Archive for the 'Book 2.1' Category
Peekaboo with Jeff Weatherall
Subject: Jeff Weatherall
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Critique, Page 83
These photos are fun to take because I nearly get taken out every time I do them. It’s like a game of peek-abo with the subject and camera. It’s like playing with a snake without being bitten…like jumping a rope without getting tripped. (I guess the main bullet point here is… CLOSE)
The sun was dropping quick and was only lit for one run down the lake. One run would be lit correctly, the other run was going to be backlit. But, the line we were running was chosen based off the water conditions we had to deal with.
We are both on wakeboards in this photo. I’m standing as tall as I can to “even out” the angle with the subject. You can’t see the board I’m riding on but damn was it cool! I was given a board with no fins, only bungee straps. Steering was way out of line to say the least. It was like dancing on a floor of marbles…like driving on a sheet of ice…(SLIPPERY, I guess would be the main part of the presentation here.)
I made my rope a few feet shorter so I could stick that camera right in his face as best possible. The tricky part is reacting quick enough to dodge the rope coming at my head and the camera. You have enough time to watch his/her pop and that’s about it. By the time they have rotated, it’s often to late. If they get all their “legs” on take off, the margin for error is decreased. If not, you’ve got to move quick…or else. Quick like gazelle…faster than OJ driving down the freeway… (NOT SLOW, I guess is the one thing you’ll need to get out of this.)
Giggity…Meddock
Soderlind’s Slow-Shutter Skyline
Subject: Downtown Orlando
Photo: Bryan Soderlind
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Critique section, Page 95
After spotting a good winch spot downtown, I decided one night it was time to go check it out. I brought a beefy tripod and my camera knowing there was an un-opened offramp at the spot with a great view.
It was super windy and probably not the right night to try some long exposures. I left the shutter open probably like eight minutes on this shot.
I took this photo with a 45mm lens on my Pentax 67 which was probably going a little too wide.
Anyways, the next day at this spot I got some great shots of Aaron Reed and Danny Hampson doing some soul carving with “The City Beautiful” in the background. Gotta love skylines!
John Ruark’s Stack of Shredders
Subject: John Ruark’s wakeskate collection
Photo: Jeff McMurtrie
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Chronicle section, Page 18
David Hanson has a nice set up out in Narcoossee, Florida. That set up is a spot known as the Grandma Gap. Dave pitched the idea to his grandma and she was cool with letting him build a pool gap in her backyard on her private pond, so that’s what he did with the help of some friends.
That pond is home to some of biggest bass I ever caught growing up and now it’s home to one of the sickest pool gaps around Central Florida. This photo was taken on just another random day of shooting.
Usually all the shots are taken closer to the rails, but when John Ruark pulled up and grabbed a board, I noticed his nice stack of water shredding devices taking over the entire back half of his car.
As he was packing up he set his stuff down and I decided that that was the time I had to get a photo of it and this is how it turned out.
Mexico: Great Riding, Even Better Views
Subject: Jeff Weatherall
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Juice section, Page 7-8
Acapulco Getaways, Mexico –
Jeff, Darin and I traveled down south to one of the best wakeboarding locations in the world this past February.
We went out and rode with some friends one sunny afternoon looking for some new ideas and angles to shoot. The three girls that were in the boat with us were already laying out, soaking up the sun.
I jumped in the tow boat as Jeff took his last run for the day. The light was already too high and the sun was heating up.
The shot was impromptu, but once I saw the angle that might work, I did my best Spanglish interpretation to communicate with them.
I told Jeff what I was seeing, butt apparently, he had the better angle.
- Meddock
Marek Jaxon Malinoski
Subject: Marek Malinoski
Photo: Bryan Soderlind
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Critique section, Page 89
After shooting some action stuff with the Bonecrusher one morning, I broke out the large format camera to get a shot of him and his kid.
I had to shoot with a very slow shutter due to the conditions and little Marek didn’t want to stay too still.
I took this first shot and we called it a day, Lindsy had to take the baby somewhere and I had to get home.
It is always fun to take some time on a shot after you’ve been vigorously loading rolls in a boat shooting action. It is crazy to think that Rusty has a kid when he is really just a big kid!
- Bryan Soderlind
Andrew Pastura & the Bonita Bay Champ Gap
Subject: Andrew Pastura
Photo: Roland Lugo
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Critique section, Page 82
Andrew Pastura is the most talented wakeskater I know. If you don’t agree with me, a little video named FUN BOOTS! might convince you otherwise once you witness its glory.
This particular tale of winching adventure started when the Scene One crew decided to take a drive down south to such notable places as Anna Maria Island and my hometown, Fort Myers. There were two filmers, one photographer, and a slew of rippers just waiting to lay down some tech riding anywhere we took them.
After a couple disappointing finds of drops rendered “unhittable” we found ourselves in the company of Matt Engel who drove us to a special gap that few have only dreamt of shredding.
The startup area was nice and long and that was pretty much the only nice thing about it. The whole gap itself was about a two-foot ollie up and a good 15 foot strech of nothing but cement and rocks.
To one side is an unforgiving giant cement wall tagged with graffiti. After descending around four feet or so of drop, it all leads to a shallow and sketchy snake run landing.
