Pop Magazine - Issue 19

POPMAG.COM.AU

The musT have sTreeTwear and accessories • himbrechTs, Gourlay and shields on PhoToGraPhy

FREE

RICK HOWARD ROCKING OUT

KOLOHE ANDINO HARD TO CATCH

DANNY DAVIS AND KEVIN PEARCE ROAD TO RECOVERY

THIS SEASON, TAKE A SEAT AND WATCH

THE NEW FILM FROM BURTON SNOWBOARDS

FEATURING IN NO PARTICULAR ORDER Terje Haakonsen Nicolas M端ller Jussi Oksanen Jeremy Jones Danny Davis Mikey Rencz

Frederik Kalbermatten Keegan Valaika Mikkel Bang Kazu Kokubo Mark Sollors Zak Hale

Mark McMorris Ethan Deiss Alex Andrews Stephan Maurer

GET A COPY AT YOUR LOCAL DEALER! ALWAYS REMEMBER TO STAND SIDEWAYS Regulations available at burton.com/movie

JON HUMPHRIES

PAUL RODRIGUEZ EXPERIENCE MORE AT

NIKE.COM/CHOSEN

JASON KENWORTHY

KOLOHE ANDINO EXPERIENCE MORE AT

NIKE.COM/CHOSEN

WWW.NITROUSA.COM.AU

Our Gullwing camber relieves pressure from the contact points giving the board a loose ride, like a skateboard with loose trucks. The positive cambers under each binding maintain response towards tip and tail once pressure is applied to keep a controlled snap and pop in your deck when you need it.

LOOSE & RESPONSIVE

Combining the best of Standard and Gullwing camber, Zero camber boards are easy to maneuver while adding more snap and ollie pop than a Gullwing camber design. The result is a board with maximum versatility in more varied riding terrain.

FORGIVING & VERSITILE

Standard provides the stability at higher speeds many shreds don’t want to miss. The amount of snap and ollie pop you get from a cambered board is unrivalled by any other camber design and is highly rippable for all-mountain riding.

SNAPPY & PRECISE

Mark Welsh photos. coalheadwear.com

Abyss Distribution / coal@abyss.net.au coaheadwearaustralia.blogspot.com

Jon Kooley in the FLT.

Contents

ISSUE NINETEEN The 2011 Streetwear Issue This Page:

COAL the parker in black DC SHOES pike long sleeve shirt in off white Models own jewellery

18

32

28

48

66

42

Hot Shot..............................18

Fiend & Foe..........................32

Products .............................. 20

K olohe Andino...................... 42

Auto....................................22

Dedicated

Heliboarding.........................25

Rick Howard........................58

The Market..........................26

K evin & D anny ..................... 66

to the

Shot...........54

11

Thanks to: Rachael Wilson, Luke Lucas, Ricky Synnot, Jamie Driver, Dion Appel, Andy Clark, Paul Arena, Damo Di Pietro, Nick Jamieson, Danny Bos, Cin Pollard and Maria Krstev, The Bakers, Julius Kellar, Jan Snarski.

Pop Magazine is Dave Keating and Rick Baker.

Credits

POPMAG.COM.AU

The musT have sTreeTwear and accessories • himbrechTs, Gourlay and shields on PhoToGraPhy

FREE

Cover Kevin Pearce Photography: Cole Barash Location: Vermont Camera: Canon 5D Lens: 50mm Exposure: 1/100 @ f2 “Kev’s energy, passion, determination, and kindess inspire me everytime I kick it with him. There is no doubt in my mind we will continue to see amazing things from this guy- on and off the snow.”

RICK HOWARD ROCKING OUT

- Cole Barash

KOLOHE ANDINO HARD TO CATCH

DANNY DAVIS AND KEVIN PEARCE ROAD TO RECOVERY

POPMAG_COVER-DOC.indd 1

29/09/11 2:49 PM

Editors

Contributors

Editor-in-Chief Dave Keating

Steele Saunders, Jan Snarski and Tim Fisher

Company

Special Thanks Dan Himbrechts, Steve Gourlay and Andrew Shields for their work in the photography article

Editor At Large Rick Baker

Photography

Fashion Editor Jana Bartolo

C over

and

Jason Henley, Julius Kellar, Cole Barash, Joe Hammeke, Andy Mueller, Lifewithoutandy

Masthead Design

Luke Lucas

Layout Design Ricky Synot and Luke Lucas from Lifelounge

Sales Manager Sales Manager Nicholas Robson Email: nick.robson@lifeloungegroup.com Phone: (02) 9037 0402

12

Pop Magazine Pty. Ltd. 285 St Kilda Rd St. Kilda, Victoria, 3182 Australia Phone: (03) 9008 5818 Email: hithere@popmag.com.au Web: popmag.com.au

Printers Printgraphics Pty. Ltd Phone: (03) 9562 9600 Web: www.printgraphics.com.au

Left to Right: Mikey LeBlanc: Bulldog Underwear Scotty Wittlake: Schoeller FTC 3-Layer Jacket Andy Wright: Varsity Jacket Kale Zima: Kingston Street Jacket Laurent-Nicolas Paquin: Puffy Down Jacket Marie-Hucal: Margot Pullover Darrell Mathes: Steadman Jacket Matty Ryan: M-65 Laura Hadar: Maddie Down Jacket Gus Engle: Tilton Jacket

holdenouterwear.com

P roducts

3CS OUTERWEAR / 3CS

have developed their own sought after aesthetic that has had a huge influence on the A ustralian alpine sartorial style . G o to any mountain in the winter and you will see the influence these guys have had on the crowd and the other companies - from stripes to bright block colours , they have been consistent leaders . W e got the lovely Tenley to model a few pieces - for more, visit popmag . com . au .

P hotography: LifeWithoutAndy lifewithoutandy . com Words: Dave Keating

Model:Tenley from EMG Models Fashion Editor: Jana Bartolo Makeup & Hair: Miriam Nichterlein www.mnmakeup.net Erin Wears: 3CS Seville Jacket in Gray/Blue/Tebalt Stockist: 3csouterwear.com LONELY HEARTS Gardenia Bodysuit in Black Lace

Jeremy Jones Figment Pro Model anon Panoramic Profile™ Lens Auto adjust strap hinge Dual layer face foam

See better at anonoptics.com Phone: 02-9935-9000 Photos: Blotto

Four Kicks

P roducts

Killer Boots

/

A

good pair of comfortable boots is the most important thing to invest in before hitting the snow . N othing ruins your day faster than a bad liner or a cheap , inflex ible outer that causes blisters and cramps in minutes . H ere ’ s four to consider .

P hotography: Julius Kellar Words: Dave Keating

Boot: Ride Locket (Ladies) Sneaker inspired freestyle boot designed for the ladies. Super light and flexible with a compact design and the Strapper Zonal lacing system for getting out there fast.

Boot: Nitro Team TLS This boot can take a beating thanks to the lightweight shell made from Nitro’s own Biowrap. Resistant to aesthetic damage and super flexible.

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Boot: K2 T1 Strength and support have been the key elements of the T1 and the new model doubles down. K2’s own Endo Construction has been added which is a urethane endoskeletal structure to focus the flex of the boot in the right areas.

Boot: Burton AWOL This boot brings freestyle-focused performance without a massive price tag. It benefits from trickle-down technology taken from higher end models created in Vermont.

21

Mini Cooper S Countryman

Auto

Mini Cooper S Countryman Mini needs a name change for The countryman is a mid sized

this one . luxury four wheel drive that combines great design with power and comfort .

Photography: Mini Words: Dave Keating

/

With each different vehicle Mini always manages to do something you don’t expect. I’ve driven quite a few variations of the iconic car now and each one has been amazingly unique... From the power, to space to design - although each model can look quite similar from the outside, each car is very much its own work.

The latest is a small format four-wheeldrive that definitely breaks the mould. It boasts a lot more space than you expect, more comparable to an BMW X1 or a Subaru Forrester than a Mini. Along with it’s beautiful aircraft inspired switches and dials - the hand break looks like it was modelled on a control from a fighter jet - the all roader has a lot more power than you would expect too. We will definitely be seeing a few more of these in the Horse Hill car park next season.

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Specs: Priced from $47,500 plus on road costs 4 cylinder/16 valve, with twin-scroll Turbocharger Capacity 1,598cm3 Maximum Output (kW/rpm) 135 / 5,500 Maximum Torque 240 /1,600 – 5,000 (overboost: 260/1,700-4,500) Acceleration 0-100kp/h in 7.6 seconds Fuel Consumption (combined) 6.6L per 100KM

Heliboarding

Travel

Heliboarding Wanaka

/

If

there ’ s one thing you need to try next season it ’ s heliboarding . Y ou don ’ t need to be pro and it ’ s not as expensive as you would think but most importantly , it ’ s one of the greatest experiences you can have snowboarding . I took a trip with H arris Mountains H eli S ki in W anaka, N ew Z ealand and I know I’ ll be back there next season .

