Sometimes some work is most important than other, be a skateboarder is not everyday an easy task, cause most of the society doesn’t understand skateboarding.
i guess it’s getting harder when you are Gay, Gabe Laduke helped so much the skateboarding scene in Montreal, without him so much kids would probably give up.
Thanks so much Gabe to exist and be one of us!
here is an interview of him i did for the new issue of Kingshit Magazine.
Edited by Babas, "Life is always better with blood and beer on my griptape.."
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The photo industry is quite blurry right now, after the 2000’s , digital camera totally killed the films ones, who was used since decades before that.
Its seems the youngsters from today, who where born in a digital era, are more and more interested about the old fashion films techniques, which it please me a lot.
Some of the big name in the industry understood that, and went on the market with digital camera with old film camera design. I’m not sure if it’s gonna working,
But if we keep guys like Josh Hotz in this world, our future is safe, believe me!
The Portrait had been shot by myself, and the rest of the pictures by Josh with his lovely Hasselblad camera
Ok, Josh can you introduce yourself, and give us your skate/photo background?
Hey, I’m Josh Hotz from Ottawa, Ontario. I’ve been taking pictures since I was a little dude, before I found skateboarding. It was only natural that I merged my addiction for photography with skateboarding when I discovered it. I always had my hands in the two ponds, and started focusing on the photography when I realized how bad I was at skating, and how easily I kept getting hurt [laughs].
How did you get introduced into photography?
I think my family had a pretty big influence in the beginning. My dad studied it in University, and was shooting photos of the family and stuff since I was born. Either him or my Aunt bought me a big green kid edition Polaroid camera for my first camera, I must have been 10 years old. I’d just take it everywhere – shooting photos of my friends playing in the streets, or my family on vacations and stuff like that.
Skateboarding wise, like most peoples stories, I had like 3 dudes on my street skating growing up. All older than me, so naturally looked up to them which inspired me to keep skating. I’d build some pretty ridiculous ramps with my dad, and they’s always want to skate…I must have been like 12 years old, but i had a camera and thats pretty much when i started shooting some terrible skate photos [laughs]
Luis Tolentino – frontside 180
That’s definitely what i would do with my kids, give them a camera or a skateboard and just let them have fun, it’s the best way for falling in love and keep that passion all your life.When did you decide to go to a photography school? did you feel that you needed it, even if there is no school to learn how to shoot skate photos?
I screwed up timing my applications after high-chool, So I had to take a year off. I think I got into Business Management but I wasn’t really feeling it so I turned down the offer. I just worked a dumb job, and shot skating whenever I could. Turned out it wasn’t so bad, i had a lot of fun skating and shooting that summer so i figured i enjoyed it enough to keep pursing it. Not going to school after high-school can be kind of sketchy for some people, so I figured putting myself in a creative environment with some really knowledgeable people would just push me further in photography.
I wasn’t super interested in other genre of photography besides skateboarding. I did the school work, but shooting skating was still the priority. I tried to get the teachers to understand what skating was about, how it worked. They definitely got an understanding of the culture, but the actual skateboarding part was slightly harder for them to grasp.
Means you were showing your skate picture to your teachers? did they figured out how it can be sketchy to jump over fences, or having 1 or 2 try before run away of the security guard?
Yeah, totally. It’s pretty hard to explain skateboarding through words to people who don’t skate. As soon as i told them it was pretty much fully illegal, it seemed like they gained a new respect for this « underground arts culture » if you will. It was a pretty rad school, the whole idea was to run with each of the students visions and interests and just focus on them individually.
And i guess 99% of the students shooting digital all time, so i guess they are happy to see you using films and loving it.
First year was strictly medium format to large format, black and white. We did everything by hand – developing, printing. In 2nd year we could shoot color, and digital if we wanted to. But everyone pretty much learned you can’t really beat film..especially on a student budget.
That’s great i know photo’s students in europe who know the basis of the darkroom, but never touch a film camera in their whole 3years of school, and just using their own camera, which was just digital. I think it’s wonderful to still have some school like with passionate teachers!
