Standerd Slides

Subject: Brandon Thomas
Photo: Rodrigo Donoso
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Chronicle, Page 34

I had been staying at Grubb and BT’s place like I always do when I’m in O town. Earlier that evening we had all decided to go downtown and chill for a little. Well, it started with a little, till a little wouldn’t do it, so a little got more and more. I’m pretty sure that’s a GNR lyric, but it’s true so I’m going to borrow it.

Anyhow, if you’ve ever been out with me while I’m under the influence of Crown then you know there may be a good chance that I’ll start throwing out some rhymes. We handled business downtown at the Dragon Room and bounced. After a 10 minute taxi ride home full of some of the best drunken lyrics that I’ve ever thrown down ( in a taxi ) we were back at the pad staring through Grubb’s back window where we had just been no longer than an hour ago.

So we decided to do some photo’n. I seem to get really motivated to do things when it’s really late at night. BT was still up, so we went out back. It didn’t take long to get this shot, that BT sure can stand still. 

-Rodrigo

Subject: Andrew Pastura
Photo: Megan Miller
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Chronicle, Page 37

This shot was taken in the Clearwater area somewhere. My friend from Gainesville, where I was going to school at the time, called me up and told me to grab a camera and we were heading to Tampa for the weekend to meet up with some kids to wakeskate. We drove a few hours and I had no idea where we were going. When I got to this spot I knew I was going to see some cool stuff.

The two riders that really killed it that day were Tyler Mangus and Andrew Pastura. This was the first time I’d ever seen either of them ride, and it was impressive. This trip was also my first time shooting winching, and I immediately fell in love with it. I liked the feeling that every spot and every trick could be something new.

Andrew landed this kickflip a few times that day, I was stoked that I got a couple shots of it.

-Miller

Subject: Matt Manzari
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Chronicle, Page 22

Reed Hansen, Matt Manzari and myself took the the winch in tow and went searching for some spots to skate one day. I’ve been getting awfully lucky finding spots on a whim, but the winch gods were with us this day. We were out strolling around blindly and found four perfect spots in one day. It was almost too good to be true.

This undisclosed location was insanely secluded and begging for a skate sesh by two of today’s best wakeskaters. All of the elements were lining up, I knew I was in good hands.

I shot Matt from several different angles that evening. When I felt I had one covered (2.2 Juice photo) I grabbed a different lens and camera setup and began to move in closer. I walked out on the ledge where he was dropping off of and waited for him to give me the signal. I didn’t have a water housing with me that evening and I knew I was in the “wet zone” but I went with it anyway, rolling the dice. I tried to block the water with my body. He was directly behind me, passing me on the right, so I stood with my back to him and pointed the camera back toward the angle of his exiting ollie.

I got completely soaked but the camera stayed dry…bonus. This shot was on film so I didn’t have the immediate satisfaction of knowing what the shot looked like. I did, however, felt that I had a good one as soon as I took this shot. I could see that spit second when I pushed the button. It gave me that “feeling“…that “feeling” that is sometimes absent when shooting digital.

When I got the film back on the light table a few hours later, I couldn’t help but stare at his grip on the handle. That tiny part of detail is what did it for me. The trick itself was dope enough, but that little extra detail and uniqueness is what helped this photo make the cut for chronicle in book 2.2.

-Meddock

Subject: Wes Brisco

Photo: Joey Meddock

TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Polaroid, Page 112

For those of you who don’t know, Wes Brisco is the son of WWE hall-of-famer Jerry Brisco. This past March, Wes called me up and invited me to go to WrestleMania XXIV which was held at the Citrus Bowl in our home town, Orlando, FL. An avid wrestling fan myself, I jumped all over the invitation. Wes and his roommate Nick Valliere, Danny Amir and myself took full advantage of the opportunity to witness the biggest event in sports entertainment.

We arrived at the show early enough to meet up with his dad backstage and got VIP access to the red carpet and all the festivities that go on behind the main stage. After meeting with Jerry and some of his other immediate family, Wes guided us over to the athlete and family/friends catering area where all the wrestlers fuel up with nothing short of all the food groups. Fish, chicken, steak, pasta, salad, fruit, you name it, they had it covered. Wrestler after wrestler was in line waiting to get served up some great food before they go out and perform…then you have myself, Nick V and Wes in line waiting for food as well. A bit out of place much? You could say that for sure. Wes knows all the guys like family, so it was cool to see each of them recognize Wes and greet him. Jerry came over for a bit and joined us for dinner as well.

After that feast of wrestler celeb overload, we made our way back outside to the red carpet area where some of the wrestlers were coming out of the ring and headed back to get cleaned up. We were literally standing next to all the superstars. Ric Flair was there, Edge, Chavo and of course, a hand full of WWE divas. Again, Wes recognized “Kelly” and we snagged a quick snapshot before the main show began.

This was an unforgettable memory of a lifetime. Many thanks to Wes for inviting us backstage and to his dad Jerry for taking care of us. I don’t know that I’ll ever get to go to WrestleMania again in my life, much less back stage to be introduced to the biggest superstars in the business.