Photography: heliski.co.nz Words: Dave Keating We’re ducked under the roaring rotors of an AS355 twin engine Squirrel on a narrow ridgeline with a rocky vertical drop down one side and a perfect, untouched expanse of powder on the other. This is the awesome scene I’d been playing over in my head since I got the go ahead for this trip out to the back country between Wanaka and Queenstown. The snow is about one or two feet deep and narrows into a chute a few hundred meters down. The guide is talking through the avalanche risk - it’s nearly nil at the moment but we need to keep a little longer

than normal spacing just in case. I’m riding with freelance journalist and experience heliboarder, Craig Tansley, Daily Dump filmer Laughlan Humphreys and Ski Magazine online editor, Sally Francklyn.

I am easily the least experienced and least competent rider on the trip and I’m nervous I’m going to be a break on the fun for these guys during the day. Our guide Andy has finished talking and I’ve been too distracted by the scenery and excitement to actually hear where we are going. He pop’s off the little drop and into the fresh snow tearing off towards a line on the right.

Craig drops next followed by Sally in the same general direction. I can see no one has touched a section to the left as yet so I go for a quick turn there and then head over to the group who are heading to the next point. This drop and catch up was played over and over during the next few hours with the helicopter dropping in and collecting us and putting us back on another ridge to go again.

I can’t overstate the excitement of each collection and drop by the rotor. Just a normal pickup is awesome but for one the pilot was unable to land completely on the ridge so he hovered a foot off the ground while we jumped in. For the final drop back at the airfield, the pilot took a nose dive after the last mountains and set off all the cabin alarms and momentarily had my stomach residing in my skull. Amazing.

25

When I first proposed this story, I had in my notes that I wasn’t experienced enough to get out of the helicopter when we were in the back country. My snowboarding to date has included resorts in Australia and Europe but never anything out side of that - rarely even out of bounds riding. I’d describe my level of riding as almost competent and way too confident.I didn’t think I was anywhere near technically proficient enough for this kind of terrain. But Harris Mountain Heli Ski assured me that there was terrain for all levels and as long as you’ve got your turns down, you’re going to be fine. After drop one I realized just how right this was and was disappointed that it had taken me so long to try it out.

Finally, the only restriction is cost. For a day out, you’re looking at NZ$795 for your first three runs and NZ$99 for every run after. The most you’re likely to get in a day is around seven runs but I was pretty beat after five. The terrain can be taxing. Although compared to a day pass to a resort, it might seem expensive, I can’t recommend this experience highly enough. You get amazing scenery, fresh tracks and no crowds plus some serious action in a helicopter. Definitely worth planning for on your next NZ trip.

Thanks to Harris Heli Ski in Wanaka for the experience and for more information, head to www.heliski.co.nz.

The Market

The Market

New Zealand

By Numbers A

strong A ustralian dollar and cheap flights are making NZ a very attractive option for your snow dollars .

P hotography: Queenstown.co.nz Words: Dave Keating

/

Every year I heard people saying how much cheaper it was to go to New Zealand to ride rather than hitting one of the Australian mountains. To be honest, while it made sense (strong Australian dollar, lower lift ticket prices, etc.) I never really believed that leaving the country could leave me better off than taking a drive up from Melbourne to Hotham. That was until this season... It’s not just about the cost, because if you have to pay for flights last minute, it can be an expensive trip, but it’s what you get for your money once you’re there. There are half a dozen mountains in easy reach of Queenstown, epic terrain parks at Snow Park, Cardrona and Coronet Peak, heliboarding, Catskiing and more to do in the city than you could get through in a dozen winters. Oh, and did I mention that it is a destination for the worlds best snowboard-

26

ers each winter? While there I had beers with Devun Walsh, Aaron Bittner, Ikka Backstrom, Ryan Tiene, watched the Burton team shoot their catalog and caught Kazu Kokubo in the pipe finals at the Winter Games. Not bad for a nine day trip! Here’s a run down on some of the numbers around Australia and New Zealand.

TRICK TIPS FOR

TOTAL VERTICAL METERS DROPPED FOR THIS SEASON:

Queenstown 9 4 6, 7 3 AU NZ 8, 4 8 2.

N Z M O U N TAI N H E I G H TS <Remarkables

1943m

1649m

<Cardrona

1260m

M I L L I O N

    

FLIGHT T IME VS DRI VE TI ME

s Hour 5 2 .

4 N MELBOURNE » QUEENSTOW

<Snow Park

1530m

<Coronet Peak

    

FI R S T L I F TS

M E L BOUR N E » B ULLER 4 Hours M E L BOUR N E » H OTH AM 6 Hours     

T H O U S A N D

LIFT T I CKET PRI CES

T LIFT TICKEIC E AVG. PR

LIFT TICKET AVG. PRICE

$99.50

$72.50

FA L L S C R E E K •1957•

CORONET PEAK •1962•

    

TO TAL L I F TS

    

PERCENTAGE OF RIDERS IN TERRAIN PARK 27%

H U N D R E D

C ARDRONA

    

SEA SON LENTGH

J

F

onth Best M st! gu u A is M

A

M

JUNE - LATE SEPT J

J

A

S

O

N

D

ACROSS CORONET PEAK, MT HUTT AND THE REMARKABLES

QUEENSTOWN: 28 / AUSTRALIA: 117

    

AV ER AG E S N O W FALL 

2.8M AUSTRALIA



2.32M

NEW ZELAND

Keith Hufnagel Introduction by Dave Keating Words by Steele Saunders — Photographs by Coulthard via HUF

O

riginal concepts are pretty hard to come by in streetwear.

So many brands rely on the inspiration of others rather than doing the hard work that a guy like Keith Hufnagel does to create his lines. While he might describe them as classic and timeless, that doesn’t mean he doesn’t give the pieces their own unique Huf flavour. Steele Saunders talked with the man about his work with Huf and skateboardings love of porn.

Keith Hufnagel

Give us a quick history of how the Huf brand developed?

The HUF brand started in San Francisco in 2002 as a small boutique off Sutter Street.

Through that shop, we aimed to bring together what we thought were the best companies at the time… you know, stuff we would wear ourselves. It got to become popular as sort of a one-stop shop for picking up the coolest gear… clothes, caps, and kicks. Once it started becoming more recognized, we decided to try our own luck in the game… It started with one t-shirt, and from there it just snowballed each year into a full-blown clothing line. Last summer we had grown big enough as a brand to be able to launch our own footwear line. The rest is just history I guess. [Laughs] What other brands were you inspired by?

In the beginning, I was definitely inspired by many of the same brands I am today. Stussy, Supreme, Visvim, Undefeated, Vans, Norse…

A lot of those brands have a real solid, timeless feel to them… That’s probably why they’ve been so successful over the years.

It seems you’re moving out of retail to focus on the clothing brand, what prompted this?

This was a decision that was always sort of a long-term goal, really. I mean, all brands start out small… We began as a boutique that brought together what we thought were the best brands… When the opportunity came around to break into that very industry that all of our favorite brands were involved in, there was no question of whether or not to do so. Getting the chance to create quality products that the newly emerging boutiques may now choose to carry is an honor for me. It’s all sort of an evolutionary cycle as a brand, I guess. By becoming more involved with the brand itself, I can put 100% of my focus and attention into creating products that I am proud of. We decided to keep the HUF L.A. shop as it is within close proximity to where the design process takes place, allowing for a close interaction between the design process and retail. As for SF, we will continue to put out special projects for them… that’s where the company was born, and that’s where a lot of inspiration for the brand comes from!

30

During your time at the store what shoe had people in the biggest frenzy? And why?

There were so many shoes that people would go crazy over in those days. I think one of the biggest was the Diamond Dunk or the HUF Tie-Dye Dunk. At that time there was so much hype on those types of shoes. Lately I’ve been seeing a sort of shift away from that though…

Is it worse to deal with a picky customer about their grip tape or limited editon shoe?

[Laughs] Both are definitely hard to deal with.

In the end, it comes down to the fact that people are just picky. People know what they want, and expect to get exactly that. I don’t blame them though. That’s what skateboarding and streetwear is basically all about. As a skateboarder, you have a certain image in your head of how you want something to look, how you want to do the trick. It’s the same when you choose what you want to wear. We take pride in what we ride! [Laughs] People are wearing Huf worldwide, is it strange to see people rocking a cap with your name on it?

At first I thought it was weird. Ultimately,

Keith Hufnagel

I GUESS IT COMES DOWN TO THE ORIGINAL CONCEPT, the original idea that pops into our mind. From there we have to try to materialize that abstract though, while still making sure it turns out cool.

though, the goal is for people to rock HUF because of the brand itself. Eventually, people will forget about me and are just going to associate the HUF name with the brand and the product it has come to symbolize.

And have you ever thought... “why did I name this after myself?”

Yeah, for sure! At first I hated it, but in the end it is a simple, three-letter word that is original.

It’s a good name as a brand when it comes to design. I don’t see the name anymore as just a nickname for myself, but more so what HUF has come to represent as a skateboard/ street wear brand. Nowadays I get stoked to see it worn around the world!

What’s the process in putting together a range?

