2015: In Review

Tis the season for reflection... 2015 has been a wild ride from start to finish. I met a lot of interesting people along the way! I graduated college (what the hell? four years ago if you told me that was a possibility I'd have laughed.)

Yet again, I found myself in a new city, in a new part of Ontario. I miss Bellevegas a lot more than I realized I would. It had it's quirks, it had its characters. I met a number of incredible skateboarders, made a lot of friends, and I had a lot of good times there. When it's time to go, it's time to go though. I'll never forget y'all!

I had some interesting experiences behind the lens and personally, and I feel to an extent that I have grown from them all. That's what we're all after right? Personal growth? I'll celebrate that as a win.

My 5D is currently with Canon, getting repairs done to the hotshoe and a few of the buttons. I've been encountering a lot of problems lately with my flashes not syncing correctly with the shutter, which has taken it's toll on my shooting. Right from the end of May until now I've been regulated to one flash, on my camera body in order to achieve high speed sync shots. There have been a number of times this year where this was incredibly frustrating, and ultimately I chose to dedicate my summer to filming two video projects.

As I did a year ago, I'm gunna make a list. This year however, there are my most memorable experiences from the past 365 days (In no particular order.)

Cirque du Soleil was simply one of the most incredible things I've ever had the privilege to shoot. Being asked to cover such a big event as an intern was a little nerve wracking at first, I'll tell you. As things got underway all self doubt left and I had a blast. The colours of Varekai were amazing. The acrobatics were mind-bottling. Being able to tour the stage and speak with the performers and some of the people in charge of the production was incredible. It's events like this that remind me how lucky I am to use a camera every day.

 Ahhh.. Banff. More specifically the Johnston Falls. Easily some of the purest oxygen I've ever inhaled, along with some of the most dynamic scenery. In my second day of traveling across Canada I took a shorter driving day in order to make it to these falls. I made my way rather slowly through the Rockies, stopping at my leisure to photograph the sights. Making the falls just before magic hour only left me a little bit of time to shoot so I tried to make the most of it. After discovering a strange looking trail off the main paths I mosied my way down to this little spot.

 Getting to meet up with Jesse while I was in BC was a great time. It's always awesome to get to explore new places to skate with homies! Kelowna was a blast, and despite a papering of no skateboarding signs we managed to get in some great shots and do so relatively hassle free. I can't wait to get back out west and see ya again dood!!

Long Beach will always be the best place in the world to me. I'm not a beach person at all either; I just think that the forests surrounding the wild Pacific ocean, and the smell of salty air  is the most amazing environment to wake up to every day. It was also great to see Spenser Smith, my oldest friend, and shoot together like we used to 10 years ago. The waves normally get wild, and the tide is usually a lot closer than it is here. It was nice to see a father taking his young one to enjoy the natural beauty before we eventually destroy it.

This photo will forever remind me how insane a journalists life can be. In one day, I went from shooting a beer fest, to taking photos of kids and rubber ducks, to sitting in a court room listening to the verdict in a double murder trial. I'll always have a soft spot for photojournalism, even if it doesn't end up being my career. 

TPR you crazy bastard. 306 Rooftop Tour is basically what happened when we met up this year. I'll never forget it, that's for sure. Shout out to you too, Chevy. You're a natural born killer! Keep at it!

A large older dude didn't like the fact we were skating on this schools roof, and he felt the need to be vocal about it. I played deaf up until he was literally right behind me yelling about damage and hurting ourselves or some such bullshit. After he insulted our collective intelligence (as this frame was being made) I'd had it. Being the only guy on the ground sucks, but I'll stick up for my homies. We aren't stupid, we know the risks of what we do, and I'm pretty sure we aren't five year olds with mommies who'll sue the daylights outta anyone. Fuck off and let us do what we do.

More TPR on more rooftops. Noseblunt Pull, at a spot a lot of people have dreamed of skating.

Try it, you never know what'll happen!

This was one of those awesome wake up at 5am to go skate sessions. It was a blast, and I could never ask for a better way to start my days.

Bellevegas. 

This was an idea I had actually come up with in the Spring of 2014. As I found issues with my camera, I adjusted to accommodate. There was no better year to get started on filming this project that had been floating around in my head! I actually filmed this simultaneously with production of That Life 2.0, so that gave me a challenge. After countless hours editing, I produced a full 22 minute video on DVDs for the homies to watch and enjoy. Once the fatigue from that project wore off I began working on a shorter web edition. I couldn't be happier with the results!

