Glimpse. | A Look Inside Philadelphia’s Skateboarding Scene |
M W ichael
ojcik
ALL RIGHTS RESERVED PRINTED 2013 PHILADELPHIA, PA PHOTO SEMINAR 2013
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GLIMPSE Philadelphia VOL. 1
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Dedicated to all of the people who help make their skate scene what it is. All of the shops, local companies, park builders, D.I.Y.-ers, zine-makers, filmers, ams, pros, fundraisers and elbow-greasers. By the homies, for the homies.
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Contents
Intro.........................................12 FDR ..........................................14 Ditch.........................................38 Spot Trouble..........................44 Bam’s........................................66 Pigs .........................................72 Darigan......................................76 Closing......................................86
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-IntroSkateboarding has been a part of me since I was very young. Come to think of it, its probably the only thing I’ve been doing consistently for the last ten years. Since I started I never saw the world the same again. Every single stairset, handrail, hill, plaza, city, and piece of architecture was a constant daydream. I’m fairly certain that I’m not the only one who thinks this. Skateboarding can teach you to think creative and be innovative all while teaching self-discipline at the same time. Everyone who’s stepped on a skateboard knows the feeling. I decided to start shooting photos of skateboarding in high school. My friends and I were always filming and making videos but I was never a good filmer,
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and since iPhones and Instagram weren’t really around yet, none of us were shooting photos while we were out for sometimes 12 hours a day. Getting a camera was the best decision I’ve ever made. Slowly (and I mean slowly) I learned to shoot people doing tricks. I would look through magazines backwards to see the photo sections first and study how pro photographers would frame their shots. From there I’d try and apply what I had learned (or at least thought I’d learned) to when I was out shooting. I figured out that what I was doing was documenting things that happened and realizing that helped shape the way I shot from there on out.
This book is a collection of photos that serve as documentations of tricks that happened, people I’ve met, and things I’ve seen throughout my time being a skateboarder in Philadelphia. It centers around a number of good friends who spend just about all of their free time exploring the city and surrounding areas, getting the most out of everyday, all for the sake of the one thing they all have in common: skateboarding. - Mike Wojcik
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Franklin Delano Roosevelt Park Philadelphia, PA 14
Christian Richards: Rock to Fakie 15
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Andrew Wilson: Slash & Grab
Christian Richards: Lipslide
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Andrew Wilson: Frontside Air
Mitchell Wilson: Frontside 5-0 19
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Jake Heid
Thread The Needle / 16th St.
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Left: Ed Duff: 50-50 / Cecil B. Moore, Philadelphia, PA Above: Brian Dolle: Pole Jam to Tailslide / Newark, Deleware
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A rooftop of an bandoned building on 5th and Master Streets. Philadelphia, PA
Joe Marchese: Ollie over rail / Philadelphia, PA
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David Shiraki: Hippie Jump 17th & Callowhill Philadelphia, Pa 27
Grant Sobocinski: Frontside Bluntslide / 15th & Susquehanna 28
Kyle O’Neill: Wallie Tuck Knee / Broad & Cecil B. Moore 29
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Jake Heid: Beanplant to Boardslide / Fairmount, Philadelphia
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Grant Sobocinski Backside Tailslide / 30th Street Station 32
Frontside Smith / S. 17th Street
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S. 17th Street
T.J. MacConchie / Broad and Susquehanna
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Isaac Jaeggi : 180-Nosegrind / E. Girard
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Somewhere towards the Northeast of Philly, there lies a ditch. Who knows why its there or what it was used for? The only thing that matters now is that with a little care and motivation (along with the help of skate god-like legends) a new spot is born.
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Pictured right to left: Mike Steinbock, Christian O’hara, Christian Richards, Frank Castineira
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Adam Vizy: Feeble 40
T.J. : Ollie / Jersey City, NJ
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Dan Wojcik : Sw. Heelflip / Jersey City, NJ
Joe Marchese: Pipe Dreams 12th & Pearl Street
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Christian, John-Boy, Joe, and myself decided to head up north. We had all seen this spot in videos before, and luckily a buddy of ours was able to show us the way. Way up north near Torresdale Avenue lies this warehouse just down the track some ways. Along the way you can find old needles, spray cans, and the finest in used contraceptive technology. But once you get there its nothing but smooth angle iron for a solid 50 ft.
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After squeezing through the fence one at a time, we got a quick session in before some gentlemen decided to give us the boot. Likely their property, not likely we cared. It was nothing personal to us, but they got pretty sour. And so it goes twenty some odd minutes later we were back down the track. John-Boy and Joe skipped some rocks and we grilled burgers all night.
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Kyle O’Neill: Crook / Broad & Susquehanna
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Kyle: No Comply / Columbus BLVD
T.J. : Front Board / Whitehall
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Colin Keaton Wallie Tuck-Knee / Art Museum - Fairmount, Philadelphia
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Joe Marchese: Ollie In / Philadelphia Musem of Art
Dan Wojcik: Benihana / Philaadelphia Museum of Art
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Downtown Philadelphia / seen from Spring Garden Street
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Benjamin Franklin House / seen from an adjacent parking garage
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Swing and a miss. 60
Joe Marchese: Boardslide / S. 17th St. 61
Dylan Theil : Varial Heelflip 62
Washington St. & Columbus BLVD. 63
Upwards view of South Penn Square / The Wanamaker Building
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30th St. Station
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Bam’s Park / West Chester, PA
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Christian Richards : Pivot Nosegrab
Grant Sobocinski : Noseblunt
Kyle O’Neill : Pivot Fakie
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Isaac Jaeggi
Kyle O’neill : 50-50 wallride down / Broad & Cecil B. Moore 69
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Exit Skateboard Supply at 825 N. 2nd St.
Kyle O’Neill : Backside 50-50 / Olde City
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No matter how big the fines, how severe the penalties, how uneasy bike pigs may get, the streets will always belong to skateboarding.
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Kyle O’Neill: Ollie In
Philadelphia Museum of Art
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Here is FOCUS photographer Luke Darigan shooting Neil Herrick on the Columbus BLVD barrier. Luke’s photos have gained him a respected name in the industry and have allowed him to get involved with companies such as Effigy, World Industries, and both FOCUS and The Skateboard Mag. He is also a shop manager at Nocturnal Skateshop located at 533 South Street in Philadelphia. 76
(Counter Clockwise from above): Luke setting up flashes; Kyle O’Neill, Grant Sobocinski, Luke Darigan, and Paul Overstrom; Flashes.
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Nik Stain: Lipslide / Columbus BLVD
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Christian Richards: Front Board
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Dan Wojcik: Benihana / Drexel 81
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Kyle O’Neill: Ollie / Race St. Pier 83
All photos shot with
Vivitar 3800n / 35mm
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Nikon D90 / Digital
Thanks To everyone who helped inspire me and get material for this book, especially my brother Dan Wojcik, Kyle O’Neill, Christian Richards, Colin Keaton, Jake Heid, Grant Sobocinski, Joe Marchese, T.J. MacConchie Dr. Destroyer, Rob Campbell, Luke Darigan, Jesse Clayton, Sean Spelissy, Funky, Walt Wolfe, Zander Taketomo, Pat Carmody, Chris Fireoved, Grandpa, Exit, Nephews, Nocturnal, Skate Jawn, Organized Grime, Caste Quality, Void, Skateswords, Pusher Wheels and many others. 87
GLIMPSE GLIMPSE Philaadelphia Philadelphia VOL. 1 VOL. 1