First Time in a Long Time.

Dave Kappa's been in town for a couple of weeks and has gotten me back into the swing of shooting photos.  Sure, I've only been able to go out with them once, but I'm thinking about shooting a lot more these days.  That's progress, right?  Who knows.

Brooks had already done this 5-0 (and other tricks) on this hubba for video the night before and was just warming up for a bigger (and more insane-o) trick when I met up with them.  He was stressing pretty hard when I got there because the run up for this thing sucks.  It's one push at a 90 degree angle to the ledge, turn hard left, and ollie.  The hubba itself is really good, but can be scary.  When you grind it, you're actually grinding the rail, but your wheels are rolling on the uber-gritty concrete, so it looks and feels like you're not going to grind.  It's literally a "hop-and-hope" situation, but then you realize that it's a perfect square rail that you're hitting.  Brooks finally got in the groove and did probably 10 50-50s in a row, then 10 5-0s.  It was awesome to see.  You'll have to wait for Kappa's video to see the rest of the bangers he's done at this spot.

I've only ever seen one other person step to this thing, but Brooks has been on a mission lately and has been killing it.  From what I've heard about the tricks he's been putting down lately, his part in Kappa's video is going to be even gnarlier than his part in the Bellevue video.  That's going to be ridiculous to see.

I wish I would've taken the time to work out the kink in the 3rd flash I was using to set up a nice rim light on him, but it was giving me fits, it was kinda cold, and I could tell Brooks was already stressing, so I didn't want to add to the situation.  For what it's worth, the flash started working as soon as we were setting up for the big trick.  Gotta love technology.

Unseen Scenes from Bellevue Pt. 4

This is a classic case of "blowing the photo."  I distinctly remember trying to figure out why I couldn't get the photo to look like I wanted and fumbling around with my lights and whatnot, but feeling the pressure because Cole was really wanting to bang this one out.  I eventually just told him to go for it and shot the photo how I had everything set and running with it.  I really wish I had been able to figure something better out because this trick is absolutely insane.

I'm not sure, but I think only one other person had ever skated the 5th step at this spot (Jeremiah Stevens did frontside 50-50).  Most people only skate the 3rd step and consider skating the 4th step as "skating the top."  That's probably not true anymore.  What's even more insane is that Cole is skating this from the "short side" of the spot where there isn't as much run-up as the other side.  I guess it's a little bit straighter approach, but you've got a lot less time to set up.  Let's just say that it's silly to be nosegrinding way up there.

Cole didn't even try to do backside 50-50s on this thing this day, he went straight into the nosegrind.  From what I remember it didn't take him long at all.  That's true of Cole most of the time.

Oh, I also just remembered that after he did this nosegrind, he started trying to backside 50-50 the 6th stair.  He was getting into it most tries, but was so squatted down that he couldn't really hold the grind or start to come out of it.  I have no clue if he went back and did the 50-50, but it wouldn't surprise me.

Unseen Scenes from Bellevue Pt. 3

The Cinema Hubbas were an ultra-famous spot here in Louisville.  In fact, I think every touring team that came through here knew about them and went there.  They had shown up in several videos and magazines, especially right toward the end of their run.  But you know, no one killed that spot like the Louisville locals.  Of course, they had a lot more time to skate them, but that's bean-counting if you ask me.  The hubbas were easily one of the most-rinsed spots in the whole city.  When the building was sold and the rumors started flying that they were tearing them down, the level of progression at the spot went through the roof.  Everybody was in a scramble to get their last licks and those few "we'll come back tomorrow" tricks still left of the to-do list.  Once the fence started going up, the situation got dire.

I don't remember how or why we ended up at the Cinemas (as they were known) this day, but it was pretty surreal to see these 7-foot tall posts driven into the parking lot, marking the line where the fence would be put up just days later.  I also don't remember whose idea it was to turn one of those posts into a polejam, but it was a great one.  Marshall Nicholson and Cole Wilson went to work on the polejam, each trying different tricks.  Cole ended up getting his and then doing it in a line that can be seen in Matt Ballard's Bellevue video. 

This was a situation where I knew right away how I wanted to shoot the photo and it ended up coming out exactly as I had pictured it in my head.  This is easily in my top-5 favorite photos that I've ever shot.  It says everything that it needs to say to me:  Kentucky, gnarly skateboarding, killer style, warm days, making the most of a bad situation, seeing the world like a skateboarder sees it, etc, etc, etc, etc.  Glad I was there for it.  Also, I'm pretty sure this is the longest polejam I've ever seen anyone do in person.

Cole Wilson, Polejam, Louisville, KY.

Unseen Scenes From Bellevue Pt. 2

If you've skated this pool, you know it sucks.  I still remember getting the call from a friend who said he had met the owner of this pool and that said owner had invited us to come skate it.  I was excited as hell to have a permission pool to go skate and couldn't wait to start shooting photos there.  When we got there, it was evident that it was less than perfect, but it wasn't evident just how far from perfect it was.  With kinks and bumps and 3 feet of vert and no real transition anywhere, this thing is a kink sink.  What is more shocking than the pool itself is the amount of ripping that's been done in this thing.

Mikey originally invited me to come shoot a photo of a nosepick (which we did...maybe I'll post it later), but I thought a frontside disaster would make a better photo.  I wasn't really sure if he could do one because of the way the vertical part of the wall meets the bank;  there's a crazy bump/channel that makes it even harsher than your standard bank to wall.  It took him several tries, but he finally came through with the goods, which was completely ridiculous to see.  Even if you've seen the footage in the Bellevue video, it doesn't do justice as to how gnarly this is to roll away from.  This photo was going to be used in the ill-fated last issue of theProgram, but at least it's getting to see the light of day now.

Mikey Roges, Frontside Disaster, Louisville, KY.

Unseen Scenes from Bellevue Pt. 1

Feeling inspired again to shoot photos after watching Matt Ballard's Bellevue video, I decided it would be best to post a few photos that were shot during the filming of the video but never made the cut anywhere. 

First up is Brooks Shuping's backside 180 over this insanely tall (with no real bump) bump to bar.  Brooks battled this thing for well over an hour during this shoot, but despite landing on it several times, could never quite roll clear away.  It's probably for the better though, because there wasn't a filmer present and he would have had to do it again, anyway.  He went back and made it for the video and it's probably one of the most underrated tricks in his part. 

Brooks is affectionately know as "the guy who ollies stuff," but if you see the stuff he ollies and the power with which he does it, you'd get why it's a nickname that probably isn't going anywhere for a while.  Don't think that Brooks can't smoke you in a game of S.K.A.T.E. though. 

Brooks Shuping, backside 180, Louisville, KY.