Oh man, there is so much that goes into the process of putting together a line. All the people, the time, the energy that goes into the process is insane. I guess what it comes down to is the original concept, the original idea that pops into our mind. From there we have to try to materialize that abstract thought, while still making sure it turns out cool. You have to come up with a sketch, a design, test out colorways.

All of the individual concepts have to come together in a cohesive collection. From there, it goes through samples and test products, then to production, quality-control… Man, the list is really just endless. A lot of people don’t realize just how much actually goes into the finished product that you see on the shelf.

Was leaving your longtime footwear sponsor DVS a tough call to start your own range?

Absolutely… It totally sucked because they wanted to sign me on for longer. I had been with them for so long that it was a really tough decision not to. Being able to launch the HUF Footwear line was an opportunity that I just couldn’t pass up. There’s no hard feelings though, because they understand what it’s like to start as a small company. In the end, you just

have to make things happen in your life.

What are the battles associated with establishing yourself as a footwear brand both within the industry and with the customer?

It mainly comes down to just trying to get a piece of your own in the market. The sneaker world is controlled by the massive corporations that have been around forever. They are established in the game, and are embedded in people’s minds. On the other hand, we’re one of the only brands out there that continues to focus strictly on the skateboard and street-wear scene. With HUF, we’re just the little guy trying to make something cool in this world. It’s really just about getting our shoes onto customers, and making them realize that our shoes are in fact just as good, if not better, than our competitors.

I bet the Dennis McGrath colab raised some eyebrows, how was it received?

[Laughs] Yeah. That one definitely did… Almost everyone I know really liked it actually. I do get a little shit about it here and there, though…

I mean, it’s always weird when you walk into a market wearing one of those shirts and people look at you weird... you wonder why, and then you’re like, “Oh yeah, there’s a naked chick on my shirt!” [Laughs] It’s cool, though… what skateboarder or streetwear kid doesn’t like porn?

Out of all the colabs you’ve done what stands out as your favorite?

Oh wow, that’s a hard one… There are so many that I love. For me, working with individual artists is always the best. I guess I’d have to say the Barry McGee collabo would be my favorite.

I’ve always been into his art, so it was an honor getting the opportunity to work with him.

The colab movement seems to have really burnt out, how do you make them relevant?

I don’t know… I feel like collaborations will always be important when it comes to art, design, and street wear. Essentially, you are taking the best work of both collaborators and

31

turning it into a product both parties can be stoked on. There’s that saying, “two head are better than one…” Collabs are always going to happen in order to express that certain connection that everyone involved in this industry has.

You have a long history in skateboarding and now in design, what stands out as the worst trend thats come through?

Hmm… Looking back, I would have to say the all-over print craze. All-over prints have the potential to be great and will always be around, but at some point people definitely took it way too far. Crazy colors and crazy prints.

It made street-wear kids look like clowns for a second. [Laughs] I guessing your schedule is pretty full on, how’s working on the Real video fitting in with that?

The Real video actually just came out. You’re right, though… trying to juggle between HUF and filming for my Real part was definitely a stressful situation. It was a lot of sixteen-hour days. Working on the HUF line all day, then going out on skate missions after work or on the weekend… And then you gotta fit in going out to the bar somewhere in there, [Laughs]… I guess you could say it took a lot of work. Go buy a copy at your local skateshop.

Apart from Huf what brands do you think are worth watching in the future?

Oh man… There’s so many brands popping up nowadays it’s hard to keep track of. There’s a lot of whatever stuff coming out, but there is also a lot of really good stuff. I guess I tend to cling to those solid companies that have been around for a bit, that continue to make products I would’ve been stoked to carry in the original HUF Sutter boutique.

How does a brand with so many marijuana references get anything done?

Coffee. [Laughs]

d & n e i F

FOE Photography: Jason Henley Fashion Editor: Jana Bartolo Hair & Makeup: Desiree Wise @ Network Agency Models: Megan @ Chic, Oscar @ Sixwolves, Marc Fattore, Xanthe @ Priscillaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Illustrations: Travis Price

Right Page:

ONE: GEEDUP CLOTHING trouble maker sweater INSIGHT city riot slim jeans in midnight oil ALIFE everybody mid parachute sneaker in gold TWO: RUSTY mad hatter tank in zephyr MINKPINK howler wolf necklace BLESS'ED ARE THE MEEK century bc skirt BEAU COOPS woman sneaker in black THREE: MISHKA d.a.r.t. logo new era cycling cap 3CS vertigo tee in black DC SHOES straight fit chino in khaki NIKE braata lr mid in black FOUR: NIKITA Zorilla earrings CAMEO bouquet bra (worn underneath) ONE TEASPOON rose sunday tank NIKITA denim crush jean in ash NIKTA tabasheer belt SAM VARA brown farah moccasin comprise boot

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This Page:

THE QUIET LIFE all you need t in black HUF 6 pocket canvas pant in burgundy Models own jewellery

g : ge: Page This Pag

lack bla knit beanie in black l L the linette COAL ank tank N whiskey rider ta P ONE TEASPOON ean jean T rrun down skinny crop je INSIGHT ue blu i fresh blue in o ho A black gold asila ponch V RA VA VARA S SAM b g chain bag

2636 747 7474 74 494

This Page:

INDY C skull pattern headband NIKITA waxon necklace RUSTY twisted boyfriend shirt in oasis

This Page:

COAL the parker in black DC SHOES pike long sleeve shirt in off white Models own jewellery

ST ST TAT ATE BAN ANK A NK

This Page Left

JUST CAVALLI jacket RUSTY palmer shorts in black CHIP CHOP! I heart cowboys classic tee in vintage black MINKPINK chain belt in gold MINKPINK radiate multidisc ring MINKPINK splendour peacock silver ring

This Page Right

MAKIA one by one shirt in grey COAL the harwood fingerless gloves in black LEVI’S men’s 595 extreme skinny jeans in black

Tuesday

Stalking S talking g Charge C harge

Stalk Stalker

Watching

Stalker

Fiirs F rst D

This Page:

RUSTY maui shirt dress in oasis INDY C blue/ grey tassle & turquoise thin belts INDY C grey leopard & nude/yellow bangle BLIXZ take home kit nail foils (worn on nails)

This Page Left:

LEVI’S men’s jacket in blue ALIFE toth t-shirt in black DC SHOES denim skinny fit jean in indigo rinse

This Page Right:

RUSTY mg muscle singlet in noir RUSTY scrolled belt in black VANGUARD utility jeans in khaki Models own jewellery

ID ID ID I

D ID

ID

This Page:

NIKE zoom le shot lr in grey

STOCKISTS Stockist Details: 3cs: www.3csouterwear.com 02 4351 6333 Alife: www.alifenyc.com, www.spiredistribution.com, 03 9380 2011

Huf: www.hufsf.com www.spiredistribution.com 03 9380 2011 Indy c: 08 8377 5033 Insight: 02 8373 9300 Just Cavalli: www.nmi.com.au

Beau coops: www.nmi.com.au

Leviâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s: 1800 625 603

Bless'ed are the meek: 02 8303 5865

Makia: www.oneloveagency.com.au

Blixz: www.blixz.com.au

Minkpink: www.minkpink.com

Cameo: 1300 471 178

Mishka: www.mishkanyc.com

Chip chop!: www.chipchop.com.au

Nike: 1300 65 6453

Coal headwear: www.coalheadwear.com www.coalheadwearaustralia.blogspot.com 03 8360 8844

Nikita: www.oneloveagency.com.au

DC shoes: www.dcshoes.com.au, 1800 785 133

One teaspoon: 02 9948 0185 Rusty: www.rusty.com.au 1800 659578 Sam Vara: 1300 798 623

Geedup clothing: www.geedup.com.au sales@geedup.com.au

The Quiet Life: www.thepoplife.com.au, 03 9581-5444

Hollywood Fashion Tape: 1800 268 803

Vanguard: www.vanguardfashion.com.au

Kolohe launches a signature stalefish in Indo, the grab heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s dragged kicking and screaming into surfing. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Photo: Brian Bielmann/Red Bull Content Pool

Where In The World Is Kolohe Andino?

Words by Tim Fisher â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Photographs via Red Bull Content Pool

W

hy should we care about another stickered-up blond grommet from California?

Because this one could take over the world.

Kolohe Andino

For a 17-year-old, Kolohe “Brother” Andino is a hard kid to pin down. We were all set to do an interview, until we got word he was completely out of contact on a Mentawais boat trip with the Red Bull team. We tried calling when we heard he was home in San Clemente, but he wasn’t picking up, for the completely understandable reason that he was winning every heat in his division of the Quiksilver USA Championships.

Obviously this included the final, where he scored a two wave total of 18.67, not to mention a perfect 10 earlier in the contest. “It was such a good wave, anyone could have got a 10,” he said later. But Kolohe was being modest. “Anyone” could not have done three big, critical and stylish airs on a single wave in a contest heat.

That one wave would have gained him a perfect score in any surf competition no matter who he was against. And the scary thing is, he wasn’t even pushing himself.

IT WAS SUCH A good wave, anyone could have got a 10.

