‘It’s always so special to see your work sitting on a shelf in a store’
Elise Crigar
August 2024
On your IG it says Skateboarder, Photographer and Designer. If you had to pick one, what would it be and why?
I hope to never have to give up skating! I would pick a photographer as it would allow me to still work in a creative space around skateboarding.
What came first for you? Skateboarding or Photography?
Photography came first. As a teenager it was a creative outlet where I captured mostly stills and self-portraits. As I grew into high school my photography expanded into children, families, and weddings. My first job was at Sears portrait studio. I quickly realized I could make good money shooting weddings and families; this prepared me for my transition to college. It was during college that I learned to skate, and at the same time, I was developing my future in fine art and graphic design. I pretty much mushed all my passions together across multiple mediums and that’s how photographing skateboarding was born.
Whilst there are a lot of female skaters out there, is it fair to say that there is generally a lack of female representation in photography?
Why do you think this is the case? Compared to the wide world of sports, there are not a lot of female skaters out there in my opinion. So I feel it’s only natural that the pool of female skate photographers is even smaller. As female skating continues to expand into broader spaces, I hope this presents opportunities for growth. Traditionally skating was not a space where women were accepted in any capacity. You can only be what you can see.
Who are some of the female photographers that inspire you?
Sarah Lee is one of my favorite female photographers. Her work encapsulates movement, femininity, colors, and composition beautifully. Also, the fact that she can hold her own swimming through waves to capture water shots is so impressive.
Proudest moment as a photographer?
Walking into Barnes in Noble to see my work published in the book “Skate Like A Girl.” I had several pages of photos in this book, and it’s always so special to see your work sitting on a shelf in a store like that. I was also featured as a skater in it myself, along with some of my really great friends.
‘You can only be what you can see.’
You designed the books ‘4 Wheels and a board’ and ‘It’s not about pretty’. How did you end up with the opportunity?
It all started with a phone call in a parking lot. To make a long story short, after graduating college I began to build my freelance work around skateboarding, surfing, and women in sports. I reached out to Cindy Whitehead via Instagram and offered my services for free. We first collaborated on small projects, and to be honest we just clicked. To this day she’s one of my best friends. She approached me about designing INAP in 2016, the book was published in 2017. This project helped me launch my career by landing a job in California. A few years later, Cindy graciously shared this as a reference to the Smithsonian for the book “4 Wheels And A Board.” My partner Alex Barnes and I took on this project together in 2020 and the book was published in 2022.
Last question. If you could interview one person, who would it be and why?
Barbie. I’d love to hear her POV of how the world should be and everything women should do without the stereotypes that exist today.
