Out Of The Rain

Beat It Mathis

2012-01-28T09:40:00.001-08:00

Always good to see my friend Rob

The X-Games Grind

2012-01-27T17:23:00.001-08:00

Ran into Seth today during his X-Games grind....Good to see you Seth

Yea Hitsch!

2012-01-21T20:03:00.001-08:00

Christian Haller came and shredded with us the other day at Breck. He was done for the day when the light got pretty good. He had to go for one more.

Which Way Is California?

2012-01-21T19:56:00.000-08:00

I'm guessing into the sun...

Not How We Planned

2012-01-19T08:37:00.000-08:00

Mikkel and I were shooting butters the other day while hauling ass down this trail at Breck----Even the best catch an edge once in a while.

Need For Speed

2012-01-13T16:39:00.000-08:00

Kenny and Ryan will make your snowboard fast. While the man in the middle oversee's

Buderson

2012-01-13T07:10:00.000-08:00

Bud got a new camera and taped on fisheye.....filmers out there watch out..

Getting A Little too Comfortable

2012-01-10T10:02:00.000-08:00

I snapped this photo about 2 min before LA snapped in 5 goals against Vokoun...Hope you like the bench Tomas

Flower Power

2012-01-08T19:20:00.000-08:00

HA!!....Amazing ride day....great crew

Ramona, CA

That Was A Fun Year

2012-01-05T22:54:00.000-08:00

The year Justin, Moriah and I had a perfect ramp in our garage is something every skateboarder should experience...jlheureuxphoto

Its Been a While

2012-01-03T09:27:00.001-08:00

This was the first look Pierre, Corey and I got of the Some Kinda Life DVD box after a long summer of looking at the computer.

Bright Lights-Small Town

2012-01-02T09:31:00.001-08:00

Since the NYC plans didn't end up panning out Encinitas had to do for NYE....Luckily it was foggy and made for cool photos.

Ashmore had her New Years boots on.

I had my New Years boots on.

What a beauty...HA....

Side Note: Dont buy the Panasonic GF3

Andro

2011-12-30T19:58:00.000-08:00

Came across this snap of my friend and co-worker Andro Kajzer I shot in NZ last summer. Andro's is one of the best filmer/editor combo's out there. Straight out a Solvenia.

Outdoor Superbowl Party

2011-12-29T17:50:00.000-08:00

Last year we were in Madison, WI for the Super Bowl....We listened to it on the radio while shooting this pretty cool gap to rail feature....Lets hope this year there is enough snow anywhere in US to do the same.

Christmas Shoes

2011-12-28T20:41:00.000-08:00

Its definitely an adjustment not being somewhere cold for Christmas....since its not pow anyway none of us were complaining......such a good beachside horseshoe session. I'll partner up with my Dad again any day.

Got A Light?

2011-12-27T11:43:00.000-08:00

The summer before last in Wanaka, NZ Grilo and I noticed this pretty rad table and lit wall at the pool that was connected to the condo's we were staying at. I wanted a James Dean feel to the shot...he had the right hat and it worked....Slovenian version!

Mobile Estate

2011-12-23T10:10:00.000-08:00

Not a bad place to pull your RV up too. Especially in the summer..

Wanaka, NZ...Winter 2011

Big Bear Isn't Quite the Same

2011-12-22T12:02:00.000-08:00

This is the 1st winter in 15 years that i won't live down the street from one of the best ski areas in America (Brighton/Crested Butte)...Its gonna be an adjustment.

Last winter between trips Maurer and I caught Brighton on some really good days and ended up walking with some rad photo content (check his Pleasure interview this month).....This shot was at the end of a long day and our legs didn't quite work anymore. Believe it or not, Mu actually rode away from this powderless slash.

One Cold Day

2011-12-21T13:36:00.000-08:00

Last year we spent a couple longs days at this particular spot in Savage, Minnesota...The days were cold and cloudy and we ended up spending hours shooting in the woods and trying to stay warm. After Sollors got his trick he showed off his stash for a quick snap.

The Leaning House

2011-12-20T20:16:00.001-08:00

Last year on the way back from a 2nd really good trip to Wisconsin we decided to pull over next to this tilted old farm house.....We all snapped a bunch of photos and did our thing and all of a sudden this photo got snapped- not sure what was going on here. One of my favorite images from the season. Jeremy, Sollors, and Zak Hale.

Cant wait for another grind like that. Recently learned that this house doesn't exist anymore...Glad we got the shot.

