Standerd Slides

Subject: Chris Barcellos
Photo: Matt Thrailkill
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Chronicle Section, Page 29

My friend Chris came over to Santa Cruz with a friend to go winching.
I had a big school project due on Monday, so of course I jumped on the opportunity to procrastinate working on it.

Something rather strange happened to us on this day of ocean winching. When we showed up to the beach, a old beach bum guy walked up to us. He was “curious” what the winch was, and what we were going to do with it, as most people are when they see a winch for the first time.  

This guy was pretty creepy about it though. He didn’t walk away after a few minutes like most people do. He eventually got up the confidence to ask me for my phone number when he had me alone while Chris was riding.

After that…. I traded the camera to Chris’ friend. He got a friend request from the beach bum also. “Can you come over to my house and help me fix my computer,” he asked.

This photo was taken during the last winch pull of the day as the sun was setting to the west. The lighting wasn’t great for most of the day but once the sun started to set things got a lot better.

I took the shot while Chris was edging back into shore after doing a cutback in a chest high wave.

Matt Thrailkill

Subject: Matt Hooker
Photo: Adam Aslanian
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Critique Section, Page 92

It was a gorgeous day outside, sunny and cloud free. I was going through my normal routine of hitting up everyone’s phone, until I find someone to shoot with, when I finally got a hold of Matt Hooker.

He informed me that he and some other riders were going out to winch a new spot they had found in Baldwin Park. After getting insanely lost (as usual) I finally made it to the gap, only to find that Hooker was already shredding.

I quickly put together my camera, wide angle lens, and water housing, and set up in what I believed was the best spot.

This gap was perfect for shooting photos. The rocks extended all the way to the shore and were elevated about a foot out of the water. This allowed me to be eye level with the rider after he ollied, without having to worry about the spray.

Now I would love to say that I did a whole lot of technical things to get this photo, but honestly sometimes it’s more about being in the right place at the right time.

Hooker only hit the gap about five times (because he was complaining about the severe Florida winter), and thankfully sometimes that’s all it takes. I wouldn’t recommend going to this spot though, because it’s pretty much an immediate bust.

We were kicked out shortly after I took this shot, thanks to some upset homeowners who called the cops. We didn’t get in any trouble, although the officer did question me about my camera thinking it was the winch (I’m not kidding).

After I explained to him that there was no way my camera was going to pull someone over a rock gap, he let us off with a warning and we called it a day.

- Adam Aslanian

Subject: Clay Fletcher, Collin Harrington & Brian Grubb
Photo: Josh Letchworth
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Chronicle section, Page 21

I will drop anything for a day at the beach that I can write off as a photo shoot. Collin, Grubb, Clay, Collin’s girlfriend Nicole and myself headed over to Sebastian with a Sea Doo to try some tow-ins during a nice swell in January.

We parked at Spanish House and walked down the beach a ways to stay away from the crowd. The last thing they want is a PWC chopping up their sets, I understand. I’d be pissed too.

We had a nice spot all to ourselves. The waves were really fun, so it was hard to sit there and take pictures. We all went out for awhile and got a few good ones.

I came in and shot from the beach. This shot was after Collin had come in. I assume they were all talking about the waves that he had gotten.

Collin rips on a surfboard, in case you didn’t already know that. We tend to conveniently find ourselves on the same trips that somehow involve waves.

- Josh Letchworth

Subject: Aasan Brooks, aka Swamburger
Photo: Josh Letchworth
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Short Story section, Page 106

Ok, like everyone in Orlando, I’ve heard the many stories about Swamburger. The guy is pretty well known around these parts. Even the people who don’t know him….know him.

He invited me out to the studio where they were recording tracks for their new album. This was my first time getting the chance to spend time with him in a quiet, controlled setting. It wasn’t a hazy, late night fly-by on the streets of Orlando as usual.

It doesn’t take my explaining to illustrate the fact that he is an amazing, talented individual with a creative mind that floats somewhere above many of us on this earth.
Not only does he speak it, he acts on it.

In the studio, I just played “the fly on the wall” part and watched how everything went down. However I did ask him to pose in this hallway for a few portraits.

I just got this new lense that I was dying to try out. A 35mm f1.4. You can shoot this thing in incredibly low light situations. It was perfect for this. No distracting strobes or set up.

Keep an ear and eye for the S.O.S album. I was there to hear a piece of it get laid to tape.
It’s gonna be good.

- Josh Letchworth

Subject: Zak Stone
Photo: Spencer Ellis
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Chronicle section, Page 33

On Sunday, January 13th 2008, we were doing our normal Sunday thing, riding and filming.

