SHRED OR DEAD

Pool skating! And some stenciling thrown in for good measure. Stolen from SnA, freshly back from the dead.

Okay. So I will admit. I’ve been out of the internetting game for a while now. And I’m not just talking making posts on my own blog. I mean, the only things I did on the internet for a long time was check my email, check a handfull of web comics, and a few skate blogs.

Well things are a changin, and I’m finally getting less stressed about the day to day, and I’ve had time to check out some of my friends sites again for the first time in a long time. And Jason Edwards has some serious business going on right now.

And not to say he ever didn’t. But since school has been out I haven’t been in daily contact with Mr. Edwards, and going to his site to review his recent works has further cemented into my skull that Jason is probably one of the best photographers to come out of that institution in my year (not that I’ve graduated yet actually). But on top of being on top of his photography, he has been getting off the wall with his design work lately too.

I’m quite proud to be able to say that I own quite a few of Jason’s original works. Often gifted, or sent via post by the man himself. Other works in my “Jason Collection” I’ve literally stolen from him. Some of the test prints he’s abandoned while working in the lab I’ve snatched up, as even the images he discards are excellent.

Now that you’ve seen how awesome Jason is, you should go over to his website, and send his site to any of your friends looking for commissioned photographic work, because the man can deliver, and I’d like to see him make enough dollars that he stays in Vancouver for a while. So go buy some Polaroids or prints or books or something lovely.

All images in this post belong to Jason Edwards, for more go to Jason’s site

Also, that first picture up there features another gifted photographer I went to school with Brendon Hartley jumping my crouched self in the studio at ECUAD.

Last night after work I went by SuperChamp to get a new tire and a cheap of really cheap riser bars to try out with the rack. As I walked in the door I was greeted by Jamie’s slightly disfigured face. Actually, he’s doing damn well considering last Sunday night he hit the back of a parked truck, and what is assumed pretty much full speed down one of the steepest short hill bombs in Vancouver. His right eye up there is totally bloodshot, and the bruising around his eye has come down (apparently) quite significantly. He’s told me there are a couple of fractured bones in there, and he’s cracked a few ribs too. It’s pretty obvious his hand (to use Jason‘s words “was peeled like a banana” and had to be sewn back up. Overall, he’s a pretty lucky dude to have walked (eventually) away with as little injuries as he did.

A close up courtesy of large format photography:

Yeah. I love shooting large format. And to those out there that claim digital is the only way to go: let it be known that this shoot was more or less completed scanned and uploaded in damn close to 24 hours after I asked Jamie if he’d like to come in to have his injuries photographed. 8×10 large format analog photography, scanned and more or less production ready. Stoked.

Also. I managed to shoot this one of superpal Jason (he was there to lend help, hence the banana quote earlier). I thought it turned out quite nicely, well; Just as well as the first one really, it’s the same light/camera set up, just shoved Jason in the seat and clicked the shutter.

Yes. Well. I had a productive day I think. On top of shooting and scanning these I was finally able to scan all the images I printed from my trip to Hope with friends from last November on Remembrance Day. Another day or two worth of work scanning at school and I’ll have a real selection of work to put onto this site, as well as to put together that long talked about portfolio. I’m pretty much going through my entire collection of negatives from the last two years and scanning all the work I’m excited about. Then I have the fun times of deciding which get to see the light of day, and when for that matter.

And on that note, there may be some changes in the works for my little blog, and by may, I mean there will be. Also superpal Jeff is helping me yet again with (re)designing my site. Hopefully things will get much much simpler, bigger nicer to look at photos in posts, and somewhere for that much spoken of portfolio to rest inside of. There’s talk of stickers even.

Well. I’m tired. More soon! I mean, look, four posts in one months time! And new work with a quick turnaround! and I have more film to process even! stoked! I’m also pretty stoked about staying home tomorrow, doing copious amounts of laundry, darning the holes in (all) my shorts and hopefully get started on drawing up a couple ideas for spoke cards. And mail! Sending mail. If I don’t have your address, please make sure I do (if you like mail).

This was another entry into push.ca‘s First Photos contest. I’m not sure why I didn’t put it up here. Probably lack of time or organization. Anyways, it’s Jeremie Plisson, front blunt; gapping in and gapping out at the newly built and aptly named Cambie Street Plaza. Not a skatepark, but it’s damn close.

I’ve spent my evening watching Who Cares, The Duane Peters Story, and various other videos on the internets. I also should have gone to check out Color‘s release party, but I’ve got cold pre-paid beer in the fridge here, and it’s cold and rainy outside. The end result is really wanting to go out skating, why isn’t there a decent indoor spot in Vancouver that I’m aware of?

The other side effect of watching videos that get me stoked is that I realize that I’m not shooting enough. Partially due to the cost of film, partially due to not having enough time between work and other obligations. I have this list of equipment that I’d like to have that just seems to be growing larger all the time. Pocket Wizards, Quantum Flashes, Hasselblad, fisheyes, Nikon f5 or f6 and time. The other thing that videos reminds me of is how much music has been missing from my day to day since my iPod was stolen over a year ago, and my computer shit the bed halfway through my last semester of school. I just want to start producing more I guess. It’s difficult, but I’ll work on it. I need to work on saving some dollars so that eventually I can make things full time. Oh boy, this is the line where the blog becomes too much livejournal that it should be. So goodnight!

Anthony Hancock with a really, REALLY styled out invert on his backyard vert ramp. I shot this last uhhhh… end of March? I’m not sure, but Wee drove myself, Wee’s family and Adam Hopkins up there. Anthony recently came down to Vancouver for a day of skating the concrete parks, and I have to say he’s definitely a super nice dude. Not to mention he was casually ripping Bonsor where I went to meet up with Wee and my pal Patrick for a sesh.

Anyways. This photo is mainly coming up here because it was going to be my last entry into the Push.ca First Photos contest, but I thought I had until the END of the day to submit photos, alas, no, the cutoff for entries was 12:00 noon. Which means I was biking around in the rain somewhere in Vancouver.

Speaking of biking around in the rain in Vancouver. My friend Josh recently (reads: last Thursday) finished a rack he was making for my bicycle.

Uhhh, suffice to say. Josh blew my mind, and all of my expectations for this project. He credits me with helping design, but honestly, craftsmanship is 137% of this rack. Did I mention this is the first bicycle rack he’s made? Did I mention that he would like to make more? I’ll also say Josh was a pleasure to errrr…work? (I hardly did anything but talk with him on the internets) with. And for you couriers or wantobe couriers out there, this thing is a tank. You CAN put a person on this if you want to (although unwieldy due to awkwardness), and of the two days I’ve worked with it so far, it’s handled quite a bit of working load very easily. I’m saying if you’re a working biker this thing is an investment that pays itself back very quickly.

Well. That’s all I’ve got for today. Man, two posts in less than a month’s time. I’m picking up the pace here kids.