I love looking for tracks in the mud, snow or sand. Wondering where they had been or where they were going to. These tracks came from one side of the beach and ended in the sea. This made my mind work overtime and i came up with all sorts of weird and wonderfull explanations. Alien invaders from the sea? A secret moonlight experiment by some mad inventor? Then i looked across the beach and saw a tractor moving a filing cabinet from the rocks and my hopes were dashed! Damn fly tippers.
post by Mark J. Harman
Tracks
Forever.
We had to start everyday at this spot whilst we were in Paris to get everyone in the right mood for an all day mission around the city.
Turn's out it gets no easier as you get older.
Post by Bingo.
Fun.
Every time I go to Harrow it rains, it's usually starting just as I get out at the train station.
On this day Kyle (surfing) and Dan (pushing) didn't let it get in the way of a good time, for a couple of minutes at least.
Post by Sam Ashley.
Soothsayer.
I asked this guy if he knew any Eddie Cochran. He played me 'Nervous Breakdown' and then into 'Come on everybody', without missing a beat or a breath.
He then rolled a cigarette and went on to explain they were all basically the same song, but it wasn't the music really and that the real stamp of that era was the people who made those records.
I couldn't of agreed more.
Post by David Dixon
Everything has its use.
This is one of my favourite photos of my favourite places.
Whilst walking along the beach one day I came across this tire just dumped there on the shore. It made me so angry, I thought "How could someone just dump this in the sea?" and got all self-righteous and eco friendly, but upon closer inspection i found that whilst the tide had gone back out, there was still a good few inches left inside the tire which was by now housing a pretty big crab and some small fish.
This tire may have just saved their lives.
Everything has its use, I suppose.
Post by Mark J. Harman
Surfer Rosa.
This was my first time taking photos at a gig and I was only there with my gear because it was the after party of a skate film premiere. I knew the guy who runs the night and he saw me with my gear and let me get next to the stage.
So in the course of the night I had ran across and stood in the middle of the stage about 15 times, danced like an idiot whilst trying to get a good angle for when she was singing in the crowd.
Got my cock groped by 3 or 4 people and nearly dragged into the crowd off the stage.
Amazing.
Post by Jim Walker.
Ice.
Ice Hockey + Skateboarding = John Magnusson.
Who would have thought Ice hockey and skateboarding would go hand in hand? J-Mag reveals the secret behind his effortless and stylish skateboarding.
Post by Nils Svensson.
Fridges.
When I lived in Sheffield I used to skate pretty much everywhere, now I live in London it's a bit more 'get on a bus to go somewhere to do it', definitely a negative.
This is across the street from my bus stop. They've since ruined it by calling it 'Sellfridges'.
Post by Sam Ashley.
Voodoo.
I shot this photo in Harlem, with the first compact I ever owned. It used to belong to my Dad and most of the controls were automatic.
I subseqently dropped this camera into a river in Berlin whilst drunk and rambling the city at around 4 in the morning.
I regret this. I really wanted to keep that camera, but in a way it made me go out and buy a a fully manual piece and then I really got the bug.
Post by David Dixon.
Reflect.
Sometimes the best times are the in between times. I went through some real rough times as a kid and skateboarding provided many joys as well as times just to get my head straight.
We all find skateboarding for various reasons, but I'd be willing to bet what keeps us involved is the extended family that comes free with the board. Just like stickers.
Leica M6 90mm Summicron Ilford HP5.
Post by Dan Boulton.
Voyage.
Skateboarding takes you to some random places.
From dirty building sites, to the most amazing secret spots in run down council estates.
My most random spot was a massive metal full pipe we found on the side of the 405 highway in San Diego whilst working at a trade show a few years back, lets just say the trade show was put on the back burner for a couple of hours.
Heres to the ghetto spots, the D.I.Y spots and the people that make them happen.
Post by Mark J. Harman
Clawed.
