12 for 12

12 shots from this past year... And some words.

This night was actually one of the first times that I met Juan, and aside from the fact that I knew he killed it on bikes, I couldn't have told you much else.

Long story short, Juan is cool as shit. Awesome guy to hang out and ride with, and he knows pretty much all of the spots in Boston. One of the many people I'm glad I came to know while living out in Mass. I miss all of those dudes/dudettes.

This year, aside from the fact that it's my first year shooting digital, also marks the first year of shooting with a flash. The Daves (David, above) were probably some of the kindest, most considerate, and genuine people that you'd meet out in the Lynn, Mass area. I don't think I could have lasted as long out there if it weren't for them, and everybody else that put up with me.

The kids under the light post in the background are a nice touch, and were stopped in the spot just for the duration of this photo before heading off to ride in circles throughout the lot.

Sneller is an intense guy. No one else I know rides a bike quite like him. He's a good friend.

Gap from the yellow and blue embankment to attempted wallride.

This day was hot as fuck! We we sweating before we left the parking lot of the shop, heading down into Boston, and the first flat of the day came just a few blocks away.

It was summer, we had our bikes, we met cool people, we rode all day.

I'll never get over how much fun a place as simple as a curb in a parking lot can be when you have your bike, or a skateboard, and the right combination of weather and people.

Dana, hop bars. Manning Field parking lot.

End of October, and a year back from then, I lived next to a funeral home. I would wake, some mornings, to the bleating of a bagpiper warming up for one of the plethora of (I assume) Irish/police/firemen funerals that the suburbs of Boston were home to.

Casket carts parked in the back of the funeral home's lot.

Another hot summer night in Lynn, we were in a parking garage shooting some pics as a few of the kids were doing tricks over/off the curb in an unused area. Using Tyler D. as my flash stand, I had him move around, raise and lower, and adjust the power settings on the flash as need be.

Devante and Little Javi (above) were pretty much doing laps, and I was pretty much getting the same shots (more or less), over and over. I never shoot auto-focus, and I decided to try and shoot a shot of Javi coming back around for another go. It worked out.

There are certain aspects of shooting bmx photos that require a bit of preparation, some set-up, and quite a bit of luck. Setting up flashes, figuring out lighting, where people are planning on coming from, where they're going, and what they're doing can lead to headaches... and some pretty sweet shots.

Sometimes, you're not so worried about all of that. You figure out exposure, and you kind of just hangout, sit or sun around, and you wait until something catches your eye. You wait until you see a friend in some kind of moment of endearing behaviour.

Juan, checking his bike for damage, after a fall, and after he'd already been riding the entire day on a broken front axle, and shit-tons of energy drinks.

I think this was possibly the last big group ride that we had before I left, and definitely my last trip down in to Boston, proper. It was a long day of riding: Lynn, Boston, Cambridge, Somerville, everywhere in between.

Devon, school yard rail hop, Somerville.

Dana, Devon & Javi; that same last day in Boston, near Fenway Park and the Best Buy wedge.

I think I'm really more into documenting stuff going on as it happens, rather than trying to get people to pose, or act a certain way for photos. Luckily, kids don't usually act in those rigid and artificial ways that we, as the jaded, crusty adults that we are, tend to.

It's also easier when you're actually shooting pics of people that you care about, and that are a bigger part of your life than a day's pay.

One of many photos for some good friends; their son, just being himself.

The first time I went to a cyclocross race, I had just recently gotten my first slr (a Minolta x700, 35mm), there was snow on the ground, and I pretty much knew jack shit about how to actually use the settings on my camera. I think I had a complete roll that was worthless (because if you don't actually know how to use the manual controls, shooting in high contrast snowy bullshit is probably going to end badly), a handful of shots exposed properly, and absolutely no shots worth looking at.

This (four years later, maybe?) was my second go, the ground was clear, I was shooting with a much better camera, and I'm not as completely retarded as I once was. Aside from the fact that I felt like poo that day, I would label it as a success. Holland, MI.

Two bald men sitting. Everyone else mingling.

Wedding vow renewal, Peabody Mass.