WHEN I FIRST GOT the job at Thrasher I could barely take photos. Don't believe me? Check out Jason Dill's interview in the Oct. '97 issue! I had to put myself on a strict photo training regimen--taking notes, shooting tons of test rolls and buckling down to figure out exactly what the "F" of an F-stop was. I got so aggro about getting my skate photos up to par, I completely spaced out on shooting anything else. As soon as the trick was landed, I wiped my brow, packed up the bag and began the hunt for the next crooked grind.

Looking back on those years, I realize I totally blew it. Though my archive boasts hundreds of sheets of shitty contest sequences, it lacks a single portrait of Phil Shao or Shiloh Greathouse or even any of my close friends.

It's been said before, but skateboarding's a lot bigger than pros or tricks or quadruple kinks. It's about the laughs, the weirdos, the costumes and the kids--and everything else you run into on the highway of stoke. It's about your life. And it's worth remembering.

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Typical van sandwich, 2005; Taking trips means making friends, Spain 2002; Geoff and French Fred on the night Geoff got slipped a mickey, Tucson 2005; Bad-headed freakout, Carbondale 2004

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Paintball to the bread Basket, Toy Machine US tour 2003; The perpetrators, Ed Templeton and Billy Marks; Kale Sandridge, 2000; Legends Duncan, Beardo, and Reategui at a jacked TV awards show, 2000; Sometimes epic bails are better than makes--Kanten Russell in Japan, 2000; Jake Duncombe takes it all in, 2005; Erik Ellington at the beginning of the costume era, 2000

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Board toss, Zero Spring Break Tour 2003; Todd Congelliere skate rocks on 4th Street, San Pedro, 1999; Kids in Huntington Beach, 1999; Jerry and Marc--banana wang, 2001

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Rob Dyrdek in the Dyrdekalade, 2005; The shot we should have used--Jamie Thomas, 1999; Indy and Dan Murphy, 2005; Science Fair, 1998; Donny Barley, 2000; Frank Gerwer, sexy as hell, 2002; Matt Mumford as Chopper, Halloween 2003; Anthony Van Engelen was one of the first people lever shot. Switch nosegrind, 1997

CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: Accident at Hollywood High, 2003; Free decks for scooter kids. Arizona, 2005; Love in the shallow end, 2000; Texas Dan in the Toxic Tubes, 2002; Colin McKay at home, 2005; Ali Boulala on a bender, Spain 2001; Jim Greco, post session depression, 2005

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