Yeah, they were super into traditional methods and alternative processes. The whole idea was to create your own distinguishable style to separate yourself in the over saturated world of digital photography.
And that’s gonna lead to my next question, why keep shooting with films in this digital era? It is more expensive, you can’t see what you’ve done on your lcd screen, you have to wait a few days before seeing it developed, most of the time you have to lost 30min to get rid of the dust with photoshop , why keeping it complicated?
A couple of years ago, it would have been super easy for me to answer this. I always visualized things in a square format, when I thought of how one of my photos would look it was a square in my head. I was really into symetry and balance, so the square just made sense. The big format just creates a better image in terms of tonality, depth of field and resolution which to me are important factors. Shooting film also requires a much finer attention to detail, so you know what’s going on, and why things are turning out the way they are. With digital you can just mess around until things look right, and not necesarilly know what you did to get there.
It’s definitely annoying cleaning the dust, and spending more time in post.. but in the end I think the photos stand out against the others.
totally agree! just about the beloved skateboarders fisheye lens, it never makes sense to me to put a “circular” picture into a rectangular frame, which make sense with a square fish into a 6X6 square frame.I have noticed you are shooting a lot of 6X6 with your hasselblad, and shooting mostly digital when it turns to 35mm, don’t you like to shoot 35mm films too?
I just dont really see a point in shooting 35mm. The digital cameras these days are as good, if not better than what 35mm gives you. The way I see it, its a whole lot of work for nothing and I’m not one to be shooting 35mm lifestyle snapshots just to get that “film” look. Heck, I don’t even shoot MF the get that “film” look I shoot it cause it gives you a better picture.
Sam Lind – Back Lip
What is you favourite film stock?
Provia 100F
Portra 400 when I shoot neg for portraits.
Do you think shooting skateboarding helps you to be a better photographer in other discipline?
Absolutely. Shooting skating is hectic as fuck. You gotta get to a spot, visualize what the tricks gonna look like, find an angle, and set up all your lights before he lands it. Skaters don’t like to wait.
Shooting skating has given me experience to deal with variable conditions at a location, being able to react and troubleshoot quickly. And not really care what I have to do to get a shot.
Will Marshall – Crook pop over
True! skaters are like highly busy business men, it has to be quick, they want to back to their things quickly ahah
Haha yeah, you definitely don’t have time to mess around. I always try to set up as quickly as possible, that way if something needs to be changed I’m not messing up their focus.
What is your proudest moment as a photographer ?
Damn. Tough one.
Let me think about that.
You know what, it was probably the huge book I made for the graduating exhibition for school. It was like 100-pages of skate photos and portraits of all my friends that I had been shooting for the last 4 years. I got some super intense personal life stories from some of them about their upbringing, why and how they found skateboarding, the reasons they do it etc. I had a friend write a fore-word explaining skateboarding, the industry and stuff like that so non-skaters could get a grip. My whole goal is/was to get the general public who usually hold negative stereotypes to skaters to open their minds and see skateboarding for the amazing expressive art it really is.
In a nutshell…
Austin Fyfe – Kickflip
I could relate to that, photography is really a personal thing in many ways, even when you have to shoot for a gig, it’s a part of your life you are sharing with the world.
Just seeing the looks on all their faces when they saw the final product, the reason I was sticking my camera in their faces so much, really hit home with me. I have an amazing opportunity to capture some of their happiest moments, and I think I showed them how much they all mean to me when I came out with that one-of book.
Where do you get your inspiration?
That’s hard to say. I’m not really the kind of photographer who likes to look at other photographers work. I kind of just take what’s in front of me and interpret it in my own way.
You are an insta-photographer! [laughs]
[laughs]I guess so, the most I “study” is just flipping through skate mags and picking out things about photos that I like, and things I dont like and try to build my photos from that.
What is your top 5 photographers?
Hmm. Give me a few minutes on that one.
