark whistle 5. Change of clothes
1. Issey Yumiba 2. Mike Mo 3. Marisa Dal Santo 4. Randy Ploesser 5. Walker Ryan
1. “I Found You” by Alabama Shakes 2. “Real Talk” by R. Kelly 3. “Valerie” by Amy Winehouse 4. “Makings of a Lover” by Mayer Hawthorne 5. “What Were You Hoping For?” by Van Hunt
Beverages
Doppelgangers
motivational phrases
1. Four Loko 2. Joose 3. Sparks 4. Tilt 5. They changed ingredients, now they all suck.
1. Zach Galifianakis 2. Richard Simmons 3. “Hacksaw” Jim Duggan 4. Seth Rogan 5. Sideshow Bob
1. “Right here, you got it!” 2. “20 on it, this try! 3. “I gotta 40-ounce on this one!” 4. “Next try, I’ll take you out to Sizzler!” 5. “Stop being a pussy! If you’re not gonna do it let’s just go.”
Concrete skateboarding
chris fetter
BART JONES
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O
hio tends to breed many designers, photographers and artists that end up in the skateboard world. Andy Mueller has become a creative powerhouse by combining all three of these key skills. Starting in 1993, Andy ran a design studio, OhioGirl [ohiogirl.com], with clients like Burton and numerous record companies. In 1999 he moved from the Midwest to Los Angeles to work for Girl Skateboards’ new shoe brand, Lakai. For the past 13 years he’s been at the helm of Lakai’s creative direction as the brand’s
Art Director. Not only does he handle all the ads, catalogue and design work for Lakai, he also creates board graphics for Girl and Chocolate. In his spare time, Andy continues to freelance with OhioGirl and runs his brand and project, The Quiet Life [thequietlife.com]. As a member of The Art Dump, he creates for a variety of shows every year. The art and drawing style Andy utilizes is reminiscent of ’60s and ’70s commercial art. The drawing line he uses is simple yet effective in representing
a lighthearted view of the world. His designs and graphics for Girl and Chocolate are eclectic in nature and tell their own stories through the use of type, drawing, paint or photography. Andy’s love of photography is a whole other matter and is utilized by the Girl family of brands. He captures not just the skate culture that surrounds him each day, but also the small absurdities of life in and around Southern California. —Randy Laybourne andymueller.com
clockwise from top left:
Girl “P-Rod Collage” deck Chocolate “Eldridge B&W” deck Girl “Biebel Mosaic” deck Chocolate “Anderson 15yr.” deck Quiet Life 5 panel hat Quiet Life stickers Quiet Life Ping Pong case Quiet Life “Shoot Me” graphic Quiet Life “Over Expose” tee Quiet Life “People People” tee Lakai print advertisements Lakai x Quiet Life “Belmont” shoe Painted OG Girl
“The sheer volume and quality of Andy’s graphic design speaks for itself, but the real guts of the Mueller epoch resides in his photography. Contemplative, spacious, minimal, clever and subdued are words that come to mind when I think of his great photos. Scary thing is, I think his best photography is yet to come.” —Tony Larson 18
Concrete skateboarding
“Misc. Photos� By Andy Mueller. Curated exclusively for Concrete Skateboarding.
visit concreteskateboarding.com to download art blender wallpapers for your computer / iphone / ipad.
Keith Haring was an artist and activist who frequently used his art to speak out about social issues. He was one of the best RUV^U HTVUN [OL `V\UN HY[PZ[Z Ä STTHRLYZ WLYMVYTLYZ HUK T\ZPJPHUZ ^OVZL ^VYR YLZWVUKLK [V \YIHU Z[YLL[ J\S[\YL VM [OL 80s. Diagnosed with AIDS in 1988, Haring established the Keith Haring Foundation in 1989 to provide funding and imagery [V (0+: VYNHUPaH[PVUZ HUK [V LUZ\YL [OH[ OPZ WOPSHU[OYVWPJ SLNHJ` ^V\SK JVU[PU\L PUKLÄ UP[LS` ;OL 2LP[O /HYPUN -V\UKH[PVU»Z TPZZPVU PZ [V Z\Z[HPU L_WHUK HUK WYV[LJ[ [OL SLNHJ` VM /HYPUN»Z HY[ HUK OPZ PKLHSZ ;OL -V\UKH[PVU Z\WWVY[Z VYNHUPaH[PVUZ [OH[ assist underprivileged children, as well as those engaged in education, research and care with respect to AIDS and HIV.
alienworkshop.com supradistribution.com alienworkshopstickers@supradistribution.com
#CONCRETEPHOTO
The Instagram HASHTAG PROJECT In mid-June we starting hollering about our Hashtag Project, asking people to tag their skate-related photos with #concretephoto. The images started stacking up from contributing photographers and filmers, skaters who have appeared on our pages, and our readership. Here is a small selection of our favourites from the crop. By all means, keep adding to our hashtag album. Maybe we’ll keep printing our faves in the mag, or maybe we’ll repost some @concreteskatemag. Whatever happens it’ll be spontaneous, much like Insta.