Back in the ’90s, mainland USA was bursting with world-beating surfers. Rob Machado, Shane Beschen, Taylor Knox, Tim Curran and of course one Robert Kelly Slater were, as a group, the dominating presence in international surfing.

Not only were they starring in the most essential surf movies of the time, they were backing up those clips by beating all comers in contests. But once that Momentum generation started getting a little older, US surfing looked around for the next Next Big Thing, and came up with donuts.

Sure, there were flashes of promise. Chris Ward, the Hobgood twins, Bobby Martinez … but none of them turned those flashes into a sustained attack that could take it to the rest of the world.

With the sole exception of Kelly, Australia and Hawaii have spent the last decade comfortably reasserting their dominance.

Then along came Kolohe. Six-times NSSA National Champion. Two-time USA National Champion. And, at 14, the youngest person to ever win the men’s open title at a NSSA event.

Oh, and the first surfer to win both the open men’s and open junior’s divisions at the same contest. ‘NSSA’ – if the acronym means

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Kolohe Andino

If you were drawing a template for the modern surf star, Kolohe is one of a small handful of guys you’d be looking to for inspiration. Style, flair, the ability to blow up in any conditions ... kid’s got it all.

— Photo: Brian Bielmann/Red Bull Content Pool

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Kolohe Andino

On a boat among the best waves on the planet.

Of course heâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s smiling. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Photo: Brian Bielmann/Red Bull Content Pool

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Kolohe Andino

nothing to you – is the highest level of junior competition in the States, and has been the breeding ground of every US surfer worth their salt since before Tom Curren.

Kolohe is no mechanical contest machine.

He might be winning everything, and he may be pushed by former-pro-surfer dad, Dino, but check out some clips online. Not only does he have style for days, his air game is influencing a generation. Two years ago, there wasn’t a single surfer who wanted anything to do with something as tricky and weird-feeling as a stalefish grab. Think about what you’ve got to do to grab stale on a surfboard and ride out clean with any sense of style. Thanks to Kolohe and the groundbreaking stalefish he launched on the cover of Surfing magazine last year, every pro with an air game – from Josh Kerr to Julian Wilson – now needs one in their arsenal.

And, while it’s way too early to go making Kelly comparisons, Kolohe is also dragging a new gen of mainland US surfers with him.

Friends like Luke Davis, Andrew “Droid” Doheny, Connor Coffin and Evan Geiselman are surfing at a level above the current crop of Australian super juniors. With apologies to kids like Matt Banting and Jack Freestone, after Owen Wright and Julian Wilson there isn’t the bottomless pool of incredible Aussie groms there once was. Meanwhile, in Brazil, surfers like Cristobal del Col and Gabriel Medina are just the beginnings of an explosion of youthful talent.

It’s these Brazilians, not the Aussies, who are the surfers most likely to contend with Kolohe and his mainland American mates.

Meanwhile, back in the Pop office, we’re still texting Kolohe. He’s home, then he’s in South Africa for a contest. Then he’s home again for the US Open, beating no lesser surfer than Dane Reynolds in front of huge crowds in the quarter finals at Huntington Beach. Then he’s off to England for another contest. And like that, his whirlwind schedule conspires against an unforgiving print deadline. We’re left in his wake, like so many of the names he’s already taken down, and will continue to. Watch this kid.

At 17, he’s got everything it takes to launch into the stratosphere.

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Rick Howard Introduction by Dave Keating Words by Steele Saunders Portrait by Andy Mueller

W

e caught Canadian Rick Howard just as he was stepping out to see Motley Crew with Mike Carroll and I wondered how many people in the crowd that night would realise they were standing with two of skateboardings most influential people. There is no doubt that Howard changed the industry - although he dismisses the Fully Flared effect, he canâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t deny that Girl Skateboards has created and maintained a massive following since its creation in 1993 and driven arguably the best trends weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve seen in the last two decades. Here he talks with Steele Saunders about it all.

Rick Howard

You’re going to Motley Crew tonight, you amped?

Yeah at the Hollywood Bowl, Whitesnake are opening for them too. Should be fun.

You going to pull out any of your old wigs for that or just go au naturel?

I think I’ve got too much of a receding hairline for that one. Mike Carroll should have something going for it though. I should pull something out though right?

Yeah!

It should be interesting; I’ve heard a couple of guys on the tour have already been arrested.

Apparently the initial concept for Lakai was hatched at a comedy night at Largo. That’s a pretty legendary comedy venue. Do you remember who was on that night?

Good question, I think it was guys that were from a reality show? I don’t think anyone big was on. So there was no major names, it was just a random night. It was kind of a meeting spot in the neighbourhood.

I thought you might be a closet L.A. comedy fan.

I like to when I can. There’s the Comedy And Magic club by my house. I live in Hermosa Beach, and we have a bunch of good acts that come through there, it’s kind of like a small venue.

How’s the Chocolate video coming along?

It’s actually finally getting to a point where it’s taking shape and it seems like there is a video happening. So we’re going to actually release a trailer sometime soon. We were looking to release at the end of this year but things have come up... Different scenarios, injuries, have come up. The guys just hit the road yesterday; they’re in Kansas on the way to Chicago.

In the current market are you going to just post it on to Twitter when it’s done?

[Laughs] Yeah, we should right?

I’d retweet it.

Will Twitter play an hour-long video?

Give it time.

We’re shooting for VHS on this one. [Laughs] Nice.

You might want to bring the VCRs back out.

[Laughs] It’s obviously going to be available digitally somehow but I’d like for people to see it as big as possible rather an on a handheld device.

I think there’s something special about having the DVD on the shelf.

We were in New York this summer and we missed the Emerica video. We kind of just watched it on a phone. As long as it makes people somewhat excited to pick up their

board. That’s all that matters, really, in the end.

True that. Did you see with the Emerica video those B-side clips they put up, which were kind of more fascinating than the movie.

Yeah, those were good. Are those on the DVD? No, I think they’re just online.

Those are cool.

It sort of makes you feel like you’re at the session.

I always like that stuff.

How’s the Gino (Iannucci) footage looking for the video?

Gino footage, he’s been coming out. He’s been skating. What he wants to document -- that’s up to him. You’re going to have to ask him. He’s done some stuff and having fun skating, but what he chooses to put out is going to be his call.

The last sort of full-fledged Chocolate video put Stevie Williams on the map with his part. Who do you think’s going to get that treatment this time around?

There are a handful of guys that are going to be fun to watch. It’s going to be like a Girl and Chocolate video, as much as Yeah Right had a lot of Chocolate guys, a lot of Girl guys... A little bit of everybody. But there’s Cory Kennedy which we haven’t seen a full part from yet. There’s (Sean) Malto, he had a Transworld part but... Have you seen a full video part from him? Not really right?

No. Right. He had a Transworld part a while ago.

But there’s a few that haven’t had a company video part like Sean Malto, Cory Kennedy.

There have been a few new guys we’ve been hanging out with, like Elijah Berle and Raven Tershy who’s been ripping parks for years now.

That dude is gnarly.

Yeah, everybody is coming in with good stuff across the board.

Fully Flared seemed like such an odyssey.

Have you changed your strategy at all for this one, to sort of keep it a little bit nonodyssey?

We didn’t have a strategy; we just kind of stopped... After the Lakai video we... Everyone kind of went out on camping trips and did a lot of traveling and touring and it just kind of took shape on its own. Now we’re at a place where we can take a look at it and see what we want to do conceptually, you know?

See what kind of tricks Spike has up his sleeve for this year. That’ll be fun.

Speaking of tricks that Spike might have up his sleeve, I met Owen Wilson a couple

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of years ago and he was so stoked that kids thought that he skated that handrail.

I’ve heard that from a couple of people.

That’s amazing. Did he roll with it? I hope he rolled with it.

He just thought it was the best thing ever that kids thought he could skate.

That was a fun day, for sure.

When you were seventeen and you moved from Canada to California, to live the dream, what was your initial sort of memories of hitting California? Skating for Blockhead?

Those days we lived -- I lived with the owner Dave Bergthold in San Diego where that Blockhead ramp was. It was really fun living there and a lot of fun sessions, lot of different people coming through there, like Chris Miller that was awesome.

Chris Miller skated that ramp with you?

All kinds of people, yeah Gator used to come by, Tony Hawk lived pretty close. He had a few sessions there, it was fun. We were just in the middle of nowhere just pretty much skated the mini ramp every day.

Chris Miller on that ramp would have been amazing.

God yes. I didn’t get to go but I saw something of him at the Vans Combi Pool and he’s like -- he’s even better.

It’s insane.

Early memories, that house was pretty -- after a while it was getting -- we were in the middle of nowhere so I had to get out of there and see some city life. Danny (Way) lived nearby, Danny would come mess around. Shortly after I ended up skating with Danny on Plan B, I wanted to get out of there and skate with Mike and a bunch of those guys. It was good to get out of the country lane.

See a curb again.

It was awesome but all day every day…

You had mastered every chink-chink combination and it was time to leave.

Yeah. Extreme combos.

You seem like a pretty positive person. Were you bummed when Rocko bragged about stealing you in that advert to the Tracker guys? The ad where Rocko was slagging off TransWorld and those guys. He sort of said “Sorry about stealing Rick Howard.”