Oliver Barton, Hendrik Herzmann, Anthony Acosta, Gregory Crewdson
Theres some kid from england or something like that I remember seeing. He kills it, shoots digital but super creative angles and stuff. There’s so many people out there doing really good work a top 5 is hard to do. Especially since I don’t really study other peoples photos too much.
That might kind of work out in a cool way though, cause when I come across something I really like-it’s in my head forever.
Brian Gaberman is rad too. Allen Ying, I could keep going [laughs]
Barton and Herzmann are the top notch 6X6 shooters, that explain why now! [laughs]
Who would you like to shoot?
I dunno, I think it would be rad to shoot with Arto Saari. He’s a hella multi-talented dude and probably has a lot to say.
It’s alway a little bit of stress to shoot other photographers, when you do something wrong you can’t fake you know what you are doing [laughs]
What are your plans for 2014?
Just try and shoot with as many different people as possible. Travel a lot, and link up with some connections I made last year. No more waiting on other people to do the things I want to do, its time to go out and get it.
Gotta get to Cali at some point… thats where its at.
Mitch Barrette – Backside 180 to switch frontside crooked
Word! any shouts out?
Gotta shout out the Mystks crew, Top of the World, Jay Bridges and Briand Garson for passing down all the knowledge and inspiring me to shoot film, the parents for all the support of course, everyone at Antique Skateshop and everyone that has ever been in front of my lens.
For more about about Josh, you can reach to his work on:
Edited by Babas, "Life is always better with blood and beer on my griptape.."
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Pretty busy these days, a lot of work for a lot of surprises coming up.
Here is the follow up, with 5 new spotlights featured on 33mag.com with Alex Noel, Conor Neeson, Gabriel Jeanson, Ludo Charbonneau and Marius.
Click on the pictures for each interviews.
Edited by Babas, "Life is always better with blood and beer on my griptape.."
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I’ve been commissioned by 33mag, for 14 web profiles, here are the first 7 with Ratpack, Gabriel De Lery, J.F. Taillon, Charles Deschamps, Adam Dufour, Zian Miscioscia & Jessy Jeanbart.
You can click on each portrait to direct link.
Edited by Babas, "Life is always better with blood and beer on my griptape.."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Edited by Babas, "Life is always better with blood and beer on my griptape.."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Push.ca just released an interview of Dave i’ve made..learn more about his Peace Park Documentary and stories behind it. just click here for the interview
Edited by Babas, "Life is always better with blood and beer on my griptape.."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Sean is the guy you always want to skate with..
He’s the first and the last guy to hit a spot all day long, everyday single day of the year with his endless smile on the face.
In a few words the best buddy to have on earth!
Hey Sean how are you doing?
Hey, Sebastian ! Good man, just chillin. Making some coffee and getting ready to skate. It’s a nice day today . I might need to finish this later and go skate now !
AHAHA! ok Sean, talk to you later, Have fun!
..A few hours later..
Hola Dude! Are you back?
Ok, I’m back.
Can you introduce yourself please?
My name is Sean. I’ve been living for 23 years and I grew up in Neenah, Wisconsin. I was living and going to school in Milwaukee for the past 5 years before coming here. When I finished school I came here, Barcelona, to learn Spanish. I guess I’ve been skating for like 13 years or something.
Can you speak quickly about your story here in Barcelona?
Quickly ? Ok. I wanted to live before I die.
Nollie backside flip, Barcelona
You told me, before to leave the U.S. You’ve learned a bit of spanish, did that helped you, once you were in spain?
No, not really. On the flight over here I was convinced that I knew it all. I remember studying and just shutting the book because I thought I had it. I think the first time I tried opening my mouth was the time that I realized I knew nothing. Since then, just little by little I started to understand what people were saying, and how to respond. That was, and still is, one of the hardest parts, just knowing what is happening in a conversation and how to contribute towards it.
What was your first reaction when you add you feet on the euro ground?
Mmmmm, that’s the smell !
You’ve decided to stay living in Spain, how it is difficult to living daily in Barcelona,when you are not a native?