[o] @alexdoyle
Hudson
[o] @oneandbeyond
[o] @dimemtl
Normal
[o] @dtotherob
Normal
Amaro
[o] @joelacton
Nashville
[o] @paulmachnau
[o] @thisnathanguy
Normal
[o] @siriustrev
[o] @benngie
Inkwell
[o] @thoughtprocess96
Lord Kelvin
Normal
Rise Concrete skateboarding
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WATERJAKE
9.0 x 32.5
8.8 x 32.75
photos: brian fick
COHIBA
THE PHOTOGRAPHY OF MAtt berger intro
Matt Meadows
stills and captions
France Matt Berger
mikendo
SMALL-TOWN BOY TO WORLDWIDE AM, it’s been a heck of a year for Kamloops, BC’s Matt Berger. While being a recognizable name in Canada for a number of years, it wasn’t until after his recent anointment to Flip’s international team that the rest of the world came to realize what we at home had known for some time; when it comes to skating, Matt means business! After enjoying extended stays in both China and California in 2012, it comes as no surprise that Matt is beginning to become accustomed to the exotic jet-setting lifestyle that comes along with his acquired AM status. Making his first trip to Europe, Matt joined Monster teammate Scott Decenzo along with TM Jordan Brown, filmer Mike “Mikendo” Stanfield and friend Derek Fukuhara for three weeks in France. Needless to say, the magnitude of such an experience was not lost on the young British Columbian. “It was amazing! We basically just stayed in hostels, skated, drank some red wine, ate some baguettes and got to know the cities.” The time spent absorbing the casual French culture must have rubbed off on Matt. When asked what his favourite part of the trip was, his answer was brilliantly Persian in its simplicity and attitude: “I think my favourite part was just sitting in the cafés. Since all the chairs were pointing out toward the sidewalk, you can just sit and drink your beer, wine or whatever and people-watch. You get to just chill and watch everyone live their daily lives.” Inspired by the architecture of a historic city such as Paris, Berger is still quick to note that while he enjoyed taking pictures, he by no means considers himself a photographer. “I had never really shot any photos before. I wouldn’t even say I’m a photographer since I was just using my iPhone!” Still, I think it’s safe to say when looking at his pictures you will agree; if there is an appreciation for the landscape, it can be captured by even the most humble of technological mediums.
view from the eiffel tower Photo: Mikendo
Touristique
“This is the hill we sat on every evening that overlooked the city. La Basilique du SacréCoeur de Montmartre in Paris—what a spot!”
Basilique Mania
“I took this photo overlooking the main City Hall square in Lyon. I believe the name is Basilique Notre-Dame de Fourvière.”
Pole Position
“We would go to this place in Paris that was basically just a hangout spot. Because of all the tourists there’s a lot of street performers; this guy was by far the craziest I’d seen. He climbed up the pole and was actually kicking a soccer ball back and forth. It’s hard to tell in the photo but it’s fucked!”
Mandatory Mission
“I had to get cliché and snap this photo of the Eiffel Tower.”
Lyon’s Finest
“Here’s a spot we should all recognize. Sammy Winter strikes by locking a mean backtail on one of Lyon’s finest, which has been around for years. There’s definitely a lot of skate history in that marble!”
Vin Rouge
“The drinking laws in France are very relaxed. As you can see, we took full advantage of that. Some cheap red wine at one hell of a lookout point over Paris!” Concrete skateboarding
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Le Dome Life
“Le Dome in Paris. Another spot you skate nerds should all recognize. You can skate it every day of week, with no kick-out, and it’s only a few blocks away from the Eiffel Tower.”
Church Tour
“This is another Basilique in Paris. We went into this church and it was almost surreal, great architecture and paintings all over the place. Touring the old churches in France is a must for anyone visiting.”
Doom Bender
“Sammy Winter salutes you! We were on our way to a spot in Lyon when Sammy decided to drop in on this mountain of concrete minutes before Mother Nature ended the session by raining us out.”