About half-way through the day, I looked up and saw Zak Stone filming on the ladder next to our pool box using the water housing. I snapped off a photo of him, and it turned out awesome. 

In between the rain, hail, and sharp winds (I love Oregon weather), I tried taking a few shots of him, and I got some great stuff out of it. In my opinion, this is one of the best ones I captured that day.

- Spencer Ellis

Subject: Hail storm in Oregon
Photo: Bryan Swarm
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Chronicle section, Page 33

It was clear one moment and then a white-out hail storm the next.

So, I dove into our tent to escape the relentless hail that so abruptly interrupted our day. I noticed our HO board nestled in the cold grass and hail.

I thought it would be a unique wake moment to capture.

- Bryan Swarm

Subject: Collin Harrington
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Chronicle section, Page 19

Myself, Collin and Shane headed for the shoreside after noticing the blownout conditions at Jazira Beach club in the UAE. I spotted a good bank that looked like the boat could get close to, in order to drop us off safely and dry.

We got out, made our way up to the hillside and set up our perch in the blazing hot sun. In my bag of tricks I always keep a portable radio where I can connect my iPod.

So there we were jammin out, shooting pics. Or should I say, I was jammin out? Collin himself had headphones, and Shane was off skipping rocks in the distance. I was just there in my own little world shooting Aaron Reed while the boat drove back and forth past us.

The walkie talkies I had was bonus number, which allowed us to communicate with the driver without screaming.

In another totally unrelated story, I told Collin to recite the lyrics of the song he was listening to.

The volume was so loud that he couldn’t hear his own voice as he sang the song. Every muddled word he stumbled through where he didn’t know the lyrics made my day.

This is his high-volume photo that has no words to describe what he was actually saying.

- Meddock

Subject: Zak Stone
Photo: Bryan Swarm
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Chronicle section, Page 17
 
I usually get a wake up call by Zak Stone at around 7:30AM telling me that the weather in Salem, Oregon is beautiful, and that I need to get down there to take some pictures.

So, I get up, grab my gear, and drive the hour from Portland to Salem.

I always arrive at Zak’s with a warm welcome and breakfast already made. 
On this particular day, we loaded up and headed out to winch the pool gap.

Even when the sun is out, you never know when it could snow in Oregon.
But that would never stop us from having our wakeskate session.

As you see here, Zak is scraping the snow from his skate, getting ready to ride.
In the Northwest we ride rain or shine.

- Bryan Swarm

Subject: Danny Harf
Photo: Steven Hahn
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Chronicle section, Page 30

In December, I came out to Florida to hook up with Sean Kilgus and BFY to shoot some images for the new wake film Drive.

I just got a new pole attachment for my water housing and wanted to do some tube shots. We had been fighting the weather all week. On the last day of my trip I woke up on Danny’s couch, looked out the window and there wasn’t a ripple on the water nor a cloud in the sky.

I rustled Kilgus out of bed–he hates me in the morning–and got the tube set up for a session. 

Sean and I took turns shooting from the tube all morning. I love this angle from above and behind. 

I snapped a bunch of great images that morning but this one was the money shot.

- Hahn

Subject: Aaron Grace
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.1, Chronicle section, Page 17

The UAE is an interesting place. If you ever get the chance to go, please do. You won’t regret a minute of it. It’s an eye-opening cultural experience of a lifetime.

So there we were. Me, Aaron Grace, Aaron Reed and our guide/chaparone/securtity blanket, Vicky, shopping the streets of downtown Dubai. Sketchy to say the least, but it had an uneasy fun twist to it for some reason.

We stuck out like a sore thumb as we walked down the street. One, because we were Americans, and two, we had Vicky with us. When you’re in a country that doesn’t agree with much skin showing, ANY female doing so will quickly get the attention of wondering eyes. It’s like they spotted the gold at the end of the rainbow or something.

They sold everything in those streets. Watches, food, cats, electronics, clothes, you name it. It was a legit black market, but creepy as hell.

Grace spotted this bling patch on the corner of one of the busy streets. We were so hesitant for some reason to even talk to the people, but Vicky was our negotiator. She knew the language and the behaviors of the culture so we naturally clung to her.

It was an odd feeling to be walking through the crowded streets, no doubt. What was even more unsettling was the security we felt by having Vicky with us. If any of the three of us got lost or separated from Vicky, we would have been royally screwed in a VERY foreign street/country.

No cell phone, no car, no sense of direction, no local money, no language comprehension, nothing. If we lost her, we were done for.

- Meddock