Filming was a new challenge to me, and one I'll always enjoy. My passion lies in still images though, so as my gear gets back to 100% I'll move my focus back to stills.

I've been messing around with some architecture stuff here in St. Catharines. I'm working a full time job in a greenhouse now, so I'm free to shoot some of my other passions. I haven't gotten to do any skating here yet outside of filming with Connor, but I hope to meet some people once the snow melts! There isn't a lot of street skating here sadly, a lot of guys go up to Hamilton for it I guess. We may see what's up there next year!

Until then, keep it real my friends. I miss you all, even if we don't talk much anymore. Life's a trip, make it a good one.

An Interview with Jesse Whitehead

Jesse Whitehead was the first dude in Regina who offered to take me out skateboarding so I could try my hand at snapping photos. We became co-workers  and as soon as he told me he loved skating I asked if he'd be down with me shooting.... I'm pretty sure neither of us would have guessed that I would fall in love so quick with skateboarding. 

After shooting photos at the Yorkton skatepark with Jesse, I started hanging around the 306 Hip Hop and Sk8 Shop in Regina with my camera and I met even more cool people who killed it on boards. I was hooked. Skateboarding is simply the best thing to shoot. It's beautiful mind bending, and so many other things to many people. I'm happy I can contribute in any way possible to this amazing world.

A few months shy of three years after I found something that I am truly passionate about, I got a chance to link up with Jesse again in British Columbia, Canada. This is quite a feat; both of us have moved to opposite ends of the country for work, and school respectively. I didn't hesitate to jump on doing an interview while we cruised around Kelowna shooting photos today, and this is the outcome. 

BE: Tell me how you got into skateboarding?

Jesse Whitehead: When I was 13, my cousins Riley and Ashley got skateboards on their trip to Vancouver and they let me use them for a bit, just practising with them... That's where it started. I've wanted one ever since.

BE: You're out in BC now, what brought you out here from Saskatchewan?

Jesse Whitehead: I needed a change. I wasn't down with living in Regina anymore, it felt it was becoming a routine. I didn't want that, so when my roommate offered me the opportunity to drive out here I was fully on board. I took it and didn't look back. 

Jesse Whitehead // Frontside Feeble // Kelowna, British Columbia,  2015

BE: Tell me about your living situation, I know it's a little unique

Jesse Whitehead: Yeah! I live about 25 minutes outside of Vernon, BC on the Okanagan Indian Reserve. I live in a log cabin right by the lake. Its in a bit of rough shape right now. The yard is huge, I'm thinking of making a mini ramp once I get some fence up and level off some ground. 

BE: What's your favourite thing about skating in BC as opposed to Saskatchewan?

JW: I love how there's a lot of skateparks, there's tons of places to skate in the province. Any small town has either a park or at least one good spot. It's mind-blowing in comparison to Saskatchewan where there isn't a lot. You have to get really creative back there. Here, everywhere, is like unbelievable. 

Jesse Whitehead // Backside Tailslide // Kelowna, British Columbia, 2015

BE: So you like to travel around lots, what's your favourite park you've been to here? 

JW: Kamloops is my favourite park for sure. I haven't been to Vancouver Skate Plaza yet though, it's got quite the reputation. 

BE: 9 years after you started, what is it that keeps you out and skateboarding?

JW: Purely passion, man. I love skateboarding. I can't explain it, theres just something in my blood. I wake up everyday and look up skate clips to get me hyped and get through the day, then I watch more goddamn skate videos before I go out to skate. I literally have no hobbies other than skateboarding, I love it.

Sometimes ya just need a quick break. This was the make or break moment at this spot. To keep battling or to move on?

BE: You told me that you were told to hand some clips to West49 in Regina, tell me a bit more about that!

JW: I was yeah, I had told Jake (Duquette) to put some clips together for me to see what would happen, then out of nowhere the opportunity to come out here came up. Even though I loved my job and it would be cool to stay around and become like a hometown hero, I just needed the change. So even a sponsorship couldn't keep me around, I just needed that change. I still feel young enough where I could still get one. Not out to be like Nyjah Huston, my goal would be to get a mag photo, like TPR just did. I'm working for it, I won't give up. 

Jesse Whitehead // Kickflip to hill bomb // Kelowna, British Columbia, 2015