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Concrete skateboarding
Rhône Stroll
“This is the Rhône River in Lyon. It’s about two hours from Paris, and it’s one of the footpath bridges you can cross. Pretty much every day we would cruise along the river, and it was just looking really nice so I thought I’d snap a photo. I think it shows the city pretty well.”
backside overcrook Photo: Mikendo
Š 2 0 1 2 J S LV C O R P. | D I S T R I B U T E D B Y U LT I M AT E
KELLEN JAMES | PALMS WOVEN | WORKER PANTS | CLASS BELT
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W W W . J S LV C O R P. C O M
Adam Hopkins, Invert Photo: Brian Caissie Camera: 4x5 Shenhao Lens: 90mm Shutter Speed: 1/400 Aperture: f 8 Film Speed: 160 ISO Film: Kodak Portra 160
words jeff thorburn
Why would anyone use an older technology—a technology that most have dismissed and forgotten, when there are new products out there that can do the same thing in a faster and more reliable manner? In this instance, I am talking about photographers that continue to shoot film in the face of digital photography. I realize that many of you may not be able to relate to this, so consider some of these questions instead: Why do you still ride a seven-ply wood board, rather than P2? Why do you ride regular aluminum trucks, rather than hollow forged trucks? Why do you spend all your time skating and getting kicked out of street spots, when you can just ride the skatepark safely and carefree? Some of us don’t think about these things at all, and some of us think about them far too much. In the end, I don’t think any of us have a straightforward, convincing answer, other than: “It’s just what I like.” The photographers included on these pages are still dedicated to the craft and mystery of film. But if it does die in our lifetime, Vancouver-based photographer Rich Odam has one request: “I just hope these companies make a digital chip that’s actually going to come close to reproducing the look and qualities of film. So far, they’ve yet to nail it.” But until then, we continue to load, expose, rewind...
Concrete skateboarding
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Sam Lind, Ollie Photo: Josh Hotz
Camera: 4x5 Calumet Wood-Field Lens: 150 Rodenstock Copal 0 Shutter Speed: 1/60 Aperture: f 8 Film Speed: 100 ISO Film: Provia 100F
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Concrete skateboarding
Many photographers whose images you see in this magazine came up during the time when digital cameras were new, expensive, and not yet up to par with their film counterparts. They kept an eye on digital technologies, learned and used what they could, but continued to shoot film. Over the past decade, though, film has become increasingly harder to obtain, while digital cameras continue to improve. Many have made full-blown switches to digital, with their Hasselblads and Polaroid cameras collecting dust on a shelf. But there are solid reasons as to why some photographers have yet to turn their backs on the analog medium. “Just the process of shooting film is fun,” says San Francisco via Ottawa photographer, Terry Worona. “Loading the film, hearing the crank turn to the next exposure, looking down the periscope of a waist-level viewfinder. Nowadays, I find it more challenging to
shoot digital because of the instant results; I over-analyze my composition and lighting way too much. Shooting film helps me focus on the things that matter: a clean exposure and simple composition. I think it helps keep my photographs honest.” Worona is a photographer that got his start when digital photo technology was still in its infancy. “I learned how to shoot skateboarding on film. DSLR [Digital Single Lens Reflex] cameras just weren’t affordable back then, especially for a kid in high school. The irony is that I probably spent more money on film over time than it would have cost to buy a DSLR. All that being said, aside from the narrow latitude of film, I don’t find many challenges anymore. I certainly did as a kid, which was frustrating, but it helped me become a better photographer.”
Photo: Rich Odam
Camera: Polaroid SX-70 SE Shutter Speed: Auto Aperture: Auto Film Speed: 600 ISO Film: Impossible Project PX600 (Black frame peeled off.)
