Standerd Slides

Subject: Matt Manzari
Photo: Reed Hansen
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Critique Section, Page 92

Matt and I were hanging out (super bored) one night.

He was playing with some perfume that he had found (trying to set me on fire), which led to me suggesting that I could take a picture of him if he stopped.

Which eventually led into us fantasizing about how cool it would be if we could start fire with our thoughts, and after much practice Matt did it…

Just kidding…It was pitch black in my room and I left my shutter open for about fifteen seconds.

With the shutter open, I went in there with a lighter and two quick sprays of perfume.  
Matt had to stay really still, which means it took MANY tries.

- Reed Hansen

Subject: Spencer Smith
Photo: Spencer Smith
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Chronicle section, Page 30

It was the day after the Reno Worlds that this shot went down.

Gabe Lucas, Derek Grasman, & Rhett Whatley and I drove my car from worlds down to my house on Folsom Lake. We went to bed early to get a good nights sleep for an early A.M. shoot on Folsom.

We awoke early the next morning and met Matt Norton at the launch ramp. Thanks to CM (CWB Rep) and Matt we were able to use a Mastercraft X-Star for the photo shoot.

The lake was glass! We shot everything from the tube. Gabe was nearing the end of his set when I told him that I wanted to take a picture of him doing a trick behind my head while I was facing the opposite direction.

Gabe agreed to do whatever it was I had pictured in my head. We shot a handful of shots and really liked the above shot. My facial expression combined with Gabe’s stylish moves added up for a winner.

- Spencer Smith

Subject: Kyle Hyams
Photo: Brett Ferguson
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Chronicle section, Page 27

We have a good thing going over here in Lake Mary. We call it The Compound, and for good reason. We have a tight knit group/family over here, and welcome almost all to a good time involving food, drink, fun, and water.

Over the summer my good friend Danny Hampson found himself without a place to keep Little Red Riding Hood, his Sea-Doo. Naturally I offered our lake, and there it found itself.

Josh [Letchworth] and I started riding almost daily. Danny would come and bring friends who just wanted a nice quiet place to ride away from all the Wakers Orlando is chock-full of.

Kyle Hyams came over one day, and I got this shot. It actually, obviously, was a mistake. But I just loved it so much for some reason. I like how you can actually see both his arms and legs before they are completely submerged.

This combined with shooting directly into the setting sun, a failed three-shuv turned into a pretty decent silhouette.

Unfortunately, I can’t tell you how to get to The Compound. It’s invite only. Talk to Danny, he might spill it.

- Brett Ferguson

Subject: Phoenix Arizona Desert Monsoon
Photo: Steven Hahn
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Critique Section, Page 84

With temperatures rising above 110 degrees in the Phoenix Valley, water can become a commodity. Lake and reservoir levels can drop dramatically making it difficult to even launch your boat, let alone wakeboard.

Summer monsoons provide much needed rainfall and create the most amazing lightning shows you’ve ever seen.

As a new father, I woke up to my daughter crying around midnight because of loud thunder and lightning. As I stood in the living room I looked out and saw a lightning bolt strike across the street. It was so big it set off the car alarms on my block.

I grabbed my camera gear and headed to Squaw Peak to try and capture some of the storm. I had been chasing storms all summer but they’re gone just as fast as they appear.

On the way out of town I was flagged down by two fire trucks motioning for me to get off the street. Still, I reached my desired location and set up for the shot.

By this time the storm was dissipating and I was certain I missed yet another great storm.

After taking a number of shots I was lucky enough to snap this large bolt of lightning over downtown Phoenix just before the storm was gone.

- Hahn
www.wakeshots.com

Subject: Andrew Belzer
Photo: Zak Stone
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Chronicle Section, Page 23

I drove home from work one sunny fall day, and saw fresh crisp leaves piled up next to a next to a curb and on top, stretching 30 feet or more.

My roommate at the time and I loved to long board through my hood. It was about a full mile of streets to carve and race down.