Lighting TechNicktion

2011-12-20T11:48:00.000-08:00

While in China I was getting set up for this quick lifestyle idea I wanted to do with Mikkel and Nick Hamilton happened to walk by. I asked him if I could test the lighting on him and he obliged. Thanks Nick

Squeeze On In

2011-12-19T18:36:00.001-08:00

The Dew Tour didn't make it easy at all to shoot their event so Cole figured out other ways to get onto the deck during practice

After Hours

2011-12-18T14:34:00.000-08:00

Just found this photo of Mikkel and Jack from the summer before last in NZ...These guys come up with some amazing stuff.

Sendai

2011-12-18T10:59:00.000-08:00

During the movie tour in Japan we headed to the coastal area near Sendai City to view an area heavily affected by the Tsunami. The area is being rebuilt quickly but there still were remnants of the horrible disaster.

This particular shot was at a school. A couple miles from the coast. There was still writing on the chalk boards and the clocks were stopped right after the time the tsunami hit.

Going there was a life changing experience and really makes you understand the power of mother nature. Lets continue to help support the rebuilding effort and our friends in Japan.

Help Wanted

2011-12-12T12:27:00.000-08:00

Grilo decided to join the guys at stadium security in China for a photo

Human's Dont Belong Here

2011-12-10T12:36:00.000-08:00

I never was able to get these shots posted since the Chinese government doesn't like blogs but here are a few more from the Borrego trip.

Ashmore and I rode bikes out and she handled it like a man...Not sure if thats a good thing but I was pretty impressed. The ride wasn't easy or short.

We made it to the camp site just in time for some sunset beers.

Jordan

We got in a quick jaunt before a night by the camp fire

Annika

The next day Robbie stood in this spot for way too long testing a new lens he got. Honestly, for like 20 min without moving.

The Main Event

2011-12-09T14:15:00.000-08:00

The contest went down and was a total hit. The level of riding was unreal even in the icy conditions.

A little snow made the venue even that much cooler. McMorris walked by for a quick shot.

Mikkel was riding really well all day and still has the best style in snowboarding.

Seppe also was throwing down and just barely missed the super final. Such a good contest to attend and such a good crew to attend with.

The Birds Nest

2011-12-07T17:36:00.000-08:00

This year the Air n Style was held in the Chinese National Stadium which is also known as The Birds Nest. The stadium was built for the 2008 Summer Olympics and is nothing short of spectacular. So much steel was used in the construction of this beast that it caused a shortage in the entire world......thanks China

Sani took a moment to take in the view...he wished he had a beer

I was lucky enough to be wish Charles and Mikkel for their 1st look. Its amazing how far snowboarding and snowboard events have come.

Apparently the architect of the stadium wrote some anti government statements and is still in jail.

The place a heavy security as you can imagine. This guy is followed by the sun wherever he goes.

The outside view is no less impressive, especially in the snow.

The 798 District

2011-12-06T14:13:00.000-08:00

In Beijing there is an area of town called The 798 District. This area used to be owned/controlled by the Chinese military and it housed many factories which produced such things as ammunition and uniforms. These days all of the factories have transformed into art galleries, coffee shops, and boutiques. Its honestly the coolest art influenced area of any city I have ever been too and easily rivals SoHo. Its pretty amazing that a place like this exists in a country that doesn't allow Facebook or Blogs.

The 798 has its fair share of interesting people.

Many of its vendors are Tibetan. Everyone was super friendly. This guy even allowed me to shoot his portrait.

This lady was making the best crepes in town.

Around every corner and through every hall are different galleries. I guessing at least 100

Chinese version of the wheelbarrow.

They even have a locomotive at 798

Everywhere we went we noticed photographers and people shooting photos. This area is so good for anything and everything photo related. Cant wait to go back.

Bright Lights- Big Chinese City

2011-12-05T23:23:00.000-08:00

Beijing trip summed up in one jump.......super good time...

Thanks for the leap Jesse, next time we're bringing an exercise trampoline to shoot this photo

The Land of Coyote

2011-11-28T10:47:00.000-08:00

We had a really good camping mission to the desert this weekend complete with campfires, stars, and plenty of beers.

Anikka's Dad has owed this land since the 70's. Perfect spot for a camping mission

The moon was not full. Mars was

Annika said this water tower used to have a running shower under it. Not quite the Westin;)

More photos soon

Canadian Thanksgiving

2011-11-24T13:15:00.001-08:00

Last month in Vancouver we had a super nice Canadian Thanksgiving with some new friends....We went to the skatepark to work up an appetitie.

Keegan ducked, I flipped the board, and Jeremy snapped the photo

Year 1

2011-11-24T13:10:00.001-08:00

Just came across this photo of the crew we took during the summer of the 1st People movie. We were all living in the office in Tahoe City . I think at one point I went a week without showering. In hindsight, it was worth it.