No, I don’t think -- the hardest part about the whole thing was how cool Dave Bergthold and the Blockhead guys were -- that was the hardest part of the whole leaving to Plan B thing. I mean, that was the nature of what World Industries was in those days, wasn’t it?

Pretty much.

Rick Howard

Rick Howard, Nose Blunt.

— Photographer: Joe Hammeke

Poking fun at everything, which was pretty rad, I liked it. Not the fact that -- I just liked the aesthetic of it all.

When the Questionable video came out, when you were filming it, did you have any idea what you were doing to skateboarding?

I remember seeing that video and going “Ah! Skateboarding is now like that.” When you were filming those tricks, were you excited to get it out?

It was exciting to learn new tricks and it was different than what I done previously where my part was just what I’d done that day. I knew it was a different style of video like the H-Street videos that were all about -- based on the new tricks, something like you hadn’t seen before. It was fun to be skating like that... Pushing each other and learn new stuff. It wasn’t really a conscious thing but in the end, just putting a lot of those parts put together is awesome. I don’t know what business I had being in that video.

When the second Plan B video came out, I know Mike Carroll talked about the pressure and he really found it unfun doing the second one, how did you find it?

I had more fun. Maybe at that point I was spending more time in L.A. and hanging out with Guy (Mariano). I was just in a different place at that time. Being back in L.A. was fun, but for sure it was back to having to outdo ourselves scenario. But I think we were still learning new tricks and doing whatever at the time. It got stressful towards the end there, for sure. Turning into what we almost ended up doing with the Lakai video.

Yeah.

I think it’s more what other people anticipated more than -- you know, the expectations of it all. That’s what makes it stressful. We didn’t really set out to -- those early videos were just fun and do whatever. It is like the opposite of where we were at with the last video, Fully Flared.

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I read an interview with Megan (Baltimore) where she mentioned that when she left to go to Girl she told the guys at World she was leaving to write children’s books. How did you exactly break the news?

She actually made a children’s book. I think Spike talked her into doing it. But what we told Mike Ternasky (Plan-B owner) was we were going to -- we didn’t tell that many people, there was this contest in San Fransico, Back To The City and that’s where we saw Mike and it all… unfolded. We went on a trip before that and that’s when we decided.

We all wanted to do something different. I remember the only person I told was Mike (Ternasky). I met up with him, me, Mike and Mike Carroll, and explained we were leaving.

We definitely -- I wish because Mike was a good friend, that it would have been handled differently, we were so young at the time.

Rick Howard

There was always talk of the wheel invoice that was like the final thing. What was the wheel invoice?

I don’t know what World’s version of it was.

I don’t know anything about an invoice but there’s a lot of talk of different things. I don’t know. I read that somewhere but I don’t know, was it a royalty off a wheel invoice? I don’t know. There’s definitely some -- a lot of different opinions of what was going on at that time.

Was Henry Sanchez meant to be an original member?

Yeah, that would have been cool. We wanted him. He’s insane. You’ve seen him skateboard! He ended up just hanging at Blind, he wanted to stick it out. He was definitely one of the guys that we had talked about. That’s for sure.

We just wanted to have fun. They were kind of serious those Plan B videos hey. So we had to bring back some fun. We’ve got to keep that feeling for this next video.

Get that jump ramp back out.

Definitely! Yeah, it’s a challenge to keep it fun. You don’t want to miss the launch ramp session, some hot moves for sure.

Running a company and being a professional skateboarder has worked for very few people. How did you manage it and was there a point where...

I don’t think I’m there yet.

You’re not managing it?

I don’t think I am. Am I? I’m still skating with my friends and they’re really good at skating.

[Laughs] It’s definitely progressed. It’s a really good team effort to so I’m able to go and mess

business and it wasn’t my place to speak on.

Everyone knows everything now right?

Pretty much.

Which is cool, but that wasn’t the time to talk him. I do like the mystery. We gotta bring back the mystery. Hopefully play our part in that, but we’ll see if we can do it when we put this video out.

When he started skating again and you started seeing clips like that fakie five-o half cab flip out on the bench, were you tripping how he just got back to the top of his game after being out of it so long?

No cause that’s Guy, he can skate. He’s been like that forever so it was just nothing -- he was having fun doing it, doing it for the right reasons. Having fun for him is just pushing himself and it’s always been pretty amazing to see.

NO CAUSE THAT’S GUY, HE CAN SKATE. He’s been like that forever so it was just nothing -- he was having fun doing it, doing it for the right reasons.

What was the defining thing with Girl Skateboards that you wanted to be different than all the other companies you’d skated for?

Everyone has a say. Efforts on everyone’s part, so just a team effort. There was a lot of things going on at that time that it was the natural thing to do. It’s not like people had plans and strategies and stuff like that. It’s like these were the people we skated with that were good at the time. I knew Andy Jenkins who helped graphically and Spike helped the video and photo aesthetic of things. It was just all a group thing, it still is.

We all still put in the same efforts as we did the day we started. That was the main idea, that it’s kind of a cooperative effort. Everyone has a say on the matter.

When the Goldfish video came out it had a way more fun feel to it than a Plan B video?

Was that a conscious decision or was that just you guys were just mucking about and filmed it and put it in the video?

about. But I have to skate or else I’ll lose my mind. We had to build that little park in the back just for times we’re stuck at the factory.

I don’t think I’m managing any more. I skate with Malto, Cory and all those kids and it’s insane. The level of skating now.

It’s intense.

I’m in a time warp. I’m stuck in 1980-something. I’m delusional. I wish they’d kick me off.

You look down at your feet and you see Airwalk Enigmas.

[Laughs] Shit.

When Yeah Right came out, they had -- you had a big feature in TransWorld with heaps of interviews. I remember being so pissed that not one person asked where Guy Mariano was, because that’s all I wanted to know. Obviously he’s back and his story’s out there now, but at the time was it hard to keep his situation under wraps?

Yeah, kind of. Nowadays it’s a different climate, it’s information overload. It was his

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Obviously with that episode of Epically Later’d, how he came back is one of the best stories in skateboarding...

Yeah, as a friend personally… yeah. Not even as a skateboarder but just that he got healthy.

I guess you could call it a comeback...

Having supported the Girl company for so long, I was proud of how it all worked out.

That you guys stuck with him.

For sure. We’ve known each other probably over twenty years now, so we had to get him though that regardless. The fact that he wants to do something now in skating is great, that he’s enjoying it.

Obviously now there’s guys whose whole image is sort of being a wasted public spectacle. Do you sort of see that and think someone’s got to do something here?

Yeah, it’s hard. It’s happening a lot. Their friends should help definitely -- depending on how close you are, but yeah, you can see it. I don’t know. You could talk to Guy about

Rick Howard

that. You can only do so much though. A person has got to want to get help themselves.

You can step in but in the end it’s up to the individual.

At the start of the Lakai documentary, you said something like ‘People did tricks, nothing changed’ and then laugh. How close or far from your true feelings is that?

Oh man, has it? You saw me, I was just kidding around, I don’t know. Has it changed?

The names of tricks got longer.

Yeah, a lot of dancing, right?

Obviously there’s a Fully Flared style of trick.

Yeah. I think that’s been around though, hasn’t it?

I think it’s back...

Yeah. I guess, maybe it’s back? Or maybe they forgot about it and people just brought back some old stuff with a new variation.

And a few more pushes.

I don’t think, I guess I don’t believe it. I was lying. I don’t know. [Laughs] You put out indisputably one of the key videos in skateboarding and then just after you lose guys like Alex Olson, (Anthony) Pappalardo and (Eric) Koston from the team, is that disappointing or is that just what happens?

They’re all different, unique situations. With Alex we wanted to work with him and do something that we couldn’t at the time. With Eric, that’s kind of why where we’re at right now, bringing the whole thing in-house.

They’re all different, unique situations, but I’m happy for all those guys. The situation is we’re doing good, and Eric’s happy and he’s got a good thing with Nike and same with Alex and Converse has done some cool stuff with Pappalardo so I’m happy for those guys.

My sort of perception is that the board teams are a lot more personal than the shoe team. Would that be right?

I guess you could say that but… it’s all the same for us. Yeah I guess it seems that way.

For instance, like Koston left Lakai but if he left Girl that would freak people out.

Yeah, that would. I can see that. It wasn’t like he left… if he was part of it now… it would have been different. But he left at a time where -- I don’t want to be negative. But there was reason why he left. I didn’t disagree with his decision at that time.

It’s a pretty rare thing for someone to leave one of your companies; which guy hit you hardest? That you were most upset about?

They’re all friends and every one that left has gone their own way and it’s a part of busi-

ness. There are people that we’ve done stuff with and haven’t known that well, but not too much over the years, but yeah -- it’s always a hard thing.

Obviously you dodged a bullet when Jeremy Rogers left.

[Laughs] Did he leave?

I have no idea. Tell me.

I think that worked out for him. He’s got his own company now, right?

Were you more worried about Mike Mo (Capaldi) switch flipping the stairs that were going to blow up or watching Danny (Way) jump out of the helicopter into the mega ramp for the first time?