-Meddock

Subject: Shane Bonifay

Photo: Steven Hahn

TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Juice, Pages 6-7

I love Clermont.  Although it’s a drive from Orlando, it’s well worth it.  It seems like everyone’s out there these days.  I’ve been trying to get both Parks and Shane through the lens for some time now, but the timing was never right. 

I finally caught both Shane and Parks at home at the same time and convinced them to get out of bed for an early morning session on Lake Minnehaha.  Luckily Danny Harf was around that morning and even with a hurt back, he rallied to drive for a couple of his neighbors.  With Parks coming off yet another knee injury, we decided to do a tube set and keep things fairly simple.  It’s been a while since I’d seen Shane ride, and he just killed it!  The cake-colored board that Shane’s riding in this photo really pops. This poked out melon that Shane does always reminds me of a good ole round house karate kick to the head. 

-Steven Hahn

Subject: James Balzer
Photo: Kim Traas
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Polaroid, Page 112

This photo was taken a day or two after James’ discharge from the hospital. He spent a few days having his bones screwed back together, coughing up blood and having sand removed from every crack of his body. My husband, Ivan, and I happened to be on vacation at the time of James’ intimate encounter with the dirt bike track, so a daily visit to the hospital was quickly added to our itinerary. His face didn’t look so bad when he was in the hospital. The swelling was worse, but it took a few days for all the bruises to fully form into the beauty that you see here.

I think I recall that the look on his face in this shot was in response to a simple question about what he wanted for dinner. It was the same expression he had on his face for that whole week… except when the oxycodone wore off, then he added a grimace. The doctor said he hadn’t suffered any head injury, but I don’t know. They didn’t even scan his head, and this look kind of says it all.

James is all back up to snuff now. Whatever damage was done has healed up and he’s back and ready for action. I suggested he and my husband take up fishing or something less risky than dirtbiking or wakeboarding (responsible for my husband’s current cast situation) but they pretty much ignored me.

-Kim Traas

Subject: Nina the Nautique
Photo: Megan Miller
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Chronicle, Page 21

This is what happens when you leave a full ballast and a fierce wind decides to blow across Lake Butler.

Some friends brought their boat, Nina the Nautique, over to Lake Butler for the usual wake-filled weekend and we had her tied up to my dock. Everything was great until Sunday morning. The wind was crazy. It was washing waves of water up over the side of Nina, probably the entire morning, before my friends and I went out to try to ride and saw her sinking.

They tried for an hour or two to drag the boat toward shore and bail the water out, while I took pictures. A neighbor came over to try and help, and a boat full of strangers even stopped by to help bail out some water, but with the waves still coming in, it was no use. Nina went under and we had to call Sea Tow.

In the other picture, you can see someone tied it up to the tree in case she decided to swim away.

Now we know. Empty the ballast and point her into the wind.

-Miller

Subject: Gas Prices

Photo: Daniel Evans

TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Chronicle, Page 37

I Need Gas Money.  Now!

So I don’t really know what gas is going for across the rest of the country, but I filled up my truck here in Southern California this morning and it was $4.63 a gallon for regular.  And that was at the cheap gas station!  Still want to throw 2,000lbs in the boat?  It’s pretty bad knowing you have to work an entire day just to fill up your tank. 

Anyway, this photo was taken in San Diego, CA our way to the Carlsbad Lagoon early one morning.  Everybody had already given me money for gas, but as soon as the pump stopped, the wallets were brought out again.  Nobody in the group expected it to cost this much.  It kind of makes the thought of hybrid boats sound like music to your ears.

What can we do about this problem?  I say we follow the path that our NASCAR forefathers have laid for us and seek sponsorship from the gas companies.  I would rock a Chevron sticker on my board if it meant not having to forfeit my life savings to fill up the boat.  Hell, for free gas I’d probably get a Chevron tattoo.  But hey, that’s just me.

-Danny Evans

Subject: Addison Reed

Photo: Kenny Carkeet

TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Chronicle, Page 24

I’ve known Addison Reed for nearly 10 years now.  When I met him, I was actually teaching him how to wakeboard.  Nowadays, he’s teaching all of us.
 
I’ve been wakeboarding now for 14 years, but with a four-year break thrown in, the sport had progressed right past me with new pros, new tricks, and new ideas.  Luckily, because I have been in the scene for so long, I’ve glanced at thousands of photos from masters like Meddock, Doster, and Letchworth, and a year ago I decided to get behind the camera for once.
 
On this particular day, I was out shooting Addison Reed, Brent Brinkerhoff, and Julian Cohen at the Orlando Watersports Complex.   Luckily, the staff at OWC allowed us to come in at first light and attempt to grab some shots.  We spent the whole morning shooting “Big White,”  ”Nessy” and the “A-Frame.”  If I remember correctly, it was about 7:30am and about 60 degrees outside.  I sat on Nessy for over an hour shooting all three of them.  Several photos turned out great, but with Addison just being picked up by O’Brien at the last Surf Expo….this one was ‘money.’
 
This 2008 season will be Addison Reed’s first season on the professional circuit.  Good luck to you Addison and good luck to everyone at The Standerd!
 
Kenny Carkeet