Dan Redmond, Front Nose Photo: Rich Odam
Camera: Hasselblad Xpan Lens: 45mm Shutter Speed: 1/1000 Aperture: f 8 Film Speed: 400 ISO Film: Ilford HP5
Shane Heyl and Erik Ellington Photo: William Cui Camera: Polaroid ProPack Film Speed: 100 ISO Film: Fuji FP-100B
Chad Dickson Photo: Rich Odam Camera: Hasselblad Xpan Lens: 45mm Shutter Speed: 1/750 Aperture: f 8 Film Speed: 400 ISO Film: Ilford HP5
Concrete skateboarding
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Justin Eldridge Photo: William Cui
Camera: Polaroid Spectra System Shutter Speed: Auto Aperture: Auto Film Speed: 640 ISO Film: Polaroid Type 1200
Russ Milligan, Fakie Front crook Photo: Terry Worona Camera: Hasselblad Xpan Lens: Xpan 45mm f/4 Shutter Speed: 1/1000 Aperture: f 5.6 Film Speed: 400 ISO Film: Fuji Provia
Brandon Biebel Photo: William Cui
Camera: Polaroid Spectra System Shutter Speed: Auto Aperture: Auto Film Speed: 640 ISO Film: Polaroid Type 1200
Sean Lowe, Switch Ollie Photo: Rich Odam
Camera: Hasselblad 500cm / Polaroid back Lens: 30mm Fisheye Shutter Speed: 1/500 Aperture: f 5.6 Film Speed: 80 ISO Film: Polaroid 669 (Expired)
Rich Odam is a film stalwart. “There’s a lot more preparation, more thinking and planning. It’s a slower process, but at the end it’s more rewarding, especially on a personal level,” he says. Don’t be fooled, though. Most photographers allow some space in their bags for digital equipment, but you may never see the results. “I’ll always take a digital test image to make sure all the elements of the photo are on point,” says Ottawa’s Josh Hotz. “But when it comes down to getting the photo, I shoot film with my Hasselblad. The resolution of film is unparalleled by that of affordable digital. I love the feeling of putting that slide film on the light table, and then being able to make big, crisp prints from it.”
The thing about skateboarding is it’s not supposed to be pretty—a sentiment I’ve been happy to read from more and more people lately. It’s got some grit you just can’t wash off, and the way we portray that in magazines, to each other and the masses should reflect that whenever possible. “There is nothing better than throwing a simple rangefinder camera on your back and heading out for the day to skateboard,” says Worona. “It’s as spontaneous as you can get. I hate taking 30 minutes to set up flashes and whatnot for a photo, and then yelling out that I’m ready to roll. What is this, a film set?” We should be focusing on just skating—being constantly in motion and seeing more of the city—rather than shooting more digital frames to make sure everything is perfect and in the right place. Don’t kill the spontaneous vibe. Get it on film. Concrete skateboarding
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QUIKSILVER
SKATEBOARDING
COLLECTION
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JORDENMURRAY
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Jordan Taylor Frontside Bluntslide Photo: Ryan Lusteg
Location: Los Angeles, CA Camera: Nikon D3000 Lens: 24-70mm Shutter Speed: 1/250 Aperture: f 5.6 ISO: 200
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Concrete skateboarding
Dennis Durrant Switch Backside 50-50 Photo: Bart Jones
Location: Los Angeles, CA Camera: Nikon D3 Lens: 16mm Shutter Speed: 1/250 Aperture: f 11 ISO: 200
sid melvin
Feeble Grind Photo: Tadashi Yamaoda Location: Fresno, CA Camera: Nikon D7000 Lens: 17-55mm Shutter Speed: 1/800 Aperture: f 5.6 ISO: 200
Trevor Colden Frontside Feeble Photo: Bart Jones
Location: Tucson, AZ Camera: Nikon D3 Lens: 16mm Shutter Speed: 1/100 Aperture: f 5.6 ISO: 200
Concrete skateboarding
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Aaron “Jaws” Homoki Backside Noseblunt Photo: Dan Zaslavsky
Location: El Paso, TX Camera: Nikon D3 Lens: 16mm Shutter Speed: 1/8000 Aperture: f 4 ISO: 1000
Jared Huss
No Comply Bigspin Flip Photos: Bart Jones Location: Encinitas, CA Camera: Nikon D3 Lens: 16mm Shutter Speed: 1/1000 Aperture: f 5.6 ISO: 400 48
Concrete skateboarding
Chris Troy
Backside Overcrook Photo: Ryan Lusteg Location: Encinitas, CA Camera: Nikon D300 Lens: 24-70mm Shutter Speed: 1/320 Aperture: f 5.6 ISO: 100
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Concrete skateboarding
Cody McEntire
Switch 180 Photo: Dan Zaslavsky Location: San Francisco, CA Camera: Nikon D3 Lens: 24-70mm Shutter Speed: 1/5000 Aperture: f 4 ISO: 1250
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Concrete skateboarding
Alex Lawton Backside Kickflip Photo: Bart Jones
Location: San Pedro, CA Camera: Nikon D3 Lens: 35mm Shutter Speed: 1/250 Aperture: f 4.5 ISO: 320
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GIRL FILMS AND CHOCOLATE CINEMA PRESENT