Life is Hard

2011-11-15T15:37:00.001-08:00

Laying out in the sun, watching people skate all day sure is a tough life for this guy

6 Hours in Calgary

2011-11-14T15:00:00.000-08:00

Is enough time to get a couple blog photos-

Not sure what is in this thing but its pretty cool none the less

We came across these amazing statues.....I wish more cities put more money into public art

Calgary was pretty cool even though we were only in and out. I was pretty happy to head back to the warm beach weather after a quick sample of 20 degrees Fahrenheit

Point And Shoot

2011-11-12T08:03:00.000-08:00

Just came across this snapshot of Ivar in Japan.....amazing

Tour is Over

2011-11-10T20:02:00.000-08:00

Best sunset of the tour....Minneapolis, MN

Fall in Sapporo

2011-11-08T10:16:00.000-08:00

On the 1st day of the Japan trip, Kazu asked us if we wanted to go for a hike on this local mtn outside of Sapporo. We were all pretty jet lagged so it seemed like the perfect thing to do.

I don't think we could have picked a better day of the year to hike around.

Once we got to this point of the hike Kazu told us you weren't allowed to snowboard at this resort. I guess its the Alta of Japan?

Jussi started climbing things.

And didn't stop until he was above Sapporo

Good crew, perfect day

After finishing the 2 mile hike back down, we came across this sign...Kazu told us it was a warning for hikers not to use the trail since there had been a bunch of bears spotted in the last couple weeks, we had taken a different trail to the top and missed it on the way up...glad we made it;)

Is That A VX1000?

2011-11-08T09:28:00.000-08:00

Tim had one of the largest camera set ups I had ever seen a couple weeks back in LA. Not quite ideal for run and gun shooting

Halloween in Shibuya

2011-11-05T05:34:00.001-07:00

Mark talked all week about getting a costume for Halloween. So when he showed up dressed like a frog with his skateboard we knew there was only one thing to do....shoot a couple photos

Shibuya crossing is probably the busiest crosswalk in the world and def the busiest in Japan. People are shooting photos and time lapses of it daily.....I'm guessing this was the 1st frog costume of the day.

A skateboard always makes things more fun

Before you knew it, everyone was in the holiday spirit!...

Let's Rent Some More Bikes

2011-11-03T20:42:00.001-07:00

The entire media crew is in Newport Beach, CA this week for our annual meeting. After a long day hanging out with some of the best dudes around we decided to rent some bikes from the local beach cruiser rental.

The bikes had coaster breaks....which means really good skid outs. Adam took the cake on the skid factor but I got a better photo of Nicks....

Hasi is in town as well and its always a pleasure getting to hang. He's pretty bad ass on his bike as well...especially for someone 6'6.

We ended up not having time to shoot bike photos on this sidewalk and have cover shots of Bike Weekly planned for tomorrow

Blotto drove out from AZ to hang this week and actually brought his own bike....In all reality he's a really good biker and snuck in a shot after shooting photos himself for most of the session....

Check out his blog post from the day:

http://www.blottophotto.com/

Headed Up To The Local Castle

2011-10-31T23:50:00.000-07:00

A couple days ago we were in Kanazawa, Japan for one of the many amazing movie tour stops on this years Japanese tour...We got up early and got a chance to check out the Kanazawa castle and garden...Pretty amazing to say the least

Jussi began the day airing the grass hip at the base of the castle wall. The bad ass rental bike from our hotel didn't hold up and the tire was flat instantly.

The castle which was built in the 1300's was in perfect shape.....Ikea was nowhere in site

The garden which was across the street from the castle was one of the most famous in Japan. Unfortunately, we didn't have a ton of time to check it out. But what we saw was pretty all time.

Ivar liked his rental bike as well and was glad his tire wasn't as flat as Jussi's

Media Frenzy

2011-10-30T03:10:00.000-07:00

Its been an all out battle to get the shot on this trip!

Getting In A Quick Session

2011-10-30T03:06:00.000-07:00

You never know when you're gonna have a second

Straight from baggage claim to the train station.

Or while walking into the premier

Leg Stretch

2011-10-29T18:55:00.001-07:00

Yesterday Mikkel had the bus pull over so he could stretch his legs after a busy tour day in Japan

Perfectly executed 360 flip yoga

Back At It

2011-10-26T15:53:00.001-07:00

The crew just got to Japan for a few more movie tour stops...Everyone is super excited to be here and other than the little rain should be a super good time!

A Quick Push

2011-10-21T14:15:00.000-07:00

After waiting for an hour for a cop to get off this bridge Jeremy and I were able to shoot this shot...scary part was- he could see the cars coming, i couldn't.

