Charlie Simek
‘Each one has its own way of allowing to perceive or interact with skateboarding in a different way.’
November 2025
On your IG account it says ‘Texas’ before listing you are a skateboarder. Are Texas people generally very proud about their home state?
Yeah, most Texans rep hard for the state (laughing). I have it in my profile biography more for letting people know where I’m based at, but I’m still stoked to be a Texan.
Where is the capitol of Texas skateboarding?
Majority of the time, I’d say it’s a toss up between any of the big three of Austin, Houston, Dallas. Lately I feel like Austin or Dallas could be considered the capital for Texas skateboarding just based off of recent activity or overall skill.
You seem a full-blooded skater as you are also into video and photography, and you work in a skate shop. Is there anything else you want to do in the future?
I love it all! Each one has its own way of allowing to perceive or interact with skateboarding in a different way. I’d love to push further into the skateboarding industry with videography. Filming skateboarding today still gets me just as hyped as the first time I tried filming with my buddy’s setup. I love the entire process and the creative flexibility it includes. Being able to shoot with a core brand or organization within the industry as a job/career has always been a dream of mine.
What is day like working in a skate shop? Is it as romantic as it sounds?
(Laughing) Sometimes! It’s always super sick putting together a kids first complete and seeing the excitement on their face when they finally get it in their hands. Occasionally getting first dibs on products or placing special orders is nice too. It’s definitely more laid back than a typical retail job where I’m at, but still has a lot of similar aspects of any other retail job. Rearranging, folding, tracking inventory, staying ahead on orders, surviving summer rushes, etc.
‘Rearranging, folding, tracking inventory, staying ahead on orders, surviving summer rushes, etc.’
When do you decide to film instead of shooting? And how often do you get it right?
Lately all I’ve been doing is filming, I’ve got trey around so usually that’s usually who my friends and I trust to photograph us. I don’t get the photo itch much but that may be due to my current setup not siding itself very well to a photo editing workflow.
What have you learned from shooting that you apply in filming?
Composition, style, learning and knowing how to balance shutter speed, aperture, and ISO to get the results you’re looking for.
Thanks, Charlie.