With all the mess that this country and others produce, it amazing when you see the re-use of what we term as 'scrap.' There is value in everything and nothing we do is without cost.
I just hope when the human race is on the scrapper, theres a big enough claw.
Post by David Dixon.
My little eye.
You have to watch out for elderly spanish women, for they never miss a trick.
Leica m6 50mm summicron, Ilford hp5.
Post by Dan Boulton.
Busy.
Shutting yourself from it all ain't as easy as it looks. Trying to keep your head down whilst 10,000 people trudge pass in between showers ain't no small thing.
My friend, Rich, pictured here has it down to a quiet science. As soon as his mask goes on the hood goes up, he's gone, a ghost for all intent and purposes. Until that is he finishes and like just that, he comes back to life.
A wonderous talent, one of which I am most envious.
Post by David Dixon.
Half Boy, Half Punk.
I asked this lad if I could take his picture, he replied "yes" for ten dollars? He then said "why would you want to do that I'm ugly?",I replied simply "Your just different."
Post by Adam Mondon.
Deep end.
I shot this pic 2 1/2 years ago, it was one of the last things we shot on the whole trip. One of my flashes was miss firing and gave Stu a ghost shirt (tm) so it never saw print. We shot a bunch of shit but this was by far one of the more spur of the moment things. The bowl is gnarly steep and i'm not sure how Stu managed to do it so easily, trust me it's not easy at all.
As you can see he is utilising the grabbing of the nose to make sure if he bails he gets to do a Stu slide(tm) into the deep end. Thats a slide where you are smiling to your self as you screech down the curved wall when you should be shitting it. Anyway that doesn't really tell you much about Stu at all, except that he is always having fun when he skates, even when he's slamming. infact, he's always smiling full stop. In the 2 1/2 years since this trip he has married his wife and has 2 kids by her and he's smiling more than ever.
Post by Alex Irvine.
Older.
Lately I have been feeling really old. I'm heavier, and less flexible than when I was a wee bairn. But this weekend made me realise how much fun skateboarding still is for me and my friends, even if we are all getting a little bigger around the middle. All it took was a trip to a ghetto spot, a bit of lifting and hammering and such like and I felt like I was 16 again, amazing what a bit of elbow grease and laughter can do for the soul.
Although I do still hate all the kids for being better than me.
Post by Mark J.Harman.
Stop.
Sometimes if you stop and just compose yourself, it will all work out okay. Other times it can be the kiss of death.
Post by David Dixon.
Butterflies.
No matter how familiar the spot or how long you've been skating, there's always a buzz about the anticipation of rolling up to a spot and hearing the sounds of skaters long before the drama comes into view.
Leica m6 50mm summicron, Ilford hp5.
Post by Dan Boulton.
Forget the swan.
When I was little lad, I was walking in the park with my Dad and tried to feed some bread to a duck.
Needless to say, this devil spawn got too greedy and bit onto my fingers. It wouldn't let go and so my Dad had to end up kicking it, to make it let go.
I rarely see these 'ducks' any more, but when I look at a swan, they're always eyeing up my precious digits.
Post by Jim 'Fingers and toes' Walker.
Weather.
A mere two days of summer (if that). The gnarliest skies I have seen in my life. This global warming thing needs to be taken seriously.
Whatever happened to the endless summers we had as kids? soon it will white winters with woolen mittens that your nan knitted you. Its all gone to pot my friend.
We need to find out before our times out. Bets taken on whether t it will be sunny on Christmas day.
Post by Mark J. Harman.
Gone.
I once spent 8 months living in Barcelona with a Spanish girl. I woke
one morning to find she had packed all her things and left without a
trace. I've never heard from her since.
Stoked.
Post by Stu Bentley.
Grart.
People should write on their griptape more as far as I'm concerned. Ive seen some seriously deep statements, and I've seen some down right stupidness that could only be described as the "scribblings of a retard", but either way they have all made me look and wonder where it came from.
Hopefully this will develop into little series for the mag.