Thanks for the push Jer....Vancouver, BC

Its Not Over

2011-10-20T22:38:00.001-07:00

Heading to Japan for some more movie tour madness. Can't wait and hopefully have some good blogs from the trip!

That Looks Familiar

2011-10-19T11:10:00.000-07:00

On the drive back from Montreal to Burlington, VT, I was hoping snap a pick of this old farm house that I took a photo of 5 years ago...

I found it

Looked a lot different 5 years ago

I also found this barn...The colors in Souther Quebec at this time of the year are amazing!

Friday Night Bikes

2011-10-18T20:41:00.001-07:00

Lately we have been going on some really good night rides around North County

Definitely isn't the smartest idea but none the less fun

Justin mounted his 5d to his sissy bar the other night and snapped off a couple shots. Can't wait till the next mission

Sounds About Right

2011-10-17T22:44:00.001-07:00

Do the world a favor, buy a skateboard instead;)

Found This Gem

2011-10-17T12:03:00.000-07:00

I asked Blotto to hold the cam for me while I went to grab the iPod for last weeks iPod battle in Montreal and this is what I find on the memory card the next day.

Blotto lost his finger in a tragic rollerblading accident and he still forgets its missing from time to time:)

The Moss Bank

2011-10-14T14:06:00.000-07:00

While shooting this other photo idea last week in Vancouver, Jeremy and I noticed we weren't shooting the right thing. Glowing in the afternoon light was a asphalt bank covered in moss that was waiting for a photo.

Upon getting to the bank we quickly realized it was about as rough as it could possibly get. And you had the dodge the possible syringes and used condoms that seemed to be everywhere...Jeremy wished he had some 60mm wheels for this spot

Cole Trickle

2011-10-10T11:14:00.000-07:00

Going to K1 doesn't suck....Simmers was focused

Movie Touring

2011-10-10T10:19:00.000-07:00

The crew has been on the US and Canadian portion of the Standing Sideways movie tour this week. New city each day...Its been super fun and we've had a chance to skate quite a bit....Marc Berardi, our Northwest rep had this amazing ramp in his showroom in Seattle.

Jeremy decided he might as well keep his bag tag on his skate since we were boarding a plane again a few hours after this session in Seattle.

Jussi hadn't done nose blunts in years and then did 3 in a row...perfect.

After the session Sollors decided he needed a new car for the drive home

The Day After

2011-10-08T11:53:00.000-07:00

Its always fun waking up after a wedding and seeing the condition of all of your friends....Everyone stepped outside to enjoy some morning sun and watch some golf...

Pierre was in rare form and I think he was bummed the party was over.

Stephen was mad that Robbie had the cig for the photo and asked him for it back...way to look bad ass Stephen;)

Northwest Weddings Part 1

2011-10-04T21:41:00.001-07:00

This last weekend was one to remember...Corey and Amber invited us up to Washington for their wedding. It had been a while since this crew was back together and it made everyone realize how much we don't get to hang out that much anymore....I had a hard time with how I wanted to structure this blog post but lets just start out with why we were all 2 hours outside of Seattle in the 1st place...

To hang with the bride and the groom- passing the mic back and forth....I need to ask Corey what song they were singing at this point of the night...Oh Yea, "Bust A Move", by Young MC... classic and unforgettable

Its so great to see old friends...I've spent good amounts of time with both of these dudes..Pierre Minhondo and Stephen Duke

Blotto and his girlfriend Ramzi were in town for the wedding too and both looked stunning. Cell phone reception wasn't the best so they had to use the throwback telephone:)

We were all sad when it was over, including Corey.

Its always fun to see the guys that you spend so much of your life with all dressed up. Luckily we are in a profession where we don't have to wear suits everyday and its still super special to get all decked out:)

Smashbox

2011-10-04T21:22:00.000-07:00

Spent a couple really good days at Smashbox studios in LA last week...We shot the JohnJ, welcome to the team video there as well as a couple other new items for the upcoming season..

It's super fun to work in a studio like this, the super model audition in the studio next door helped too)

The Stump Forest

2011-10-03T16:10:00.001-07:00

On the way up to meet the crew at Corey Koniniec's wedding this weekend Robbie and decided to take a little detour after passing this super crazy looking forest of stumps. After a couple dirt roads and wrong turns we found out exactly where we wanted to go.

Most of the year these old trees are part of the lake. Since the reservoir is pretty close to empty at this time of year they are out in the open and accepting photo opportunites

Since no supermodels were present Robbie had to suffice..

