patrick

It’s been raining on and off all day. Over a cup of coffee we talk about the lives we’ve been living since we last saw each other. Patrick and I grew up in the same town and his dad coached a club soccer team that we both played for. I have a vivid memory of recording Patrick practicing kickflips in his driveway with a MiniDV camcorder about 16 years ago though the footage has been lost in oblivion. Patrick has been skateboarding ever since and evaluates every set of stairs he comes across in terms of its skate-ability. He picked up photography as well and explains that to photograph skateboarding for magazines you need to know how to skate so that you know can clearly capture that specific moment that reveals what trick is being thrown.

We talk about life in broad but intimate strokes. Skateboarding and photography serve as conversational poles between which ideas dance back and forth with ease. While I photograph Patrick he is quick to help with equipment and understands my direction effortlessly. He recounts how he was required to produce a nude shoot for his studies and shares what he learned from it. The images are stunning and reveal the same intellectual and artistic depth to Patrick that is so apparent when he talks about skateboarding. We discuss how skateboarding has evolved as a sport and what that means for him personally, both in terms of growth and loss.

[24] Saturday, June 5, 2021