People just automatically know I’m not from here. They call people who’s appearance indicates that they’re foreign, « guiri » I’m guiri. But I’m not the only one. There are people from all over the world here. That is one of the best aspects about the city for me. You can meet people from all over the world through common interests, like skateboarding, or music, or whatever else you like.
Ollie, Barcelona
how is your spanish since your gone?
Cada dia mejor!
Did you start to learn Catalan as well?
I live with two Catalanas and I guess I can just tell the differences and similarites from Spanish. They are similar, but different. It’s an interesting culture. Many of the kids that I teach tell me that Catalunya is a country of it’s own, seperate from Spain. They see themselves as Catalan, and not Spanish. I didn’t realize how distinct it was from Spain. I’ve never had a conversation in Catalan, but maybe someday. French is next on the list.
Barcelona is like a dream for a lot of skaters in the world, did you have some dreams who turned down?
I thought it would be easier to get into the scene here. Filming and shooting photos doesn’t happen as often as I thought it would. I’m not really searching for it either. It just happens, and I like that better. Like how we met ! Through friends and skating.
That, and the language.. It’s frustrating not being able to express myself. It’s a constant progression – like skating. It’s like the first time landing a kickflip. You have to fail a lot. Once you land it, you feel good, and you can continue progressing from there. You have to manuever your words to have them make sense to someone. Kind of like manuevering yourelf to do a kickflip. The things that you do and the words that you say also impact others. This is important for me to understand.
Vertical Hurricane, Barcelona
Downtown Barcelona, there are probably 5 skateshops, but they all look small and low budget. How can you explain that?
I don’t know how to explain that. There are a lot of people with similar ideas in skateboarding, I guess. All I know is, Hey Ho Let’s Go !
Is it hard to get a sponsor in spain when you are not a native?
I don’t really know. If so, that is understandable. Because the team managers or distributers would probably prefer to give product to people from their own country. Not use it towards someone who’s not from there. I don’t know.
Tell me 5 good things about being in Europe?
-The opportunity to experience new cultures and meet new people
-The chillness
-The women
-The skateboarding
-Learning
And 5 bad things?
The loss of contact from friends and family back home. All five in one.
From the bank right, Wall ride Backside 180 out to the bank left, and droppin the both of them, Barcelona
Since i’ve met you, i’ve seen you skating hard everyday like it was your last day on earth, with a big smile on your face, what is your secret?
I don’t have a secret. I just like it. Whatever it is. It’s something that’s distinct from everybody. It.
What is your top 3 of spots in Barcelona?
Llucmajor
Montbau
The local spots where people skate and hang out
And in Wisconsin?
Cream City skatepark. For me, it’s more about the people who I am skating with because there are spots every where in the world. The most memorable spots are those I’ve shared with friends. Where it doesn’t even matter what spot you’re at, just that you’re there.
From the left, Nollie backside lipslide transfert to fakie on right, Barcelona
Any projects for 2011?
To get more into the skateboard industry. Travel to France and Germany and continue filming for Ludo’s video. Create and market a summer camp here for kids – teaching skateboarding in English. Continue growing as a person.
Something else to tell?
Do your thing. Get inspired. Live. Kronz.
Thanks?
Family, friends, and everyone else. Thanks !
Edited by Babas, "Life is always better with blood and beer on my griptape.."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------I remember the first time i saw Lisa, it was in Paris in ’00. She was around 14 year old and already killed it, kickflip and nollie heel in lock aswell on stairs. It was pretty impressive to see a girl skating hard back then!
10 years later, she still the same, humble, quiet, doesn’t care of anything and keep impressing the dudes around.
What is a typical day for Lisa?
Waking up early, playing violon, going to school, back home, doing my homework, reading some books or going out a bit…On the week. Weekends, if it’s not raining, i try to skate!
Backside bluntslide to frontside 270 out, Barcelona
The best spots in Paris, for you?
I don’t know, nothing passionate me. I’m used to it, i guess.