This was my favorite stump of the bunch and hopefully in 200 years wont become another stump.

Alot of times I see things while driving down the road and wish I had the time to stop...Its nice when you actually pull over and it works out

A Long Way from Venice

2011-09-30T15:26:00.000-07:00

I had never been to Venice beach before this week and I gotta say...the place definitely didn't live up to its reputation..

Cant say I was very impressed, although they did have an ATM machine on every corner...

ATM Operator- Alex Adrian

Julian, CA

2011-09-25T09:42:00.000-07:00

Dawley and I rode the bikes out to Julian yesterday to meet up with the crew that were camping on rocks. Literally, there campsite was on rocks.....After the 2 hour drive out we met up with everyone at this random country jam concert. It was amazing. Johnny Cash cover bands for hours...

In Julian there are American flags everywhere

There are square dancers everywhere too

After we got done dancing our asses off we headed back to the beach. It got dark about 10 minutes in which made for a good adventure.

2 Hour Rainforest Stop

2011-09-23T14:19:00.000-07:00

We had a off morning last month in New Zealand so Corey, Dave and I decided to drive to the west coast and check out the rain forest region that none of us had seen before. After driving up and down the coast highway we decided to follow this tiny dirt road into the forest. After walking on a sketchy rock bridge across a river we made out way to a 100% secluded and empty beach. Pretty epic.

An untracked beach is almost as cool and an untracked mountain.

For the longest time I could never understand why the silhouette of a fern was the All Blacks Rugby Team Logo...Now I know

Not sure if I will ever go to a private beach this rad again. I imagine during the Kiwi summer its not quite as private.

On the way back we found it important to test our rental cars ability to perform in the sand. It passed and we made it back to Snowpark for our sunset shoot.

All Aboard

2011-09-21T18:53:00.000-07:00

I was at the train station today and I happened to see Hayward pulling on into the station.

Waiting In Line

2011-09-20T18:58:00.000-07:00

Isn't Fun

Where Can We Buy a Leg?

2011-09-20T14:17:00.000-07:00

Zack and I had a couple hours to figure out how to construct a leg for the intro to Terje's video part a couple months back in mammoth....

Mission accomplished...watch Standing Sideways to see how well it worked:)

All to Ourselves

2011-09-17T11:01:00.001-07:00

When we landed in Denver the other day it was pouring rain and I figured we weren't going to be able to skate one of the best parks around...Things cleared and Jeremy and I headed over.

Usually this place is super packed and everyone is running into one another.

Another thing that usually sucks about Denver park is how slippery it is. The rain washed the dust away and we had perfect conditions for BS Ollies like this one. Good steeze Jer!

Cant wait to go back!

Taking a Seat

2011-09-14T11:39:00.000-07:00

Been wanting to post this photo of my good friend Drew for a while now. We shot this in the 100+ degree heat while waiting for Motley Crue to come on stage last month in Maryland.....

Its days like these when you wish it was winter

Hidden Gems

2011-09-13T18:46:00.000-07:00

I gave Zak Hale and Harrison Gordon my Mark IV last year to "shoot some lifestyles" and this is what they came back with....

Yea Harrison!

Not Your Typical Summer Drive

2011-09-09T15:03:00.000-07:00

Had a ton of work to take care of since getting back from NZ and realized I never posted these photos....anyway...After being stuck in Sydney for 3 days I couldn't wait to get into a winter environment and get busy,....I ended up having a nice little 7 hr drive when I finally touched down in Christchurch and was actually looking forward to it..

This is how things looked from my side of the car and the wrong side of the road

The drive started out and I felt like i was in Northern France. Hedgerows and rain everywhere

Then came the sheep. NZ has no natural predators other than hungry humans which means sheep for days.

Next came the mtns and the lakes

Gotta say, this was one of the better 7 hour drives I've had in a long while

The Ride Back from Jordans

2011-09-09T12:32:00.001-07:00

On the way home from Jordans rainy day BBQ the other night I couldnt help but notice a little more than average sunset.

and....I wished I had my camera...instead I had to settle for a cell phone photo....this is really the way it looked...

Shopping in Oceanside

2011-08-30T22:58:00.000-07:00

A couple weeks ago we got a crew together and headed up to Oceanside to check out the Swap Meet. Swap Meets don't really exist outside of California from what i gather? The experience was amazing. You could basically buy anything. Seriously anything. I think they might have even been selling donkeys.

This was the common set up. Some had better, some had worse.

Justin was seriously considering buying the USA jacket in the background of this photo. The lady wouldn't come down from the astronomical $40 price tag so he passed it up. Hopefully this guy bought it.