THE NEW GIRL & CHOCOLATE VIDEO COMING IN NOVEMBER 2012 STARRING: ALEX OLSON / VINCENT ALVAREZ / BRANDON BIEBEL / MIKEMO CAPALDI / BRIAN ANDERSON / CHICO BRENES / SEAN MALTO / CORY KENNEDY ELIJA BERLE / DEVINE CALLOWAY / MIKE CARROLL / ERIC KOSTON / RAVEN TERSHY / GUY MARIANO / JERON WILSON / JESUS FERNANDEZ / JUSTIN ELDRIDGE KENNY ANDERSON / CHRIS ROBERTS / MARC JOHNSON / ANTHONY PAPPALARDO / DANIEL CASTILLO / STEVIE PEREZ / RICK HOWARD / RICK MCCRANK / GINO IANNUCCI
w w w .pre t t y sw e e t v id e o . co m # p re t t y sw e e t
Intro and Captions: Colin Lambert Photos: Brian Caissie Cameras: Hasselblad 500CM / Nikon F3 / Nikon D3
T
his year marks the 25th anniversary of Winnipeg’s Sk8 Skates. It’s crazy to think that I was three years old when Steve Harnish and Klaus Hoffman first opened the shop’s doors in 1987. Six years later my mom brought me to Sk8 Skates for the first time and I never left. That was when I first met Jai Pereira. As annoying as I was, he always treated me great. Jai made Sk8 into something that you just needed to be a part of. I spent the majority of my youth and teenage years hanging out in the shop, annoying everyone who worked there. I’ve seen all the aspects of Sk8 from so many perspectives: as a shop rat, team rider, employee, manager and now, maybe my favourite of all, being the owner. My original intention for this was to write a full article about the history of the shop for our anniversary, and have Brian Caissie come out to Winnipeg and road trip with us to Minneapolis, Minnesota, to shoot photos of the team. Brian flew out for seven days, most of which were plagued with issues. Not only did it rain constantly, Sk8 rider Kyle Nickoshie got put in the hospital while we were in Minneapolis and everyone, myself included, seemed to be suffering from some kind of injury.
Even with the odds against us, I’ve never seen the team put forth so much effort. After the first day we had nine photos, and as the week went on they kept adding up. Jamie Mospanchuk got the majority of his photos in the pouring rain if you can believe that. By the end of the week, after a ton of hard work, we had 36 photos and an article that needed to be written. After careful consideration it occurred to me that it would be damn near impossible to cover the history in 12 pages. Sk8 Skates has a history that needs a full-length documentary just to scratch the surface. There’s 25 years of staff members, team members, community, good times, bad times, love, hate, ups, downs and everything in between. I have spent the greater portion of my life hanging out at Sk8 Skates. My most cherished memories involve everything that surrounds our shop, and I know there are so many people out there who feel the same. That being said, I decided to let our skateboarding do the talking here. Sk8 Skates has always been, and always will be, completely about skateboarding. I present to you the Sk8 Skates team. No gimmicks, just 100% pure skateboarding.
Concrete skateboarding
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Tyler Geurts - Noseslide
Josh Thorvaldson - Ollie to Fakie
Tyler does this weird mental block thing where he constantly underestimates his talent. He’s the only guy I’ve ever met that ollies on flat ground before skating a rail to see if his ollies are working that day. They obviously work; he’s been skating for 15 years. Tyler is the sickest skateboarder and I just wish he knew that.
We found these full pipes on the side of the highway on our way to Minneapolis, so we got out of the car to skate. It was Josh’s first time to the States, and I swear he averaged about four questions a minute the whole drive there. We love Josh, but after seven hours of his questions we needed a break.
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Concrete skateboarding
Russell Staats - Backside 50-50 This spot has a death drop that you can’t see in the photo. The hubba is about two feet wide and on the other side there’s a 20-foot drop onto stairs. Apparently, there were a few close calls, with him almost tripping over his board running down it. Lucky for him he got the trick and photo without falling to his death.
Jamie Mospanchuk Soggy Noseslide 360 Shuv We only had two days in Minneapolis and one of them was completely rained out. So Jamie made the best of it by finding spots with a covered run-up or landing. Although his griptape hated him for it, he walked away with three sick photos in the rain that day because motivation and a good attitude prevail every time.
Concrete skateboarding
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Jared Arnason - Tailslide
Evan Sinclair - Frontside 5-0
Jared’s shoulder joint must be stripped because it seems like he dislocates it every couple times he skates. It’s gotten to the point where no one even cares anymore. Much like every other tailslide Jared does, he dislocated his shoulder on this one when he went back to film it.