Posted by Mark J. Harman.
Unidentified body.
London's parks give up the odd weird artefact now and again, on a very early summer impromptu picnic this lurker wasn't noticed until someone almost walked over it. Whatever it was, it looks like urban foxes maybe butchered it under the moon the night before. Call CSI.
Post by Paul Gonella
The war.
Gnats and Mosquitos can drive you to utter distraction. Here, the red mist descends, as the heat and the insect attention becomes too much to bear for one little human blood bank.
The summer is pretty fucked, by pestilence at least.
Post by David Dixon.
1 hour rule.
"My girlfriends run off with my car, and gone back to her ma and pa, telling tales of drunkenness and cruelty. now Im sitting here, sipping at my ice cold beer, lazing on a sunny afternoon."
Cheap bbq, food and beers. good mates. cliff diving.
Summertime.
Post by Jim Walker
Simple pleasures.
The old ones are the best as they say, and in skateboarding's case this is most certainly true. You just cant beat a tweaked out frontside rocker. No flippity do da to switch elephant grind here my friend, just pure style.
Went shooting with Sandy yesterday for an idea for the first issue, keep your eyes peeled and dont sleep!
Because just like Nas said, sleep is the cousin of death.
Post by Mark J. Harman.
Subsidence.
Chris Haslam is posssibly the mellowist person I've ever met. I got to hang out with him at the Meanwhile Jam and once the interest of many, many, many pre-pubesent skater kids subsided, we managed to get to a quieter spot where I could get this and other shots. Chris is a natural in front of the camera and came up with the poses, leaving me to just click away. 
Dev'd up the roll that night and printed straight to fibre the next morning...the shots have had alot of interest ever since and have them framed on the living room wall as a daily reminder.
These were shot with a leica m6 50mm summicron with Ilford HP5.
Post by Dan Boulton.
Tolls.
This dude was loud.
There was a wedding taking place on the day we chose to visit this temple, and as we walked around the perimeters of the grounds with our tour guide, all we could hear were these deep echoing booms, rythmic and full of portent.
I shot these two to try and capture the move from stoic to thunderous. It's not really possible you have to feel it to believe it.
Post by David Dixon.
Dicking around.
Sitting in my living room, watching the same lame old videos, I decided to call a guy who I always hang out with and take photos of, as he is dick, and down for whatever.
I said: "Lets go and build something, I know a place" and he was as per usual down for it. So a couple of beers and the camera bag and off we set. No tools, no nothing.
Some crates, wood and some old concrete pipes later and we had made something kind of fun and skateable. This is how shit should be easy and uncomplicated, just like this dude.
Post by David Dixon.
Cruel.
Skateboarding is a cruel friend.
One minute your high fiving and buzzing off the adrenalin from the trick you just made, next minute you try to one up yourself and your scraping across the floor topless.
Skate photographers complain they have to lie down on some piss stained floor or carry lots of heavy equipment but seeing your mate slam at the bottom of a set is the worst thing ever.
I love high fives.
Post by Jim Walker
Banned.
I once got banned from driving.
One speeding ticket too many and I was devastated. 6 months later and a letter from the police:
"Dear Mr. Bentley, there had been a crash the day before you got your ticket and the speed limit sign in front of the camera had been knocked down. As such, we are re-instating your licence."
Unbelievable.
Claude gets 6 points as he passes the sweaty basement in which I took this photo of Arnaud Rebotini.
Post by Stuart Bentley.
Worth.
I hate planes, I find them, and more to the fact being aboard them, an unnatural advancement in science and technology. The overwhelming sense of dread that fills me on every single flight is sometimes too much to bear.
However the moment the wheels touch that tarmac, the surge of joy and the sense of worth is truly magnificent.
Post by David Dixon.
The secret frame.
It sometimes occours that there will be a rogue frame at the end of a roll, its rare but seems to happen to me a lot, maybe my index is busted, but I always think I have shot the last one to find out I have one left.