Paris is not really convenient for street skating during the winter, what is your plan b?
Do something else.
Long backside Five O to Fakie, Barcelona
Roadtrips “girls only”, or with boys?
It depends who are the girl and boys héhé. I’d say both, but if it’s Claire(Alleaume), Sabrina(Gôggel), Didi(Diana Kraensel), Anna(Kruse), Sam(Bruce)and Helena(Long), it’s the best! Going with Ludo cool too, cause we get along good
I really loved your video part in the last Nozbone video “Rendez vous”, but i thought it was also kind of short. I know you are really productive, what’s going on? is it hard to find a filmer and photographer in Paris?
3min33sec! i think it’s pretty long for me! Ahaha Ludo would laugh at these words « really productive ».. we don’t skate together enough!
Why Tom Waits is the man?
His rough voice on his songs! Just listening to « Alice » or « Dirt in the ground »…
Crooked, Barcelona
Give me 5 of your heroes, skaters or not.
Jacques Brel, Fabrice Luchini, Heath Kirchart, Gustave Flaubert and Jean Racine and many more…
The best girlskater of the planet?
Sarah Meurle of course !
Frontside boardslide from the left to transfer on the right, Barcelona
You just come back of a lil’ roadtrip with Ludovic in Barcelona, and came back with a mini web part. Why Spain is so productive ?
Not really true, the half of the part is in Berlin, and we’ve been two times in Barcelona and it wasn’t that productive everytime. Let’s say it could be better, but it’s hard to wake up early when you are living in a place where people live at night (casual spanish life)..and it’s getting dark at 5pm, and we’ve past more time looking for spots than skating (and then Ludo would say i spent hours to land a single trick too ahaha)..that wasn’t easy! I know i’m complaining but we were outside everyday on sunny days, and in winter it’s gold! Honestly it was fun thought.
Boneless dropin’ just for the fun, Barcelona
Where do you wish to skate?
Wich ever spot i could skate.
Kickflip drop in, Barcelona
Any projects for 2011?
Don’t give up that shitty school.. finish my thesis, well i’ll need to start it first.. playing « Vocalise de Rachmaninov » at the next violon’s audition and don’t screw it too much.. Meet people, see friends, stop being naive, stop poscratinate and win against Ludo on poser games! And this summer i ‘d like to travel again, i think Sabrina’s got some ideas about it, we’ll see. That’s it.
Lisa Jacob mini web part for Nozbone. Courtesy of Ludovic Azemar
Nozbone Focus Lisa Jacob from NOZBONE on Vimeo.
Edited by Babas, "Life is always better with blood and beer on my griptape.."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------When you are lucky enough to travel to Barcelona as a skateboarder, it’s no way you don’t go at once to the world famous spot: The Museum of Comtemporary Art, the MACBA.
If you have the eye, you will notice quickly, the brazilian skateboard community is quite big here, and the man you will cross everyday on the spots, camera in the hand, is without a doubt the brazilian filmer Marcos.
He just got out his last Dvd: A Place For Everybody.You can watch it for free here
here is some talk about him and this last feature.
click the pictures for see it bigger.
Marcos with his brazilian homies
Hi, i’m Marcos de Souza filmmaker from Brazil but located in Barcelona, Spain.
Of course, i lived in United states where i started filming them i moved back to Brazil after 4 years and lived there for a bit, about 10 months, them i came to Barcelona to visit a friend for a couple of week and ended up staying til today wich is been 4 years so far, i founded in Barcelona my new home.
Why Barcelona ?
Cause life here is chill and pretty much all the skaters are here wich it makes easier to make things happen in the skateboarding business. Besides, the skate-market doesn’t work that well you can still get things done if you push yourself and have contacts.
Alexandre Massotti – Switch heel, Barcelona
Give me 5 good things, and 5 bad things in barcelona
Skateboarding, summer, good friends, nice enviroment and lots of positivity, the bad thing would be the thiefs, drugs, bad people, racists and COPS
I used to film for fun and my boys always been so good, and one time a friend of mine open my eyes with the idea of making this video come true, thats where everything started.