Oh man, Danny -- I actually couldn’t believe that. That just kind of happened spur of the moment, where he went up in the helicopter for a view of the ramp and then it kind of just happened on the spot. But actually knowing Danny I knew he could do that. The Mike Mo thing was so much preparation and so much built up, the stairs were built up, props, and pyrotechnic dudes, explosive guys, lighting to do it. There was so much, it was like probably shot a month before the premiere. Spike was really busy with Where The Wild Things Are, There was like a lot on the line for him to make that and for him to fail it was like…

I don’t even want to think about it. Basically what we all went through for that video, I would probably say the switch flip was the most nerve racking. The fact that the kid couldn’t hear for four days afterwards. That was the serious part. It was a real napalm bomb that went off and Mike Mo ruptured his ear drum. It was pretty sketchy.

That pretty much -I’d have to go with the Mo switchfoot. Danny sounds crazy right? Jumping out of a helicopter plummeting into a vert ramp. For the average person that’s crazy. But if you know Danny [Way], that’s nothing for him. Maniac.

After that napalm explosion, have fireworks never been the same for you?

Yeah, we just went on a trip and bought a ton of fireworks, and it’s like yeah -- it’s going to be a hard one to match. I’m retired from doing fireworks.

Thanks for the time Rick.

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Dedicated to the Shot Words by Tim Fisher â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Photos: Steve Gourlay, Dan Himbrechts, Andrew Shield

I

t is not a stretch to say that photographers are the backbone of the action sports industry. Not only do skate, surf and snow mags live and die on the strength of their images, none of the athletes would have profiles, and none of the brands would have exposure, without photographers. And none of the rest of us would have anything to put on our bedroom walls.

We asked Steve Gourlay, Dan Himbrechts and Andrew Shield to talk about their careers in photography, then stepped back and realized that to do the guys justice, we probably need to devote a whole magazine to them. Or even a book.

Large-screen mac for the new centry, and a lightbox, a loup and tranparencies for the century before. Steve Gourlay works in the now, but knows what came before. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Photo: Steve Gourlay

Dedicated to the Shot

Whether you recognize their names or not, these three photographers have fuelled your love of skateboarding, snowboarding and surfing, and inspired you to get out there and ride.

He’s too humble to ever say so, but Steve Gourlay is the name in Australian skate photography. Starting life as a vert skater in Adelaide, Steve went on to contribute photos to every worthwhile skate magazine in the globe, and now heads up Thomo & Coach, a Melbourne-based commercial photo agency.

As Steve is to skate, Dan Himbrechts is to snow. You know the name – for a time he was supplying every single snowboard magazine in the country (not to mention most of the advertisers) with the majority of their images.

These days, Dan is based in Sydney and works as a press photographer.

In the more crowded field of surf photography, Andrew Shield is known worldwide as one of the most well-rounded in the game. Taker of killer land shots, portraits and lineups, Shieldsy is still swimming into heavy surf with his fisheye rig, looking for new angles and finding new ways to inspire people to see the sport in a new light.

For all three, the passion for their sport came first, as Gourlay explains of his early Adelaide days. “A tight crew of us who were heavily influenced by 80’s skate mags would session drains, curbs, banks and backyard vert ramps, so I’d always take a snap of what we skated, for no other reason than it just seemed natural to do,” Steve remembers. “Looking back, I kinda regret not taking portraits of these amazing folk that taught us to skate and see life totally differently and wildly.”

Way before he took to the hills, Himbrechts was also shooting his friends skating. “Skateboarding was the action sport that really started taking the studio to the streets,” he says. “I don’t think there were many other people pushing the limit of what was possible in the film days, and back then I was reading Transworld and deconstructing every shot in the mag.

“After finishing high school I went to uni to do photography and didn’t learn anything,” Dan continues. “I learnt it all from my darkroom technician. If I see him again I’m going to shake his hand. Actually, that’s one thing I got from uni – the opportunity to spend all my spare time in the darkroom.” ››

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Dedicated to the Shot

SURF PHOTOGRAPHY IS A PRETTY CRAP DEAL for surfers - you would honestly get more surfing done with a 9 to 5 job - SHEILD

What you see: 2x world champ Mick Fanning steaming through the barrel at a wave not far from home. What you don’t: the hours upon hours that go into making the moment happen.

— Photo: Andrew Shield

57

Dedicated to the shot

Scotty Lago in Snowpark, NZ. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Photo: Dan Himbrechts

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Dedicated to the shot

59

Dedicated to the shot

As much as the time, the equipment, the contacts and the craft, good photography is about having The Eye. — Photo: Steve Gourlay

Similarly, Gourlay’s interest in photography really took off when he started developing his own film around ’88. “It was somewhat of a disaster so I did a couple of black and white courses at night to get the hang of it,” he remembers. “Around this time a mate of mine (and Slam staff photog) Grantley Trenwith was taking skate and band photos and was giving me tips. He actually took me in to the city one day and made me buy a half decent film camera,” Gourlay says. “I struggled for a while with transparency film until one day I shot a roll, got my results back and it all started to make sense.

As a vert skater back then, ironically my first published shot that GT thought worthy was a street photo. It ended up running in Slam and I was so happy.”

Unlike Gourlay and Himbrechts, Andrew Shield tried to keep his surfing and his

photography separate. “I used to think that surf photography would just get in the way of surfing,” he says. “For two years, I was shooting cricket, footy and other mainstream sport for a photo agency. I did a two month stint through Indonesia shooting lineups and photos of my mates with a diving housing, and decided to send about 200 shots to Australia’s Surfing Life (ASL). Lee Pegus, the photo editor, invited me in. He and editor Tim Baker both congratulated me on the photos, and I remember Bakes said it was great to see photos of people doing Indo overland rather than a boat trip. They ended up using one shot from the trip! Over the years I had a lot of great feedback and advice from Lee Pegus. He used to constantly remind me that you can’t make a living from surf photography.”

Interestingly, none of these three photographers ever considered they could make

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a career from what they were doing. They just did it because they loved their sport, and wanted to stay connected to it by any means possible.

“I finished year 12 in ’91, and between the time I finished school and uni I tried snowboarding,” says Himbrechts. “If you were around back then, you might remember the last couple of pages in a few skate mags had some photos of snowboarding, usually a guy wearing fluro looking awkward in the air. But it looked kinda cool, and for a skater, kind of easy, you know? So me and some mates decided to try it out. I grew up in the western suburbs of Sydney and it was not a thing that anyone I knew did. I didn’t know anyone who did snow trips. Nobody.

The whole snow thing is so pricey, but it’s like anything: once you become addicted, by any means you’ll get there. I got really pumped on snowboarding, saved up a bunch of money and

Dedicated to the shot

MAN, HONESTLY IT JUST EVOLVED ONE STEP AT A TIME, making the odd fuck up here and there but also the odd decision that I felt in my heart was right.

Animal Chin exists you know” - GOURLAY

did my first trip overseas to Whistler in ’96. I came back and started working in construction so I could get more money just to get back over there. I had finished uni broke like everyone else, and I wasn’t seeing photography as a career. I had wanted to be a press photographer when I finished school, which would have meant a cadetship or being a copy kid, which were highly coveted roles back then.”

It’s Gourlay who sums up the organic move into full time photography. “It never crossed my mind that ‘this is a career move I need to make’,” he says. “I was just skateboarding with my mates. Man, honestly, it just evolved one step at a time, making the odd fuck-up here and there but also the odd decision that I felt in my heart was right. Animal Chin exists, you know.”

It wasn’t until his early 30s that Andrew Shield’s photography took priority over actually going surfing. “I’d been surfing every day since I was 17 and it didn’t seem like too big a deal at the time to be doing something that cut into my surfing time,” he explains. “Although surf photography is a pretty crap deal for surfers – you would honestly get more surfing done with a 9 to 5 job. For about the first 10 years of my career I used to shoot every single day the sun was out and I could find someone worthy to shoot, which isn’t hard on the Gold Coast. It can get a bit tiring if you’re swimming for a few hours trying to get water shots, so you don’t really feel like going surfing as well.”

“I don’t ever lose the passion, but sometimes I do find it hard to get motivated to go skate,” Gourlay agrees. “What really inspires me is seeing my mates’ love for skating. They often – well, try to – make me go skate and leave my camera behind. Photographically, I don’t loose the passion either, it’s more about

finding more creative energy after a long week of shooting. Never once have I found this bad a thing, it’s just down to planning my time so I know when I can throw a camera over my shoulder and get amongst the rad shit.”

All the time he’d been saving and snowboarding, Dan Himbrechts had kept shooting. “I always thought I had a good eye, but in 2000 I still hadn’t made anything of it, and this is five years after finishing uni. I’d just been living,” he says. “Canada was the turning point.

“I met a young Australian kid there named Nick Gregory, and when I went back the following season he was there again. He said a magazine in Australia wanted to do a piece on him, and would I be interested in taking some shots?

So I bought two rolls of Provia slide film, shot them off, sent them to Mouse (Luke Beuchat), and he sent me an email back saying he liked the pics. I thought, ‘hold on a minute, does that mean they’re actually going to use one?’