I always shoot this frame, off the cuff, without any real concern and labour and well, just see what happens. This time it worked out okay for me.
Post by David Dixon.
Commit.
Commitment in skateboarding, as with other aspects of life is a hard thing to get to grips with. We all want to land safe and ride away clean, but sometimes life just isnt that simple.
Post by Mark J.Harman
Roundabout.
A friend and I checked out a skate spot on a busy roundabout, just some shitty banks, it wasn't upto much and was precarious to say the least. In the middle of this little roundabout stands an alcove of trees you walk through to reach the road.
They kind of made you feel like you were going somewhere magical. Believe me when I say we didn't.
£3 instamatic strikes again to suspend that disbelief.
Post by David Dixon.
Fully automatic.
I bought this camera in a second hand shop, it was £3.00. Its fully automatic with a few manual exposure options. I bought it because it had cool symbols to on it, sunny, overcast and one with lightning.
I am waiting for the day to use that setting.
Post by David Dixon.
Focus.
Focus, is what my teachers used to say to me in school when i messed around or got caught drawing the H-street or powell logos on my books or the table. Now thats all well and good I thought, focusing will bring me a good career and what I want/need in the future. Money, a good job, but theres always time and always room for a bit of a blurring in everyones life.
No matter what trouble it brings.
Post by Mark J.Harman
The wooden wife.
I often wonder how my life would have turned out if "Crazy Ed" from Sudbury didnt invite me out skating one day in the late 80's, it was an eye opener for sure. Watchin Baisey do long ass manual rolls, and Andy Martin doing street plants, I was amazed!
I then started blowing out school, and whatever else I was into at the time, all for skating, I could have been some beefcake black belt or some proper townie knob or some other shit and that just wouldnt have done.
So thanks Ed, I owe you one.
Post by Mark J.Harman
Pirate.
I laid on my back in crack of a set of steps, to try and make this shot work. Too much light in all the wrong places. On top of that Swedish booze is like three percent. This pirate move is about the only saving grace in ten badly exposed frames.
Post by David Dixon
Crew.
LxBxP running strong in all the wrong ways. Blood aint as thick as us. Fancy dress fanatics sweat it out in the pit.
Post by Percy Dean
Choke.
A friend of mine took me to this spot, its an old site, like a bunker, loads of old units and such like. Its on a preserved piece of land. A lot of dogwalkers frequent it and get to occasionally sneak a peak at all the beautiful mish mash of colours.
Here that same friend uses a minimal amount of paint and energy, to create something stoic in the haze of carplan and belton. He's painted this spot regularly since he was a kid, keen to get his daily dose of choke.
Post by David Dixon.
Done.
Let it be said, that yeah, the photographic use for the balaclava is done, and every fucker has used it, but theres no denying its inimitable effect.
Aside from it being haunting in its sexual demure and of course, lets not forget, useful, if you are thinking of robbing a small convienience store or post office, the balaclava still retains that overall look of anonymous loss and foreboding, which is somehow alluring.
We fucked around with this green woolen mask for a few shots, and somehow ended up feeling scarred and excited at the same time.
I use it now to keep my video camera safe in my bag. It probably best left there.
Post by David Dixon.
Skip diving.
A friend and I were skating some bullshit council park on an estate near where I used to live as kid. It was pretty bleak and deserted and well to be fair, a waste of council resources and budgeting. We had skated for what seemed like an eternity ( but what probably amounted to ten minutes ) and these little dudes came up, carrying skateboards. I had to double take when I saw what the smallest kid had, and quickly asked to examine it.
He offered it up no problem, and explained he had found it in a skip near a burnt out flat. I offered him my relatively new set-up in exchange, and he kind of latched on, and realised it was something special. I counter offered with a shot on my wheels for a chance to snap a few frames of his, and so the story goes.
I hope he still has it, and it doesn't languish in another flat, waiting to be charcoal.
Post by David Dixon.
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