We had to wake this guy up to ask him how much he would sell the tool box his head is resting on. I still wish I bought it.

Jordan found the new camera he was looking for. I think some of the skate filmers are still using this thing.

We're Not the Boss

2011-08-30T15:02:00.001-07:00

Lately the earth has been showing us who truly is the boss.

One Last Trick

2011-08-25T21:59:00.000-07:00

1st photo of the trip...last photo of the Sydney post. These kids began playing SKATE outside the window of my hotel. Shot successfully poached;)

Cheers Mate!

2011-08-24T15:45:00.001-07:00

As usual, NZ was a great time with a really good crew. Pretty stoked on the photos and video that we're coming back home with...Should have some good blogs in the next few days and weeks

Back to SYD

2011-08-23T19:59:00.000-07:00

NZ was amazing but I can't wait to get home.....One more night in Sydney and back to Cali....Shot a few photos in the central train station the other day while trying to kill 12 hours between flights.

This guy actually turned around and asked me to stop shooting photos of him. Hilarious

This guy had no idea i was shooting. However there was another guy sitting next to him that noticed and moved.

I took the train out into the country. Got off at a random stop and realized i had a hour to kill with absolutely no where to go. Nowhere.

An NZ Standoff

2011-08-20T03:15:00.000-07:00

Who's going to flinch 1st?

That was a First

2011-08-19T14:59:00.000-07:00

I showed up at Snowpark yesterday, walked out on the deck to go up the hill, and there was a full on Orchestra performing for the riders. The US resorts really need to step up their game....HA...

Sydney on 4 wheels

2011-08-18T15:38:00.000-07:00

Skate tourism has its perks...not only can you get around quite easily but you can photo's of yourself along the way

Stopped on the Sydney Harbor bridge to shoot a couple

Going downhill was a lot better than going up

Day 1 Down Under

2011-08-17T15:18:00.001-07:00

After flying to NZ and having the flight turn around mid air I landed back in Sydney and proceeded to the hotel. After unloading my gear I quickly hustled to the Harbor area with one thing in mind...get some blog photos...Here is my take on things from the 1st 2 hours in an awesome country..pretty happy how they turned out

As you walk around the harbor you find a lot of people staring

I wish my street had a sign like this

As I walked under the Harbor bridge the sky began doing some pretty amazing things..

The light was ridiculous

I always find myself wanting to ask people to take their portrait and usually I find people get extremely weirded out when you ask them to do so....This guy however was super nice and I think he enjoyed people in front of the lens

While walking back to the hotel I walked by this pub that claims its the oldest in the entire city. These guys seemed to fit the atmosphere just perfect

Forced Tourism has its Perks

2011-08-17T04:56:00.000-07:00

So as many of you know the weather on the South Island in NZ this week has been less than ideal for landing airplanes; which is why I had a quick 3 day stint in Sydney this past week....I can't really complain...I would have rather been working with the boys though and hanging out for 4 days alone gets a little boring.....Anyway...I'm gonna sleep but I got a few photos in Sydney the other night that I wanted to post before posting the meat of my Aussie blog

You can't really mess up a photo of the Sydney Opera house since its one of the raddest buildings I've ever seen but a nice moon and a slow shutter helps the scenery.

The slow shutter also works nicely when a ferry goes through your frame in front of one of the raddest bridges ever built...

Sydney did it right. Super nice scenery and equally as friendly humans.

Taking the Weight Off

2011-08-14T17:17:00.001-07:00

Since i've found myself in forced tourist mode today in downtown Sydney, Austrailia and my feet hurt from walking around all day yesterday...I thought...post a photo of Cami taking the weight of her feet last week in DC

Im not complaining....really..

Went Over to George's House

2011-08-12T21:31:00.001-07:00

Lately Ive been reading a couple books on George Washington and even though his house, Mt Vernon, is only a few minutes from where i grew up I can't really recall ever going there? Since Cami was in town and we were playing really good tourists we decided we might as well check it out.

I was pretty happy this bird decided to fly by and make this photo that much better

Unfortunately, the front of the house was under construction. I think they are installing valet parking for the horses

Georges house backs up to the Potomac river. Across the river they have restricted building anything as too, "not mess up the view from Mt Vernon"...A pretty awesome concept

Until I read the books "1776" and "Washington"- by Ron Chernow. I had no idea how solely responsible Washington was for America's survival as a nation. It was pretty eye opening heading to Mt Vernon and seeing his spot 1st hand.

That was, until it started pouring rain and lightening bolts.

The Face of the Nation-als

2011-08-12T11:15:00.001-07:00

While back in DC last week Cami and I hit a Nationals game. It actually wasn't 100 degrees and we ended up getting pretty decent seats.