They ran a sequence and another photo so I kept sending them stuff, and by this stage I was thinking this would be the fucken perfect job, but I knew if I wanted it to work I needed better gear. For the next few years I worked my arse off in every shitty job, collecting equipment in dribs and drabs, buying a flash here, a new lens there. It probably took five years to get my ideal kit together, and in that time I was working as a housepainter six days a week but getting regularly published. I was sent on my first editorial trip in 2003 for Snowboarder, then every year after that I was doing more and more.

It was brilliant. I loved every minute of it. But I didn’t make a cent, and in some ways I’m still paying it off.”

“In my early twenties I was on the dole and I remember times when I was really poor,” say

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Gourlay of his own early days. “Out of necessity and stupidity I would grab film and batteries to get by to shoot a photo so I could just pay rent and eat tuna and noodles. I wasn’t shooting anything else – I had such a crazy one-eyed view on the world that skateboarding was the only thing that was important in life. It wasn’t until about ‘95 that I realised I wanted to actually learn the craft of photography, so I studied commercial photography in Adelaide. Back then I would be out every day, rain or shine and a few nights a week with generators and lights, basically 24-7. It was such amazing fun to be able to do this full time. It was bloody exciting times to be asked to take off travelling with a bunch of talented skaters to go shoot and have a shred around the world when the opportunity arose. Very lucky times. It was what’s kinda referred to as the ‘golden years’ of the industry.

It’s cheesy, but it’s true.”

Around the same time, Andrew Shield’s career was beginning to take off. “In ’98 I did three overseas trips for ASL. One of them was to the Maldives with an 18-year-old Mick Fanning and Joel Parkinson. I made some decent money from the trip and got a real taste for it. I used to think I would struggle to make enough money from it for it to be a viable career. I’ve been so blessed to have the support of ASL magazine for the last 13 years.”

While the surf industry had established and profitable magazines and brands that were able to invest in regular photo trips, things were, and still are, very different for the smaller Australian snowboard scene. With its limited season and the prohibitive costs involved with getting into the sport, it wasn’t surprising that the industry tried to put the squeeze on photographers.

Dedicated to the shot

Familiar scene, new perspective. The Superbank, Gold Coast, 2011. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Photo: Andrew Shield

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Dedicated to the shot

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Dedicated to the shot

“The $200 photo was a killer for the snowboard industry,” Dan Himbrechts explains.

“Somewhere along the line, someone – a retailer – came up with a figure that you could pay $200 to use a photo in an ad. This made it doubly tough just trying to get any decent return on what you’d tried to create. I never sold a photo for $200, I had a walkaway price. It didn’t matter if I hadn’t sold a photo for a month and I was eating noodles, I’d give them a price, and if they said ‘Well, so-and-so will sell me one for $250’ I’d say, ‘well buy that then’. It never works. You might think it’s your big break, but if you sell a photo for $200, five years later, you’ll still be the $200 guy.

“There’s a whole generation of guys shooting now who must be content with the $40 they get from having a photo run on the web,” says Andrew Shield, of the equivalent problem in surf photography. “I feel sorry for them because it’s not going to lead anywhere. The forecasting websites aren’t going to fund trips; they’re happy to take submissions from whoever is in the right

spot at the time. These new guys seem happy with the pocket change and the photo credit and the chance to post on Facebook that they got photo of the day. I feel like shaking them and telling them they’re being taken advantage of! I can still see shots of mine in a magazine from a few years ago, but who looks back at web archives? It’s up for a day then vanishes forever.”

Which brings us to digital. The shift from film was so seismic, and affected so many different aspects of the media, it’s hard to believe it’s only been five years since digital photography was widely embraced.

So what were the immediate changes that digital brought to the industry back in 05-06?

“My initial view was that the results weren’t up to anywhere near film quality,” says Gourlay. “Most guys hadn’t got their heads around the fact a digital image requires post-production, so some images looked terrible. What made me change was that you could shoot sequences for only the cost of a computer. As a skate photog this was good news as tech skating was progressing

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rapidly, so instantly we could stop burning 20-30 rolls of film per trick [it wasn’t unheard of to shoot 40 rolls of film a week]. So while the quality wasn’t there yet, we were hyped, and the mags and companies were stoked as their huge film budgets where now zilcho. Also, if you travelled OS, there was no more taking a massive bag dedicated to just your film and having to deal with x-ray dramas going thru security.”

“The thing that’s really important to note is that the flagship Canon and Nikon cameras cost the same back then as they do now,” says Dan. “But the difference is, back then they lasted.

Once film cameras got to a certain point – Nikon F5, Canon EOS1V, 1N – there was nothing more you could do with a film body. I bought my first good camera in 2002, a Nikon F5. I remember having it on the front seat of my Subaru that I’d had for eight years and thinking fuck, this little black box is worth more than my car. And my car is the most reliable thing I’ve ever owned.

That camera was superceded eventually but

Dedicated to the shot

if it wasn’t for digital, I’d still be using it – it’s a beautiful camera.

“But from 2006 to now, which is a relatively short time, I’ve had to upgrade to five different professional digital bodies.”

While upgrading professional digital cameras every year or two is a huge expense, there are a lot of positives to digital for the average punter.

“Digital has been great for getting people stoked on photography,” says Dan. “Everything used to take a long time to learn; you shoot a roll, take it to the lab, get it back, and usually it’ll take a week. When you look at the photos that work, often you can’t remember what you did to make it work. It took a long time to learn the craft, how to see and read light, work out how it would play on film.

“Now, you shoot a photo and look at the back of your camera. If it’s too bright, you can turn a knob to make it less bright. Someone might not know about composition or anything else but they can take a good picture, and that’s

great,” Dan continues.

“But the… Worst… Thing about digital, is that every man and his dog can take a photo on a digital camera and think they’re Ansel Adams.

The exposure’s not there, the depth of field’s all wrong and it’s simply because they haven’t learnt the fundamentals of photography. They’ve just picked up a camera and made it work because of what they see on the back of their screen.

“I would get emails all the time from kids wanting to get into photography,” Dan continues. “I would always tell them to shoot lots of photos, look at what was getting run in the magazines, look at the quality that makes a great action sports photo. Keep shooting photos, then when your shots start looking like they do in the magazine, do a tight edit of five, and show them to someone.”

Advice that’s as true now as it ever was.

Just remember why you’re doing it, how small the financial returns are, and how much work you’ll have to put in. But in saying this, we know that if you’re keen, you’ll do it anyway. Like

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Shieldsy says, “I’ve sacrificed a lot of surfing time and worked really hard. But even when I was doing 60 hours per week for years, it never felt like work.”

“Yes, we are underpaid if you compare us to most other areas of photography,” says Gourlay. “What we have though, are the skills to shoot anything as we’ve had to deal with the shittiest spots you can think of. We had to learn how to light some crazy conditions, and do it fast. Unfortunately, it’s a small industry so our payments will always be relative unless a bloody miracle happens. C’mon miracle …”

Check out more of the guys work at stevegourlayphoto.com, danhimbrechts.com, andrewshield.com.au

Left Page: Always looking for ways to bring the viewer into a scene, Himbrechts gets down low for this shot.

— This Page: Dan Hinbrechts. Self portrait, on location.

Words by Jan Snarski â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Photographs by Cole Barash

O

ver the last couple of years there have been two stories that have captured, united and dominated above all others in snowboarding. Two serious accidents just prior to the Vancouver Olympics, taking out two medal hopes for the U.S. and the subsequent recovery of both those guys have been followed intensely. Kevin Pearce and Danny Davis have come to be more than just two pros - theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;re a rallying point for the whole community. We talked to the guys about their progress and their path.

Danny Davis & Kevin Pearce

I WAS JUST WATCHING MY MUSCLE AND EVERYTHING ATROPHY, and I knew it was going to be such a mission to get back to where I was in strength. I’m still getting there.

The accidents you guys had were very different and under very different circumstances but they did yield the one similarity; you both unfortunately missed the Olympic games. You were both a potential podium. Where were you guys when Shaun won gold? How was it knowing you should have been there and could have taken the gold?

DD: Well, talk about an opening question! Here is your knife back! [Laughs] I’m just kidding.

I was in Utah, doing pool therapy and rehab out there. Just sitting on my couch either with my Mom or my girlfriend. I didn’t really feel I deserved it, because I messed up and deserved a lesson... And a little wake up call I suppose. Not a gold medal. So I just take it as, maybe I had the tricks and the talent to go and do well at the olympics. But I was lacking a lot of mindset and focus I guess. Although, one big thing that had just happened was that my best friend was just seriously hurt from snowboarding. So that was heavy on my mind.

KP: I was in my rehab hospital. It was in Denver, Colorado and it was hard. Man was it hard, I knew I could have been there; it’s what I had worked so hard for, for so long and yet I was sitting in a hospital bed. It was weird. It was brutal, yet I realized how lucky I was to even be able to be watching it.

