‘Any of Jake Darwin’s photos, he’s amazing!!’
Mike Bargas
Colorado
October 2023
You are from Colorado, US. What is the skate scene like?
– It’s amazing! Strangers turn into life-long friends very quickly! Great skateparks, awesome street spots, and incredible scenery. Colorado is the best!
Assuming you started off skateboarding, at what point did you move to photography and why?
– I’ve been skateboarding since about the about the age of 8 but never progressed as well as my friends, so in 2014 I started taking pictures because no-one else in our skate scene was doing it. I instantly fell in love with it and never looked back.
Is there one skateshot you wish you had taken?
– Any of Jake Darwin’s photos, he’s amazing!!
Proudest moment as a photographer?
– Just seeing the homies reaction when they execute the trick perfect and I actually have a decent shot, I hate to ask to re-do something so it’s always cool when we both nail it!
Most embarrassing?
– I actually tore my meniscus back in 2018 from just standing up after shooting a photo, maybe not super embarrassing but pretty funny.
What is your take on skateshots that have not been landed?
– It happens, can’t always land every trick. I personally had a photo ran in a magazine and the trick was not landed that day, but he’ll go back and do it so it’ll work itself out.
‘Colorado is the best!’
Is there any post-production you do? If so, how far do you go?
– I like to use my in-camera settings to get a good quality shot, I use my phone editor to sharpen and brighten/darken certain areas. I try not to edit the photo too much.
What is on your wishlist?
– I’ve always been fascinated with film photography, that’s something I’m looking into next!
If you could interview one person, who would it be and why?
– Definitely Atiba Jefferson, he grew up in my same area and graduated from the school I went to. Would love to pick his brain and hopefully learn a thing or two from him!