I considered making up a story for this caption about Evan almost falling to his death because I don’t really have anything interesting to say. He handled this 5-0 like a champ and never once came close to falling over; he just nailed it no problem. That’s how he rolls.
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Cain Lambert - Switch Backside Flip
Kyle Nickoshie - Backside Noseblunt
It seems like out of nowhere Cain has the biggest bag of tricks and confidence that I rarely see in skateboarders. This downtown Winnipeg spot is an instant boot, but he’s somehow gone there to land this trick twice this year. I’m so stoked to be able watch him progress from not even being able to ollie to where he is today.
Kyle rolled away from this countless times but he’d hit the same crack and fall. It was a make for the photo but the clip was a little suspect, so he kept trying. During one attempt he tried to jump away only to land back on his board, knocking himself unconscious. When he woke up the first thing he said was: “Bitch, I’m a stunna.”
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Austin Thomas - Lipslide Fakie
Colin Lambert - Frontside Hurricane
Most skateboarders get in routines, or do little OCD-type things while skating scary spots. But not Austin. He skates every handrail like he’s screwing around on a flatbar. His brain works differently and he has a total disregard for his own personal safety. Ask him to try and nose grab any giant set and he’ll do it just to make you laugh.
It’s kind of bunk talking about how motivated someone is, but when Caissie first arrived in Winnipeg, Colin could barely walk due to an injured back. Days later we were in Minneapolis watching his decrepit carcass get tossed down the stairs of the infamous Cairo rail. This hurricane may not be a neck-high handrail, but injury or not, Colin is getting a fucking photo. —Cain Lambert
sk8skates.com
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supradistribution.com fourstarstickers@supradistribution.com
Mark Appleyard
Frontside Pivot Fakie Photo: Marc Falkenstien Location: Bilbao, ES Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II Lens: 70-300mm Shutter Speed: 1/1000 Aperture: f 4 ISO: 320
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Paul Machnau Wallride Photo: Will Jivcoff
Location: Cambridge, ON Camera: Canon EOS-1D Mark II N Lens: 24-70mm Shutter Speed: 1/1600 Aperture: f 4 ISO: 250
Joey Larock
Front Crook Fakie Photo: Babas Levrai Location: Montreal, QC Camera Body: Cosina A1 Lens: 50mm Shutter Speed: 1/250 Aperture: f 5.6 ISO: 400
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Geoff Strelow
Andrew Wenckstern
Location: Edmonton, AB Camera: Nikon D2Xs Lens: 10.5mm Shutter Speed: 1/250 Aperture: f 5 ISO: 100
Location: Saskatoon, SK Camera: Nikon D3 Lens: 80-200mm Shutter Speed: 1/640 Aperture: f 5 ISO: 200
Backside Tailslide Photo: Owen Woytowich
Pivot Fakie Photo: Judah Oakes
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drew Summersides Switch Kickflip Photo: Brian Caissie
Location: Vancouver, BC Camera: Hasselblad 500cm Lens: 30mm Shutter Speed: 1/500 Aperture: f 8 ISO: 200
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JS Lapierre
Feeble Grind Photo: Dan Mathieu Location: Piedmont, QC Camera: Nikon D3s Lens: 80-200mm Shutter Speed: 1/2500 Aperture: f 2.8 ISO: 400
Ryan Decenzo
Switch Frontside Smith Photo: Dan Zaslavsky Location: San Francisco, CA Camera: Nikon D4 Lens: 16mm Shutter Speed: 1/3200 Aperture: f 8 ISO: 1000
Jamie Walker
Switch Front Crook Photo: Brian Caissie Location: Richmond, BC Camera: Hasselblad 500cm Lens: 150mm Shutter Speed: 1/500 Aperture: f 8 ISO: 400
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TJ Rogers
Switch Boardslide Photo: James Morley Location: Scarborough, ON Camera Body: Nikon D3s Lens: 16mm Shutter Speed: 1/400 Aperture: f 10 ISO: 400
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1
with
words and photos
james morley
brandon del bianco
2
One spot. One session. Three serious moves with sequential evidence as proof. When we arrived at the famous Duke University three block in Durham, North Carolina, we knew we wouldn’t be heading home without sessioning it. There was only one problem—it was graduation time and the school was filled with students and their families. Discouraged by the crowd, we left. But on our way out a hot dog vendor hinted that if we returned at 5 p.m., the area would be empty. So we skated a few spots and came back around 5:10. Sure enough, nobody in sight. As soon as Wade Power and I were ready to film, Brandon hucked a switch backside flip 1 and rolled away second try. We switched to long lens angles,
and Brandon put down the nollie frontside flip 2 and nollie flip 3 , each in five and six tries respectively. As he rolled away, the nearby building’s doors opened, and the courtyard filled with graduating students. If we had arrived 10 minutes later our session wouldn’t have happened, but with a little bit of faith in a hot dog vendor and careful time management, everything worked out perfectly. I guess The A-Team was on to something with that catchphrase: “I love it when a plan comes together!”