Somehow we avoided thunderstorms and got sunsets instead

I've never been able to figure out why fans score the game in their seats when there is a 200ft HD scoreboard right across from them

The game was actually pretty exciting...Alot more so than this guys crossword puzzle

Even though the NFL has pretty much surpassed baseball as Americas pastime...Going to games never gets old.....Neither does 1$ hot dog night

A Night with Motley Crue

2011-08-05T12:21:00.000-07:00

After a good day warming up for The Crue I gotta say I was pretty excited. My Mom got me Dr. Feelgood for Xmas in 6th grade and I've been a fan ever since. She also got me Appetite for Destruction that Xmas too...Prolly the best Xmas gift I've ever gotten....

They opened with Shout at the Devil and after they finished the song Nikki Sixx jumped in the crowd to beat up some fan that threw something at Vince....HA...classic

Notice the large circle structure in the back. This was actually built for Tommy Lee who's drum set went around the circle upside down while he played the whole time. Pretty rad and classic for a Crue show.

The entire band actually played really well. Including Mick Mars who is as good and creepy as he's ever been. The crowd was super into it and the smoke in the air sums up the vibe

The person that wasn't stoked was the guy that had to clean up the mess the fans left. I forgot to mention. Someone decided to burn down a building next door to the show. Perfect way to end a perfect Fredneck day. Cant wait till next year.

Welcome to Fredneck

2011-08-04T09:43:00.000-07:00

A few months back my good friend Drew mentioned checking out this Motley Crue/ Poison show in Frederick, Maryland. After thinking about it for one millisecond I decided it was a great idea and we figured out the tickets. For those of you that haven't been to Frederick- its in the cut. The full on country, located right next to one of the biggest battlefields of the Civil War- Antietam.

Upon walking in I realized we were in for one of the best days ever. Both Music wise and people watching wise. I could wait to start documenting it all

We were there for about 30 min before Poison started their set. A friend from a while back hooked up backstage passes so we had a pretty good view of things and got to meet some special guests.

After Poison played we decided to walk around and take some photos of the surroundings...such as....The beer line

Or, some of the local patrons of the show...America's finest

As the sun set...everyone started to get excited for the Crue, who would start their set at dark...I hadn't seen the Crue before and they were actually way better than i expected. Especially considering how old they all are.

Oh yea, the special guest...If you come see Poison you might as well hang with Bret 1st

29 Leftovers

2011-08-02T07:54:00.000-07:00

Had a couple more shots I wanted to post from Two Nine

Mike Holland is good at FS Blunts...Actually so is Neil who happens to be watching

Rachel, Brenden, and Cami stayed at the house this year. Its always super fun waking up to a house full of old friends.

For the 1st 8 years or so females actually weren't allowed at Two Nine until after we skated...Not really sure what we were thinking with that one? This year we had a great crew of ladies hanging out in the shade

Two Nine turns 18

2011-07-31T14:55:00.000-07:00

Headed back to DC this week for another year of Two Nine. Such a good time to meet up with some of my very best friends, skate and hang out. We had another great game of SKATE and the turn out was super good as usual.

Angelo's Pop has not diminished from last year

100 degrees, being old, and skateboarding is not easy

Tony handled the announcing once again while skating in the game. Haven't seen Berra do that one yet

Rory did super good in the game of SKATE and actually was the reason I was sitting down, taking photos and not skating anymore

18 years in the books and hopefully another 18 to come. Nothing compares to the friends you made when you were 15...Although, my newer ones are pretty amazing as well

These Cats are Popular

2011-07-26T09:15:00.000-07:00

I swung by the Popular studios in Huntington Beach yesterday to see what those guys have been up too. They've been hard at work all summer editing the Burton movie and are pretty close to being finished. The movie is looking good and it should be a really fun premier season.

Hernandez Hideaway

2011-07-25T09:18:00.000-07:00

Cory, Jordan, Justin and I went for super fun cruise the other morning. The hills around SD are so good for motorcycles and motorcycle photos

Justin had this idea a while back and was planning on shooting it medium format until his camera broke on the way to the spot. He had to settle with shooting it with a G10

Super fun day...Cant wait to do it again

1 Hour Layover

2011-07-20T10:03:00.001-07:00

On the way back from Europe a couple weeks ago I had a quick stopover in Munich where I walked by this interesting looking guy.

Once in a while I'll see people that I really want to take a portrait of. It's a pretty weird thing asking a stranger to pose for photo. So usually I dont do it....luckily on this shot I didnt have to ask and could just shoot through this glass wall that was dividing the terminal.