The severity of both of your injuries had the entire snowboarding community pulling for you to be okay. Kevin, once you were finally able to comprehend your situation, what was your first thoughts? Was it about snowboarding or was it that you were just relieved to be still with us?

Did the Olympics cross your mind at all?

KP: That’s what’s so weird for me. I have no recollection of what my first thoughts were. I keep wondering, was it that I couldn’t snowboard and go to the Olympics. Was it being so thankful to be alive. Or what I think it was, was just wondering what had happened to me. I don’t think I’ll ever know what that first thought was because I don’t even remember comprehending the situation.

Danny, your injuries occurred in a very different set of circumstances but once you were able to finally collect your thoughts in hospital, where

was your head at? Were your thoughts based around self-reflection on the preceding events?

Were they about not snowboarding?

DD: I guess a little bit of both. More so on how people were looking at my situation. I was worried about people being really bummed on me and then also getting back to 100%. Like, yeah, I got hurt. But I was okay. So lucky. But I was just wondering how much I would be able to come back. A lot of the stuff they were saying early on about recovery was pretty vague.

You guys are now a few months into recovery, I understand that the initial recovery process is a very mental one. You were both approaching the peak of your game, fine tuning your snowboarding and posting some of your personal best results of your careers. Now your handed the difficult task of rehab. For athletes of your caliber it would be a monumental task. Can you give us an insight into those early days and the work you guys have put in?

DD: Well, I know from visits and photos, Kevs was insane. The length that he has come this quickly is beyond words. Mine, was just annoying. Kevs was inspiring and that is really what kept me positive and kept me going so hard on mine. I was pissed at myself, because I couldn’t walk for so long or move my upper body. So I was just watching my muscle and everything atrophy and I knew it was going to be such a mission to get back to where I was in strength. I’m still getting there.

KP: I feel I’m lucky in that sense, that’s the type of person I am. I am able to deal with the toughest of situations. I didn’t understand for a long time how important rehab was, but like everything else, I always worked my hardest and gave it everything I had and I still do to this day. It’s a long, long road and I have come to terms with it and understand that my life has completely changed. Realizing that has taken a while but I’m ok with it.

We are coming up on two years since the accidents - what kind of progress have you made with rehab? Danny, I know your snowboarding again, how is it to be back? Kevin your road is a little more complex. As I understand your rehab

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involved re-learning to walk, how are you doing two years down the road, I heard you moved out in Carlsbad?

DD: I am snowboarding and since the spring started I finally feel like I can send it. Like I’m not scared of re-injuring something. Though I still need to get stronger. And I will.

KP: It’s crazy - the progress I have been able to make and the support I have had through this whole thing. I have had to learn everything over again and I feel I have done a pretty good job at it. Getting to move back out here to Carlsbad has been amazing. It’s so fun to be with all my frends and surfing and golfing and hanging with everyone. It’s amazing to know I will continue to make progress for the rest of my life and I just have to continue to keep working hard at it.

Danny, you have had some time off - did you reflect on yourself and snowboarding? What’s your plan; are you trying pick up right where you left off? It seemed your major priorities lay around the competitive circuit and making it to the Olympics. It may have just been that year, but a couple of seasons away from the circuit what do you think of the contest scene right now?

DD: Well yeah, no Olympics this year. Thank goodness. But I’m just gonna compete a little and try to film a lot. I got the contests I want to do and basically the rest of the time I want to just film and try to get a video part. Something people can remember.

I noticed you started to appear in Absinthe Films. To me it was refreshing to see a ‘competitive’ snowboarder filming and doing a fine job of it. To me you have a style that people want to watch in the backcountry, would you ever consider devoting your whole season to getting a video part?

DD: Totally, I would love to do that. But I also like to do competitions, so I’m just going to do the ones I like, and do them well. And film the rest of the time Kevin, surly by the time this interview runs your doctor would have cleared you to ride your board again. I bet you can’t wait. I can only assume snowboarding is your everything as it

Danny Davis & Kevin Pearce

Kevin Pearce in the pipe at Breckenridge, Colordo. â&#x20AC;&#x201D; Photo: Cole Barash.

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Danny Davis & Kevin Pearce

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Danny Davis & Kevin Pearce

is to most pro riders. How intense is the need to be riding again, what’s your first day going to be like? If its already happened tell us all about it.

KP: My first day has not happened yet but I’m so excited. The day the Doc clears me is going to be amazing. It’s insane after what I have been through. The fact that I even have any interest in getting on a snowboard again after what I have been through may sound crazy. But I do, I am so excited, it’s unreal. My dream is to have it be a powder day. A sunny day with lots of pow and I wanna be with all my frends! I try not to stress about when it will happen. I know the day will come and I know I will need to be very careful.

Lets talk about support crews. I bet both of you guys have incredible support around you now and when you were both at your worst. Tell us about the key people who have been helping you on this journey and have kept you strong and on track.

DD: Family, all my family. My Mom and Dad were there in the first two weeks with the hospital and after that even. And when my Mom

with it. It’s not easy I’ll tell you that. I wish for and dream of contests because it’s part of the world of snowboarding I loved so much. But they say if I hit my head again its game over and I may not be as lucky the second time. So I’m gonna be smart and safe and make sure I do all the right stuff. Things are different now and that’s how it is, being bummed and sad doesn’t help me.

Danny, you had some major injuries. You fractured your spine; doctors after your surgery were confidant you were going to make a full recovery. Were the doctors right? Did you make that full recovery? Are there any noticeable differences in your body? How long till your back at your peak?

DD: Lots of noticeable differences but I’m getting back to it. Im really happy about what I can do and I’m only getting healthier and stronger.

How were your sponsors around the time of your rehab? I mean you were not riding your board. Your circumstances were different but how was their reaction? Kevin, what role do they play in your life now?

What do you want to do with this role in the snowboard world? Do you have any goals you wish to achieve?

KP: That’s a great question. I really want to stay involved with the sport and I’m trying to figure out the best way to do that. I want to give back to all these people who have given me so much.

I feel confident that I will figure out what’s next for me in the sport but like everything else right now, I’m not rushing into it.

Both of you got hurt, both of you are on the road to recovery, both of you have inspirational stories but there are very different messages to be heard from each incident. Is there anything you have learned either about life or yourselves you wish to pass on to kids and your fans at this point in your recovery?

DD: Shit happens and a lot of the time for no reason at all. And then sometimes shit happens for a reason. So I have no damn clue, I’m still tying to figure out how life works and destinies and all that crap.

KP: Yes, I have learned a lot through this but

I’M GONNA BE SMART AND SAFE AND MAKE SURE I DO ALL THE right stuff. Things are different now and that’s how it is, being bummed and sad doesn’t help me.

needed to get back to work in Michigan my girlfriend came and filled in. But as far as support, everyone was great. My Ma, my Dad and Mickey, Hayley, Sue, Jake and Donna, Preston, Nick, and of course my FRENDS. Everybody was great...

Really helpful and supportive.

KP: My support crew has been beyond belief. I cannot even begin to explain what my family, my frends, my fans, sponsors, the entire snowboard community and so many people around the world have done for me. Everyone has helped me stay on track and make the right decisions.

My older brother Adam has been the most important part of this journey for me. He was with me through everything from the critical care hospital, to being there for every day of rehab.

He is a huge, huge reason I am where I am today.

Kevin, I understand doctors say competitive snowboarding is out of the question for you. I am sure as you rehabilitate you are constantly reminded of things that you are no longer able to do, how is it dealing with that day in day out?

KP: I have been able to come to terms and be ok

DD: Everyone was cool, way cool. Almost too cool... That it confused me. But everyone was sure to tell me ‘your in idiot, but thank goodness your okay. now get better!’ I remember Jake coming to the hospital and Donna, and the whole Burton crew. That was nice.

KP: Along with everyone else through this whole thing my sponsors have been insane. They are all still supporting me 100% and helping me get through these crazy times. They still play a huge role roll and give me support on so many different levels. I am very, very lucky young man to have the sponsors I do on my side. I am a very, very lucky young man to have these amazing sponsors on my side: FRENDS, Burton, AMP, Nike, Volcom and Oakley.

Kevin, your world now must be totally different, where do you see yourself going now? It seems you are taking on a role as an ambassador in the snowboarding community - for a long time, a rallying point for everyone. Everyone who has ever snowboarded got behind you when you were down and they are still behind you now.

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the most important thing and what I want to share with the entire world is the importance of helmets. I have been told by my doctors that I would be dead if I hadn’t been wearing a helmet.

It’s crazy to me that a lot of kids don’t wear helmets. They are so important and so comfortable now and that’s a huge mission of mine - To make helmets COOL. So finally, lets look back over the last two years.

Say I asked you each, the day before your accidents, where do you think you would be two years from now what do you think you would have said?

DD: Just the way I am now. I would have said happy and just living life.

KP: I would have said I have no idea where I would be today but my hope would have been to be here in California with a gold medal around my neck and living the life of a happy young man. I am a happy young man but don’t have the gold medal. Things could be worse!

EVERY THING HAS A PURPOSE

PAT MOORE in the MYeRS JACKet & C hieF pAn t fOURSqUAREOUTERwEAR.cOM