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WORKIN’ THE ANGLES
Win a GoPro HERO2 Filmer Pack Here's how Shoot and edit a 30-60 second skate video with your homies using any camera you have. The emphasis of your video should be creative angles. Obviously shooting something at the park is easy, so extra points will be awarded to those who hit the streets. Upload your video via WeTransfer (wetransfer.com) and send it to: gopropack@concreteskateboarding.com *Follow the standard Vimeo compression guidelines: vimeo.com/help/compression (DO NOT upload to Vimeo)
Prize pack GoPro HERO2 Professional Outdoor Edition Toy Machine "Sect Cruiser" (7.25 x 24.5) Destructo Trucks (5.0 Mids) Bones Chris Ray wheels (54mm ATF) Black Panthers bearings
Contest Closes September 25th *Canadian residents only.
Est. 1990: Canada’s original skateboard magazine
PUBLISHER Kevin Harris EDITOR-in-chief Frank daniello
frank@concreteskateboarding.com
Ad Sales Manager Casey Jones
PHOTO EDITOR Brian Caissie
ART DIRECTOR Dave Keras
brian@concreteskateboarding.com
davek@concreteskateboarding.com
Video Specialist David Ehrenreich
associate designers Randy Laybourne
casey@concreteskateboarding.com
dave@justdontsleep.com
copy editor Stephanie lake
Administration Dave Buhr
Contributing Photographers
andrew norton, chris fetter, andy mueller, matt berger mikendo, josh hotz, rich odam, william cui, terry worona ryan lusteg, bart jones, tadashi yamaoda, dan zaslavsky marc falkenstien, babas levrai, will jivcoff, owen woytowich judah oakes, dan mathieu, james morley, ben colen
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Contributing Writers
andrew norton, brian caissie, randy ploesser, randy laybourne matt meadows, jeff thorburn, colin lambert, cain lambert, james morley, dave ehrenreich, ben colen
Concrete skateboarding is Distributed 6 times annually by Ultimate Skateboard Distributors inc. // east: 705.749.2998 // west: 604.279.8408 Subscriptions: 1 Year for $19.95 (includes shipping / taxes) – 6 issues including The Photo Annual subscribe online at concreteskateboarding.com or send cheque / money order to: Concrete Skateboarding Subscriptions | 150 - 11780 River Rd. | Richmond, BC | V6X 1Z7 concrete accepts unsolicited submissions, but is not responsible if such materials are lost or damaged. submissions sent via letter-mail must include a self-addressed stamped envelope for return sending. for further submission inquiries, contact submissions@concreteskateboarding.com. for retailer inquiries in regards to carrying concrete, please contact info@concreteskateboarding.com.
NEXT ISSUE: ISSUE 121 // October 8, 2012
curated and written by
David Ehrenreich
A Photo Annual generally implies an emphasis on camera equipment and well-composed photographs. So this issue’s Video Links is an attempt to fit the theme and applaud the videographers and directors in the industry who push boundaries. Not solely for the artistic component, unique formats or great skating, but successfully walking the fine line between all three. Skateboarders have become a nostalgic bunch, so here’s to keeping it fresh.
CI T Y O F RAT S
QUIK
s lamci t y. c o m / c i t y o f rat s
theber r ics.com/ gen-op s/ quik .html
Henry Edwards-Wood [holdtighthenry.com] released his biggest project-to-date earlier this year, and sections of the video are now being released online. It’s a shop video, and more importantly, an unwavering embrace of London, UK skateboarding’s highs and lows. Like most of his other work, the colour and feel of the video is in such drastic contrast to popular American videos that it warrants applause. As Canadians who experience similar weather, it’s an inspiration to embrace our shitty ground and terrible winters. Slam City Skates has been open since ’86, and City of Rats is its first full-length video. It’s packed with stars like Lucien Clarke, Nick Jensen, Oliver Todd, Neil Smith, Daniel “Snowy” Kinloch, Danny Brady and even a little cameo from our man Kevin Lowry. If you can’t wait for the part-by-part web release and want the DVD, check out theoriesofatlantis.com.
