Standerd Slides

Subject: Kevin Henshaw
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Chronicle section, page 31

I got a lot of good shots that morning with Kevin Henshaw. We ended up using one for the Black & White spread in Book 1.4, another for Chronicle and even one in Critique. He was killing it that day.

We were shooting that day with one shot in mind. You can see this shot with your very own eyes if you scroll through StanderdSlides.com or look on page 81 of book 1.4.

This shot however, was on the pass-by as I was floating in the water with life vest beneath my legs. We were still trying to figure out all the angle and distances for the “other” shot when Henshaw came by with this all up in my face. Boooyaaa.

- Meddock

Subject: Keith Lyman
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Chronicle section, page 18

Keith Lyman has one of the most aggressive edges in the business.

I was following along in a chase boat just behind Keith when I took this shot. My typical chase boat lens (Nikon’s 80-200) was out on repair so this morning I was stuck with the shorty, 24-50mm lens.

We had a bit of overcast weather that morning so I shot mostly with black and white film. This is one of the worst, not recommended, places to follow in the chase boat. We were literally in Keith’s wake as he cut out.

In this shot, I like the perspective of the trail left behind the board and the distance Keith still has to go before he hits the wake.

He likes to cut hard and utilize that long ass rope. There aren’t many riders in the biz that can ride like Keith. He has a individual, unique style that everybody is quickly beginning to become very familiar with.

- Meddock

Subject: Andrea Fountain
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Chronicle section, Page 23

Lake Irma, Florida. Wow, it’s been a while since I shot some chicks.

Keith Lyman apparently had the ratio figured out that day, because I showed up to a boat full of chicks and just Keith. My hat’s off to you, my friend.

I can’t say that I’ve shot with Andrea, much less seen her ride. We shot some typical chase boat stuff that morning when I got this photo of her.

I didn’t exactly notice the water pattern in the photo until I saw it bigger on screen. There was just something different about the pattern of the water that drew me to like this shot more and more.

I like how your eye follows through the punch of the wake and all the way up to the board’s edge and then the grab.

- Meddock

Subject: Daniel Watkins
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Chronicle section, page 28

Clearly, there is a safe and not-so-safe zone when shooting a wakeboarder or wakeskater hit a rail.

In chest-deep water (and on the “inside” of the line), there is no time to move fast enough IF something were to go terribly wrong. The best option would be going under water, but even then the time to do so is extremely limited.

It may feel comfortable for a while, but before long you get a strong “feeling” you are not in the right place.

When you watch them hit the rail over and over again you can see their level of confidence and consistency get better and better. That’s when it’s the slightest bit safer to move in closer.

This is the worst spot to sit in when taking photos.
So here I am, shooting a photo of Watkins, in that “wrong place.” I was going for the ollie-splash look as he was ollieing onto the rail.

Knowing he was getting more and more comfortable I felt I could really get in there. I think I hold my breath every time I do this.

In the back of my head I always think my teeth might end up back there with my thoughts. To this day, I’ve never had a close call, thank God.

I guess you just have to know your subjects and know your own personal limits otherwise…you’ll get speared.

- Meddock

Subject: Meddock’s Truck
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Chronicle section, page 33

My winching escapades this past October finally caught up to me. Well, my truck more so than me. Wes Brisco, Nick V and myself went on a bit of an excursion one day looking for anything we could find. The recent rain in the Orlando area brought all the retention ponds to fill quickly.

While driving around town, all three of our heads were on a swivel looking for some water. We were so focused on the search, our actual driving location was completely foreign. I had no idea where we were. No road signs were around, no stop lights, no cars even. It’s not anything to be concerned with unless you get the whole half of the truck stuck in the lake.

We were all set up ready to go, winch in tow. I had my truck pointed at the lake after I had put it in reverse to back up the hill to turn around. My turning radius was apparently misjudged but I went for it anyway. As soon as my truck got low enough near the waters edge, I began to sink quick. I punched it, threw dirt everywhere, and dug myself even deeper. It sucked.

Thank God for friends. I called up Aaron Katen, made use of my iPhone for the first time, figured out where I was located, and gave him directions to come save us.

- Meddock

Subject: Amber Wing
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Chronicle section, page 19

Amber Wing will be one of the most well-known names in women’s wakeboarding if she continues to charge it like this.

Not many females in the sport have the skill, nor the guts to edge into the wake like she does.

On top of that, her style and level of difficult tricks will make her a household name for years to come.

- Meddock

Subject: Trevor Hansen
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Photo Essay Section, Page 64

I’ve been keeping this image for quite some time now. Circa 2003 I believe.

I don’t know why, but I just kept it in the ol’ archives knowing that I would like to see it some day on a full page.

While Trevor was still living out at the P’s place in Groveland, FL, he invited me to come shoot this new rail he built. With the notorious storms we get in Florida, the whole drive out to his place I was thinking we wouldn’t get much because of the weather in the area.

But, I wasn’t about to turn around and head home, I was already committed to the hour-long drive.

Without the sun cooperating, I got in the water and shot directly toward it, looking for a silhouette effect.

I put on a orangey filter and put the sun directly in the elbow of the rail. Trevor slid right in there with perfect boardslide form making this the most vivid silhouette I have ever photographed to date.

- Meddock

Subject: Mike Ennen
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Critique Section, Page 80

Mikey blew into town through the expo chaos and we got to shoot with Lyman out on Lake Irma. I’ve been floating in the water lately shooting “up” toward the rider because it gives them a “bigger” perspective.

I floated there for about 30 minutes while Mikey rode past me and the fish nibbled my feet.

There was a really sick background they kept driving past but I had no way to communicate with Mike unless he fell or the boat stopped.

By chance, I thought it might line up just right to utilize the palmy back drop. When Mike cut in for this one, I knew he had timed it just right.

Now all I had to do was not blow the shot by having it out of focus, under/over exposed, etc.

Luck of the draw I guess…

- Meddock

Subject: Dean Smith
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Critique Section, Page 94

Dean has some damn strong knees/legs/back/youth to be able to pull this off.

I rode out at the OWC while he was out there and I noticed how hard he charges this kicker. I was on the opposite side of the cable so I had the perfect view of each lap.

When we were done riding, I told him that HAD to be shot.

Whatever trick, it didn’t matter, I knew it was going to be huge with that classic Dean Smith style. This method was one of many monster boots he took that morning.

Bam, bam, bam, nice and easy, no broken body parts.

“Dean I got one, save your legs, we’re done!”

- Meddock

Subject: Kevin Henshaw
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Black & White Section, Page 62-63

This damn rail weighs a ton. Well, not quite a ton but it’s pretty heavy for two people to lift.

Henshaw and I got the bright idea to load this thing up on the back of his brand new Malibu boat and drive it across his lake to set up for a shot I had in mind.

We idled through the chop and wakes for about 45 minutes until it was finally time to unload it.

As Henny and I wrestled the awkwardly large and heavy rail, we couldn’t figure out how in the hell we even got it up on the boat in the first place, much less how to get it off of the boat.

He insisted on waiting for more help, but I disagreed and figured surely we can lower it if we just raised it.

The slightest bit of friction with the rail against the upholstery gave me first very first tear in a boat seat in 29 years of my existence.

Never a board fin, broken bottle, zipper, fingernail, anything, have I ever been the one to blame for a rip in the apolstry.

It was a sad, sad day in my book. I couldn’t believe it happened so quick. I never saw it coming. Guess we should have waited for some more hands to help.

Ended up removing the whole back panel and taking it to get re-upholstered. Sucked.

- Meddock