The best part about the landing was the enormous rock that is just off frame but perfectly in the way of the land, which most likely provided the most hesitation for winching this spot at all.
Our defense for this is one of the best winch tips I could ever offer…cover it in massive amounts of mud. This way if you do happen to crash onto it at least you have the cushion of mud instead of a direct blow of sharp rock.
This made us all feel better for Andrew’s well-being. After a quick examination of what this gap truely had to offer, Drew grabbed his board and set out on a long swim deep into the starting pool. After only a couple falls Andrew stuck a huge ollie down the monster and from then on it was officially know as the “Bonita Bay Champ Gap.”
He then went on to ollie north it as well, but a rider must always know his limits and he eventually dubbed the spot finished. Following an amazing performance we watched the footage and were all shocked that this was even possible.
I doubt that any other wakeskater will be hitting this spot anytime soon, if ever. You are insane Drew, keep it up buddy.
Lighthouse Point, Byron Bay Australia
- Click thumbnail above for larger version -
Subject: Lighthouse Point
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Critique section, Pages 80-81
Brett “Ike” Eisenhauer and I made the 10-hour drive from Sydney, Australia, up to Surfer’s Paradise this past January. Along our way and close to our destination, we stopped to check out this point where Ike knew of a lighthouse in Byron Bay.
He pointed it out to me when we stopped for a different photo on down the road. I could see the point he was referring to and we were still about 20 minutes away from actually standing there. The view was insane, yet I was only seeing it from a few miles away.
The sun was dropping when we arrived. I quickly grabbed my gear and tripod and headed up the hill toward the lighthouse. The view was spectacular. We had about 15 minutes left until the sun was down and the park ranger was going to kick everybody out.
There were quite a few people there just hanging out doing the same thing I was really, enjoying the end of the day. Some were pic-nicing, some were exercising and some were taking photos.
- Meddock
Fox’s Adam Errington is All Lit Up
Subject: Adam Errington
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Fox Ad, pages 10-11
Flashy flash flash-o-rama! To date, this was one of the most fun “experimental” shoots I have ever done. Fox does it right when it comes to having and idea and sticking with it.
They are very specific with what they are looking for in the shots, and if you don’t deliver, you better have a damn good answer why not. It’s nerve-racking at times, but it challenges me to go above and beyond my comfort zone when shooting photos.
I shot three riders that night and all three of their images had to have a certain “flashy” feel to them. Adam E, Danny Harf, and Rusty Malinoski were my subjects (not a bad way to get good photos, that’s for sure).
The weather that night sucked. Storms were threatening, the water was choppy and we only had about an hour left of “sun” light. Adam is one of those riders who doesn’t fall very much and the tricks he does do are pimp.
We ran along side in the chase boat up and down the shorline, literally one time. I saw something I liked, told him to repeat the trick a few times, and then he moved on to some other moves.
We got a handful of shots just from that really quick set. Thanks Rusty for holding that extra flash for me. Now you know how my forearms feel.
- Meddock
Daniel Watkins, Head Skimmer
Subject: Daniel Watkins
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Photo Essay section, Page 68
The Tweed Head River, Australia.
My last day to shoot in Australia before I came home to the States was less than sunny. Our photography options were limited right off the bat, and it didn’t help that it was threatening to rain. Watkins and I talked it over and tried to figure out a solution based off of what we had to work with.
We headed upstream where Watkins knew of an old production plant of sorts that was located on the bank of the shore. It wasn’t a stressful day by any means because we already had some photos in the bag. I was up for some experimenting and Watkins just wanted to get wet. He came up with the idea and I figured out the logistics based of the light and conditions.
There was a current that kept pushing me downstream so I had to enter the water well past the production plant. I wanted to keep the factory in the shot. After all, that was the whole idea of the photo. There was definitely a timing thing to nail between my drift and the boat driver pulling Watkins. We got about three “drive-bys” before I had to get back in the boat and start over again. Any more boat traffic in that area and the water would turn to soup.
The timing actually worked out well and was relatively easy. Watkins rode several times past me trying different carves. Each one felt closer and closer as he rode by. A few of the shots looked like he ran right over the top of me. It was great.
- Meddock
Behind The Scenes: Shooting Stef Tor
Subject: Josh Letchworth & Stef Tor
Photo: Bess Marine
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Chronicle section, Page 34
Here’s a ‘behind the scenes’ shot of the man hard at work photographing Stef Tor.
I was super pumped this day for a couple of reasons, one it was the first shoot I was able to assist Josh on and two, as we were leaving to head down to the water for the shoot Josh turned to me and said “If you want to bring your camera and take some shots you can.”
WHAT!?!? Yes! For those out there doing the photo-assist thing, how often is it that you get to shoot? Pretty much never, and in addition, how often do you get to shoot your fav. photographer behind-the-scenes style? Again, a rarity.
So I was pretty pumped. If I could do the shot over again though I would have thrown a pocket wizard on, cause I think it would have been a way more interesting shot if you saw the lights lit up with Stef lit and Josh shooting.
Ah well, live and learn.
- Bess Marine