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PARTICIPE DOS CONCUR S O S C U LT U R A I S DA E L E M E N T N O FAC E B O O K . C O M / E L E M E N T S KAT E B OA R D S B R A S I L
Improbabilidade do estilo: Vista Skateboard Art is a project created by a couple of
expansion to be successful we decided to make the entire magazine in English and
guys from a little rural city in the south part of Brazil. Like everything else that starts
Portuguese, and we are already working to expand to other languages, making our
good, we started with some beers, barbecues, beaches, girls and a lot of ideas,
message more easily understood wherever it goes. ¶ In this last paragraph, we would
motivation and effort. ¶ The main idea was to make a magazine with the best content
like to say thanks to all those who helped us on our journey, and we will leave the
possible, with the best design possible at that time, and so far we are doing great. We
doors wide open for everyone, who at least wants to try and understand our crazy
have spent the last 7 years bringing together skateboard and art, and featuring the
thoughts and ideas, provoke ideas and make you part of our team.
work of these truly talented individuals. ¶ Our great change came when we decided to offer the magazine for free, it became our flag that we drag all around Brazil,
VISTA_35_Editorial_Welcome to the special photo issue. In this case this one your
showing how important is to have free information and the exchange of knowledge,
are about to read or not, is an issue dedicated to photography. This doesn’t mean that
never letting us be down. Just after that we published the website with more and
you will see all of the pages of the magazine with ONLY photos, as there is always
more information, with new projects, events, posters, stickers, shirts and so now we
something else needed to add a little more content to the magazine, of course. We
arrive in 2011. ¶ In this year we decided take one more step in the search of people
decided before everything else that we would make our search for alternate points of
who identify themselves with our magazine, and our culture here in Brazil. For this
view of the act of photography (whatever that means). ¶ Instead of inviting famous
photographers to share their secrets and show their portfolios, we called normal
professional American market, giving him space to create his own reality. Working in
skaters that like to make photos. They have good and bad photos, but it doesn’t
a lawyers office, 9 to 5, five days a week, he still has some amazing sponsors that
matter, because good and bad are totally relative, depending on the opinion of the
believe in him and support his creativity. This should be considered a real example to
individual. The idea is to show you different points of view unhindered by professional
Brazilian companies of how they should treat skateboarders as they are much more
technique, or telltale signs of professionalism that sometimes make a magazine
than trick machines. His point of view of the day by day is quite memorable and
really boring and a pain in the ass to read. ¶ We talked with Fabio Luiz, a professional
noteworthy. ¶ Another amazing interview we feature is with German photographer
skateboarder from the 90’s who, under the name Parteum, became an important hip
Helge Tscharn, who lives and works in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina state in Brazil.
hop artist in Brazil. Over the last 2 years he began a new research, using photographs
He has been working since the 80’s, traveling all around the world making photos of
to express him self, sharing almost daily his production via the internet. ¶ Also we
skateboarders, and "before they were famous" rock bands. We spoke with him about
highlight the work of Renato de Moraes, a Brazilian skateboarder that lives and
his two books, and about the process to make them, which could inspire you to make
works in Moreno Valley/CA. Rentato was famous in the 90’s here in Brazil, under the
your own. Today on the internet, there are many forms of online publishers, such as
nick name “Pulguinha” or “Little Flea,” because he was always jumping when he was
www.blurb.com that free you from Big Publishers rates, making it easier and faster to
a child. He is still skateboarding every week, but totally out of the lights of the
publish a book. ¶ In the main editorial, we decided to use an image of the Brazilian
skateboarder Nilton Neves. He has been living and working in the United States for a
there, because you think is nice in the frame. Use your grandpa's camera, polaroids,
long time, and it is there that he developed another passion, beyond skateboarding
film, dirty lens' if it helps you to make what you like. Just don’t become another
and his family: Photography. Nilton is a really creative skateboarder, and you can
dispassionate photographer, making photos, and nothing else.
seen this creativity translate through his pictures as well. This image we are using is a self portrait, made with radio slave equipment, that electronically triggers the
Fabio Luiz_If an individual is quite established in the public eye, gifted by a certain
shutter of the camera. ¶ We will not talk too much about the equipment because it is
talent, it is difficult to change public opinion when this certain individual embarks on
really boring, and besides, what really matters here is that skateboarding and
a new path, with a new gift. Human beings love to label each other, and when an
photography have a lot of things in common, mainly both are individual acts. You
individual changes it is often difficult to change the original label. The skateboarder
make a kickflip that is different from that of your friend's, it doesn’t mean that your are
Fabio Luiz, from São Caetano do Sul, São Paulo state is a good example of just this.
better or worst that him, what really matter is the style and the individual identity.
In the 90's he was one of the most important professional skateboarders in Brazil.
