‘I wanted to push the limits of what I could do using one of the most difficult cameras you could possibly shoot skating with.’
Dave Rollans
Photographer
November 2025
Let’s cut to the chase. Most of your images are captured with a 77- year-old camera. I have some many questions so let’s just start with why?
I’d been shooting images since I was little and learned all about developing film along with printing when I was in high school. Shot a medium format camera for a lot of skate images but would always pre-compose my images on a tripod and watch the scene with my eyes instead of through the viewfinder. A fellow photographer mentioned that I should just step up to a 4×5 camera since I already use the workflow of a large format camera. So, $120 later, I bought my first 4×5 camera from him and began the journey of shooting a camera that very few have shot skating with.
Do you also use this camera for skate shots? If so, what are the main challenges?
Yes, absolutely do. I saw an image that Atiba shot at one point using a 4×5 camera, but I thought it wasn’t up to the caliber of his work. So, I wanted to push the limits of what I could do using one of the most difficult cameras you could possibly shoot skating with. The main challenges would be pre-composing because you cannot see through a viewfinder, and composing is done on a “ground glass”. So, the image is both upside down and backwards. You have to truly understand skating and where the skaters peak of the trick will be. Secondly, focusing on the camera is very difficult. Many people quit using large format film cameras due to the difficulty of focusing a portrait. So, shooting skating on a large format camera is somewhat unheard of. I’ve only seen 3 or 4 others who have done it. I’m sure there might be more, but not that I’ve seen. Lately though, I’ve been enjoying using my 35mm and digital camera more and more, especially since peel-apart polaroid film isn’t around to proof images anymore.
Any photographers that stood out for you personally?
Grant Brittain, Dave Swift, Spike Jonze, Atiba Jefferson, and Matt Price. They all have a look to how they shoot. So many photographers’ work can kinda blend in with one another, but I feel like I could tell when it was any one of their images. Especially loved Spike Jonze for his stroboscopic flash work.
Any proud moments with your skate photography?
Proud isn’t the word I’d put on it. Just enjoy the journey and capturing whatever is happening at a session. It’s always a great feeling when an image runs in a print publication though. The lack of print in our modern society is really sad. In high school, we were taught that it’s not enough to just shoot the image. You have to make a print for it to be real. We couldn’t turn in a negative to the teacher and pass an assignment. We had to go the extra step toward making a tangible image that could be held, that could be felt, that would stand the test of time.
‘Especially loved Spike Jonze for his stroboscopic flash work.’
If you could pick any skater in the world to have shooting with, who would it be?
My friend John Lupfer is my favorite to shoot with along with Eric Hutchinson. They’re just so creative in the way they look at the world and are an absolute blast to hang out with. As much as I love meeting new people and getting out to make photos. I’m a creature of habit and enjoy going out with folks who respect the process. Photography feels very secondary these days, in a world where we’re bogged down my images all day, and anyone can take an image with a rectangle they carry in their pocket. So, I enjoy meeting with skaters who respect the craft and understand the importance of print. Our photographic prints will be there in 20+ years but will our Instagram clips? Our YouTube videos? Who knows where digital media will go and what happens when the next myspace crash causes a bunch of folks to lose their precious memories. If anyone gathers something from this interview, I would hope it would be that printing your images is crucial. Make a little 4×6 photo album of your favorite memories and cherish them for years to come.
What does your dream assignment look like?
My dream photo assignment would be to go on a month long skate trip to Barcelona and then Brazil. Lived in Brazil when I was younger and have always wanted to go back. Barcelona also seems like it’s very photogenic, along with being full of spots. A month seems like a long time, but it would be a blast and would go by fast.
Last question. If you could interview one person, who would it be?
Ed Templeton. (Laughing) This is a random one but he’s an incredible skater, photographer, and artist. Majorly respect what he built for himself with Toy Machine and always thought he’d be someone who would have a lot of profound wisdom, whilst also being humble about it. Just seems like an interesting person.
‘Our photographic prints will be there in 20+ years but will our Instagram clips?’