Mainly at night we ride so a day time riding photo shoot always gets tricky with traffic. In the night time you can see their headlights and be ready to car-dodge.

Andrew and I took turns dropping out of a steep driveway into the street with a sharp right hand turn. With Bushes and trees blocking the view of cars timing was tricky.

No one got hurt and I was able to capture Andrew flying through the leaves like he was throwing up a wake. That was a fun sunny day in this wet state.

We just play different games in the rain.

Zak Stone
O.T.T.

(click thumbnail for larger version)

Subject: Chad Sharpe
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Critique Section, Pages 88-89

I’ll admit, everything about this rail turned me off.

One, it was on Lake Hiawassee (ever heard of it? Yeah, so has everyone else).

Two, a rail on Hiawassee is almost guaranteed it’s already whored out the minute it’s built and will be all over every other magazine in no time. It’s not really an idea, concept, or shot, that peaks my interest just based on those factors alone.

Well, I shot it anyway with a bit of Chad’s convincing but still didn’t give him any promises knowing the circumstances. Shawn Watson rode first, hit it a few times and then it was Chads turn.

Having “homecourt advantage” for those two guys most definitely helps when trying to sequence a trick. The comfort zone factor plays into the equation nicely. Chad warmed up with a few basics, then signaled me to sequence the next one.

This is him dunking from the free-throw line.

- Meddock

Subject: JD Webb
Photo: Josh Letchworth
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Photo Essay Section, Page 67

So Red Bull always comes up with these crazy-ass ideas to attract some serious attention. I love being a part of them, it’s always something a bit out of the ordinary and provides a shooting challenge.

The Blackout shoot was up in Okoboji, Iowa. We shot at night with two helicopters, positioned stage lighting and police barricade.

I got to try some stuff I’ve never done before. When I got to shoot from the helicopter, I had a big strobe in the boat that I could remote fire from the heli.

The radio frequencies notoriously suck over water, so I was only getting a pop on occasion.

So, I just had Weeds, my assistant, manually fire it at the peak of trick while I left my shutter open enough to grab the burst. Yahoo.

- Josh Letchworth

Subject: Susan Montenegro
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Chronicle Section, Page 35

Every now and then I see these epic spots that would be sick for background photographs. I pulled up to Ruck’s house one early morning, and noticed his neighbor’s house had this yellow and green bush with vivid color. The early light and bush in full bloom was screaming for attention.

I wanted to get a hot chick to pose in front of it so I quickly made some phone calls to some friends. There wasn’t too much time because I knew the plant would eventually start to wilt and loose its pop and bright colors.

Quickly we contacted Ruck’s neighbors, got permission, found Susan to work with us, and organized a morning to shoot.

The week after we were done, the yellow buds began to die and the weather turned for the cold.

You’ll miss 100% of the shots you don’t take.

- Meddock

Subject: Thomas Horrell
Photo: Josh Letchworth
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Profile Section, Page 60

Another one of my favorite Thomas photos.
It’s dark, mysterious and historic.

That was one of the first 4-track wakeskates Cassette made.
He just finished nose-sliding the hell out of that dock.

This was on Clear Lake back when no other wake dudes lived on it.
Thomas moved into the ghetto, and the wakers followed him in.

- Josh Letchworth

Subject: Fishing Boat in the Keys
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 1.4, Photo Essay section, Page 68

I was down in Key West, Florida doing a shoot for Tige just before the US open took place a few years ago.

I remember being out in the open water just finishing up shooting with Erik Ruck when we saw this boat was driving out to sea.

One of the best things to experience when shooting wakeboarding and wakeskating is getting the opportunity to see the sun rise or set.

Being up that early or out that late, which ever way you look at it, is a peaceful, favorite time of day for me.

It’s the only quiet time I get to myself before the phone starts ringing, business start opening (or closing) and the rest of the world is waking up.

It feels good to get some things accomplished before everybody else gets going. Photos like these remind me of those times when I’m out with my friends sharing a unique part of the day together.

- Meddock