With the help of Quiksilver and The Berrics, Colin Kennedy created this short film/ skate part featuring Austyn Gillette. I’d consider it to be one of the best mixes of professional filmmaking and raw skateboarding. A crew, planning, organization, dollies and all the elements that you need to make a good film often have an adverse effect on a skateboard video; you’ll find yourself with overdramatized crap and watered-down skating. Kennedy had heaps of others’ failures to look at and used his budget intelligently. He didn’t dilute the skating, either. It’s a five-and-ahalf-minute video, all shot from the back or window of a vehicle. Not a new concept, but one they embraced and made their own. If you’ve never shot this way, you can imagine the logistical nightmare, even without setting the entire project in East LA. Austyn also flexed his inner Busenitz, which makes this video a pleasure to watch.
FO R M AT PE R S P E C T IV E
PALACE SK ATEBOARDS
f o rmat p e r sp e c t i v e . com
An obvious choice for this issue on many levels, Format Perceptive is an hour-long documentary following six European skateboard photographers (Alex Irvine, Bertrand Trichet, Nils Svensson, Richard Gilligan, Sergej Vutuc and Stuart Robinson) as they go about their daily business. Bray, Ireland-based director Phil Evans made a fabulous choice when he broke the bank and shot the entire piece on 8mm film stock—an obvious nod to traditional photography and the wonderful nuances of film. You meet each photographer through a voiceover narrative while you watch him work, and then see the stills he produces. It’s a rare behind-the-scenes look at the tricks and the photographic process all in one place. In the end, the viewer gets an introspective, even romantic, view of not only the photographers featured, but the skate scenes in places like London, Barcelona, Tokyo, Malmo, Dublin, Heilbronn and Belfast, where they work and document.
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vimeo.com/ palacesk ateboar ds
Why not talk about skateboarding’s hottest brand from London, England—one whose boards no one in North America has ever ridden. The brand that after countless offers did its first and only collab with Umbro. It’s all about formats and game changers in this summer’s Photo Annual and no one has pushed lo-fi like owner and filmer Lev Tanju. Two years deep shooting exclusively analog, its no fad. It is the brand. Scan lines, choppy cuts and a dirty lens—it sure brings you back to the ’90s, but it’s done successfully, without cheap and easy post production filters. They actually shoot on VHS and the rugged look shines through in an era of predominantly sharp, glossy and high-def DSLR videos. Check the Vimeo page for new videos, visit the site [palaceskateboards.com], and look out for the newest addition to the Palace Wayward Boys—Vancouver’s Torey Goodall.
ALEX OLSON
The best you’ve seen in NYC?
Andy Kessler (R.I.P.) and Jake Johnson, even though he’s not actually from New York.
Favourite Still Cameras?
The Contax G2, Hasselbald 501, Canon 5D Mark II, the Panasonic GH2 and whatever new camera comes out.
Best ‘Olsonstuff’ Tumblr Questions?
ben colen
Skateboarders give you a lot of excuses for not being able to skate, but Alex has definitely given me some of the best ones. They range from: “I have to go do this thing with my dad in Venice” (which turned out to be some kind of art performance at the Venice Biennale), to piano lessons, to being Spider-Man’s stunt double in the new movie. A few weeks ago I hit him up to skate but he was busy casting dancers for a music video he was directing. Definitely beats your average, “Nah, I have to pay rent today” type of excuse, not that he hasn’t given me that one himself. Al’s got a lot of outside interests, but it makes the days we go skate a lot more fun because I know he’s going to have a good story for me. —Ben Colen
Best Papa Steve Olson Saying? “Oh, bitch please!”
Best Beverages? Water and Carlsberg.
Best iPhone Apps?
iMaschine, Flipboard and SoundCloud.
I dunno, funny or nice ones are the best. There’s this one: “My girl’s mom, sister and someone else wanna bone you. Can you send your email?”
Go-to song?
Best Websites To Visit?
Music-making tools?
It’s an app, and it’s called Flipboard.
Inspiring Photographers?
Spike Jonze, Helmut Newton, Max Vadukul, Guy Bourdin, Mofo (Mörizen Föche).
People to point a camera at?
My dad, Gonz, Fat Bill and the people in NYC.
“Vote Bowie” by SIDWHO? [myspace.com/sidwho] MacBook Pro, Ableton, any drum loops or machine; a good bass synth, a good poly synth and you’re golden! Also a guitar—you need strings in there. I need to learn some guitar…
Worst places to melt down while skating? Any place where a girl you like is watching...
olsonstuff.com
92 Concrete skateboarding
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