Everyone has a different point of view, this is what really matters. ¶ Don’t become just
Later he exchanged this career for music, and in this last decade became a famous
another photographer or skateboarder, be the different one, create something new, be
hip hop producer and MC, using the name Parteum <http://parteum.com>. Now,
crazy! Be that guy that leaves the tripod in front of the frame because you want it
Fabio is probably entering in a new career: photographer. ¶ With his cell phone he is
uploading and sharing amazing pictures everyday using plug-ins and digital filters
you like to use a real film camera? Yes, I have a lot of photos from my time in Los An-
during his trips and skateboard sessions on the streets. With three changes of
geles, taken with analog cameras. I know that the process from photo to print is quite
careers how you will label him? Does it matter? Not really. Fabio is living proof that
different than what I am used to with using digital equipment. I see my friends really
what really matters is being alive and working, whatever the label! So be inspired and
happy when they finally got their first Hasselblads, and I hope that at some point of
move! ~ By Flavio Samelo / Photos by Fabio Luiz, personal archives
my life I can use one. 4_Do you research photography or do you learn through practice?
1_Why did you start to make photos? I always thought that we came to earth to record
A little bit of both. The internet makes the research easier, this is a fact. But having a
some moments, comment it, paint on a different way, live it in a different perspective
dozens of friends that are photographers helps as well. 5_And the plug-ins? Which one
(maybe that is way sometimes we make mistakes twice). Those records happen
do you like to use and why? On the computer, I work on the colors, contrasts, unshar-
through words, photos, music or all of them together, it depends on whether the per-
pen mask, etc. Nowadays, on the cell phone we have some many apps available. I use
son wants or to make something not. 2_Are the cell phone cameras enough for you?
a lot the camera+, this plug-in seems to be the most complete. <http://campl.us/>
No, but its makes recording the image easier. For things that need better quality, like
6_Do you think that the fact that you were a skateboarder helps you or influences you
videos, I bought a DSLR. I spent some money with cameras that I thought could be
somehow to make photography? Being a skateboarder created the impulse of being
just as good, but in the end I realized that I deserve something professional. 3_Would
creative, making things just to see what will happen. The historic part of photography
I may learn day by day. I need space on my hard drive (my brain) for my music and
always skateboarding with him. Sometimes he appeared at some contest and always
rhymes, drawings, movies and the photography as well. Some people say that our
drew attention for his style and technique. During the last decade, Renato’s life
generation is more “visual” than the others, but maybe as humans we have been like
changed considerably, and photography has been a part of it, recording life moments
this since the beginning. The skateboard, to me, makes my thoughts possible, to re-
and making an undreamt dream come true. Married, working 9 to 5, five days a week,
cord moments, and assemble them. 7_Have you ever made skateboarding pictures?
with a simple, safe and humble life, Renato never stopped skateboarding, for the love
Yes, but just the skateboard as a still life, not in action. I always upset my friends on
and satisfaction of it. Photography became much more than a hobby, it became
the sessions if I want to record some of my own tricks. Actually, I would like to use
another extension of his thoughts. ~ By Flavio Samelo / Photos by Renato de Moraes,
this space to say thanks to them: Mancha, Chupeta, Sidão, Rena, Napas, Chaves,
personal file
Lesgal, Bikinho, Tiago Garcia, among others, thank you all!
1_When did you start to make photos?I started making photographs when I arrive on the states, almost eight years ago, but I started to really dedicate myself two years
Renato de Moraes_Since the 90’s, Renato de Moraes, aka “Pulguinha” or Little Flea,
ago. 2_Does skateboarding helps you with photography? Have you made any
was c never onsidered a normal skateboarder. Born and raised in Osasco, São Paulo
skateboarding photos? Skateboarding was the beginning. I have been skateboarding
state in Brazil, he was really connected with his neighborhood friends, who were
for the last 23 years of my life, so there is no way to have not made skateboarding
45 years old, I began taking photos at the age of 12 in 1980. My fatherâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s best friends
photo had a story to tell. so I thought putting a book together with all the very best
was a graphic designer and photographer so I was able to use his equipment. I
from that period of time. Âś Urban Secrets is a result for my interest in architecture
always loved working in the darkroom, black and white photos were always my
which I always had. It took me about 5 years to complete it, because I tried to shoot
favorites. 3_What inspire you more to make a photogragh? When I shoot skateboarding
everything analog and in medium format 6x6 with my Hasselblad. Finally there is no
I always take care about the background, sometimes I don`t go to a spot just because
digital photo in the book. It took me a long time to end the project because I never
of the trick, my main view is the whole environment around the spot. I love to work
was really happy. This book is very important to me, because it is an honor to all the
fast, I always had my best ideas when I hadn't any time to prepare on long term. non
architectures out there which help skateboarders to express themselves.
of my music photos took longer than just 5-10 shots, sometimes the management just gave me 5 minutes to take the portrait, I love this kind of pressure...kind of weird. 4_What made you make a book with your photos? What the idea behind each of your books? The first book called Possessed was about the beginning of skateboarding in Germany around 1980/81, plus my music photos in the 1990's. There was a time when I watched all my photos since the 80`s to the year 2000. it were like so many, and each
DANIEL CRAZY
PRO LEATHER S
NOLLIE BS FLIP / FOTO: ALEX BRANDﾃグ