Daniel Maco – Frontside flip, Barcelona
What camera did you use?
mostly Panasonic DVX100b, Sony VX1000 and Canon 7D but i also use VX2000 and Panasonic p2
Well.. hahaha, it’s a dificult question, both works just fine, but the HD video cameras are easy to use wich make faster to film skateboarding and you are really trying to get things done
the 7D gives you the extra charm to the footage, depth of field, you can play around and get crazy results if you have the right optics, but it’s a harder camera cause you always have to work the composition of the footage to make it look good, and have knowledge in photography wich i love it, and have to carry big tripods, dolly and stuff like that… so i would say that the both of the system together would make the perfection.
Daniel Maco – Backside heelflip, Barcelona
Why the brasilian community is so big in Bcn?
not sure…. maybe cause Brazilians love party, beautiful girls and xibeka?!
REGGAE and surf, my good friend and my family
Eder Rosa – Heelflip shove it Drop, Barcelona
Give me 5 brazilians skateboarders underrated?
Carlos Iqui, Carlos Ribeiro, Patrick Vidal, Rodrigo Maizena, Tiago Lemos.
Well, thanks you all for watching the video, it was a big pleasure to make happen and give to all for free so everybody can enjoy it.
Thanks everybody who was involved in this project, you and everybody else that helped us out.
thanks God
Bless up brotha, love positivity and hapiness to all
Edited by Babas, "Life is always better with blood and beer on my griptape.."
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Two summers ago my Mexican homie Joel from Casta Footwear told me one of his favorite team rider Daniel Shepard, was coming for a few month to Montréal, . Joel asked me if it was possible to shoot some of his tricks.
When i met Daniel, we got along really easily. The kid was there to skate as many spots as possible and have fun! Without talking about his natural style on wheels, he has the flow for sure, believe me!
i just took the opportunity to use some left overs of his trip in Montreal for an interview.
Hey Daniel,introduce yourself please!
My name is Daniel Shepard, i am 21 years old, i’m from Mexico and i `ve been skating for about 11 years
Two summers ago you spent a few month in Montréal, how was it? and what was your favorite spots?
It was awesome!, the city is amazing for a skater, at least in the summer, haha, Party never stops, so many festivals, thousands of places to visit and the people are so easygoing, its just crazy! definitly a place to visit once in your life….. It’s difficult to tell wich spot was my favorite cause Montreal has tons of gnarly spots. I`ll choose the olympic stadium, cause it got so many spots in one place!
You’ve started rollerblading before skating, cause of your brother ,how comes the switch?
Haha, i guess i had more fun skateboarding than rollerblading
Pole Jam in Montréal
Five things you loved in Montréal?
– party
– festivals
– girls
– the ground ( so smooth)
– summer time
Crooked transfert in Montréal
You,ve just finished a sick tour with the dudes of Casta Footwear, how was it?
For me, it was some of those tours you watch on professional videos, where the van, 10 skaters and countless hours on the road take part of it. The difference is that we crossed half of Mexico to get to Los Angeles….. Something i liked, the landscape in the north, desert and endless roads, also the cities and the incredible people we’ve met!
Some sketchy story ?
Once , we stopped to buy some snacks in a litlle shop in the midle of nowhere. Suddenly we realize some guys in a black car were staring at us, it was strange cause they didn’t buy anything or leave the place. We started to get nervous cause there are stories about people getting robbed on these lonely roads!…….In the end, nothing happened , but we got really scared!
Backside Smith in Montréal by night.
Casta Footwear is 100% Mexican brand, what is the difference riding for a local company rather than a big american company?
Casta Footwear is more involved with the brand, they consider the team to make certain decisions and you know you are supporting the national scene
More things to tell?
I `d like to thank Casta Propaganda, Reverso Skateboards and DIV clothing for supporting me!
Nosebonk in Montréal
Edited by Babas, "Life is always better with blood and beer on my griptape.."
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