Etnies TF

2011-07-18T10:09:00.000-07:00

Last week Eero, Dylan, and I got to check out the private training facility over at Etnies. I got to say its one of my more favorite parks I've skated in a long while. Everything was perfect.

Including Eero's BS noseblunts...every single try.

I cant wait to head back there for another session....Thanks to Dylan Radloff for hooking it up

Thanks Thomaz

2011-07-14T13:48:00.000-07:00

We ended up staying with Thomaz for a few days while in Barca. It was great catching up and getting a chance to check out the Method Mag offices. Plus he knows basically everything about the city and we learned so much more than we would have reading a tourist book.

Thomaz and Alexis....Good dudes.

Barca Take 3

2011-07-09T12:30:00.000-07:00

Here are some snaps from another day out in Barcelona...The place is photogenic

This guy was so focused on this portrait he didnt seem to notice my camera clicking in his ear.

I was walking down this super narrow street in the rain and looked up to see this kids poor wal-mart skateboard getting rained on.

This dude lived on the street in our neighborhood and had a beer in his hand all day long. He was super friendly and was down for photos

Why Not Play Cricket at MACBA

2011-07-06T18:02:00.000-07:00

We sat down for beers the other day before checking out some skating at one of the most famous skate spots in town- MACBA and I noticed a couple kids getting busy with a Cricket bat. Normally this probably wouldnt be that weird but MACBA is actually one of the more famous museums in town and not your normal venue for a game of cricket. None the less the kids were stoked.

Barcelona honestly has cool things going on around every corner

Each evening at MACBA people hang out, drink street beers and skate perfect flat ground and ledges. Such an amazing scene at a spot that would be an insta-bust in the US

During these guys game of SKATE this kid was doing his own version of the one footer (OllieNorth) and having a great time doing it. MACBA rules.

Chance of Showers

2011-07-05T12:35:00.000-07:00

It rained for about 10 min in Barcelona today. I quickly went out to shoot a couple umbrella photos.

This guy was the ultimate tourist. Umbrella balancing while reading map.

I think this guy was actually selling umbrellas.

The rain dried up and turned into humidity in about 30 min-I was pretty siked to get a couple snaps.

Barca Snapshots

2011-07-04T03:47:00.000-07:00

Even though its hard not being in the US on the 4th....Def cant complain..Barcelona has been amazing as usual

The Hotel has a pretty cool staircase and even cooler Air Conditioning.

Someone added a little something to the poster in the bathroom.

Skating down the perfect marble on the beach has been pretty epic. Moran decided to do his own version of street skating in Barcelona

Loss of Luggage

2011-07-02T08:10:00.000-07:00

Adam hasen't seen his luggage since getting to France a week ago....So when he finally got a new roller bag he was pretty siked...

Honestly, the only color they had was red

10pm Sunset

2011-07-01T02:58:00.000-07:00

Since I still really dont care about surfing I thought I might as well show some moral support...Glad I did. The 10pm Biarritz sunsets are pretty all time.

Luckily Adam was there to join me in the people watching.

Even though the waves were less than all time...Sani's new FB profile pick was....HA

Cote de Basque

2011-06-30T02:50:00.000-07:00

Just arrived in France. The travel went pretty easy and other than the 2 hour jetlagged drive in the dark from Bilbao-Biarritz it was one of the mellower trans-Atlantic missions I'd been on.

We woke up to find that the Basque coast has June gloom as well. After a beach day was not in the cards we headed down to San Sebastian to have some wine and tapas.

Its pretty amazing h0w many people you can find in the bar having wine and tapas mid afternoon. Sani didnt complain.

Prefab buildings don't exist in the Basque country.

San Sebastian is pretty amazing. Even when its raining.

The County Fair

2011-06-26T18:59:00.000-07:00

After being talked into going to the Del Mar Fair over and over again I finally succumbed to the peer pressure. Not that I dont enjoy Turkey Legs, Fried Donuts, and BBQ Beef Sundaes...but.....just seemed like social anxiety at its finest. We had a super good crew though, 15 deep on bikes and as we rode into the fairgrounds the security guard said he thought we were the Hells Angels....

The place was ridiculous. Every walk of American life was represented and there was no organic food to be found. Actually, deep fried butter might be organic? Robbie was there and paused for a moment. Congrads on the new job Rob.

This was the Juicy's BBQ stand and where Brent bought a turkey leg for 9$. He actually said at one point he didnt care how much any of the food cost since it was the fair.

Only a couple people out of the crew actually went on any of the rides. Most of us were mesmerized by the Michael Jackson coverband the entire time. I'm super glad I went, now I never ever have to go again.