The first time I was ever around someone that cared about photos, I was at uni. Days were spent avoiding classes, enjoying the happy ignorance and vitamin D that skateboarding endless hours a day brings.

There was a guy in the year above me, that I would occasionally skate with. Slightly nerdy, but with bright eyes, a kind disposition and the kind of energy to all he did, that i have come to truly admire and aspire to.

Simon asked to bring the camera down to our next skate session; Without understanding the full meaning of this, I happily agreed. It was to be my first time around a camera, and my first time in front of the pointy end of the lens.

What an amazing experience! and how different to what i had expected. I was asked to repeat a hand plant (a trick that was right at the limit of my potential) maybe 40 times. Sometimes, I missed the trick, often it was that Simon, as the photographer wanted to alter an effect of the shot, the lighting or something in the magic box he was holding to his eye.

It was a experience looking through the looking glass for me as a young skater. All I wanted was to land the trick, to have some hack photo, and to brag about it to the largely disinterested girls I spent time with in that era. I was blinded to the subtle balancing of three speed lights with various light modifiers, the small changes to angle and camera set up as the clouds rolled over, causing an ever changing light level. That control of light is something I still aspire to!

But Simon was producing art...he was perfecting something beautiful, of which I was only contributing something small as the model

cropped lo res version. original by Simon Pynt

Here is all i have left of that photo. A cropped profile portrait photo from Facebook. Cropped, bastardised and corrupted. Simon, if your reading, I would love to get a copy of the original! I'll replace this crappy version here and print one for myself!

Simon Pynt produces beautiful photos today. That huge energy and curiosity keep those bright eyes looking at the world for beauty. His wildlife work in particular really grabs me.

check it out at http://www.simonpynt.com

Indi nose bone, Shaun, Fremantle Plaza.

I stopped skateboarding. If I wanted to seem hip with the guys that do, I'd drag that spectacular shot out on my phone and gloat, I looked good, but Simon, the photographer had done all the work. For so many years after,I was still a skater, I was part of the scene and it was a comfortable place for me.

I still like skateboarding. I like the culture, the athleticism, the fashion. Last time I approached a skate park, I didn't expect to feel the trepidation that I did.

I wanted to do what Simon did. I wanted to catch someone doing something amazing, and make it look as worthy as it is. To take something dynamic and add a touch of art to it

Ben Buckley

Ben Buckley invited down to Plaza skatepark, Fremantle, for a mid week night session. I arrived early and stood on the side lines with no board to validate myself. Looking at myself from the outside, I would have looked nerdy with my camera gear stuffed in various bags, held back by my timidity and watching with bright hungry eyes. Hungry to be part of that beautiful lifestyle again. but it was though a shopfront display window. This time I was standing outside of the pond, watching the fish swim happy, but unable to get wet myself.

Skate photography is both very hard and very easy. At its simplest: strap on a fisheye lens, get so far into the action, that you are in the way and shoot a burst of photos as fast as you can. At the same time, the composition is unlike most other sports, the athletes, creatives themselves are critical, the movement is fast and often intimate and difficult to capture.

I went into the night with a shot in mind. I've never done that before. Picturing something a little unusual in skate photography. I envisioned something simple, with harsh directional lighting and some simple geometry. It had to be on the opposite end of the spectrum from the all to easy Fish-eye.

K Grind. Ben Buckley. Plaza Fremantle.

I got the shot, and I ran over to show Ben. I ran on the skate park, not around it. Suddenly I had a reason to be there. Sure, I wasn't rolling, but at least I was there with a purpose. It led to an amazing night; slowly I met more and more people and they let me take photos of them. I had forgotten how friendly a skate park could be. These were just nice guys doing what they love and, as it turns out, happy to share it.

Below are more photos from that night:

Nollie to nose grind. Hayden Popovic. Plaza Fremantle

BS kickflip on the Euro gap. Ben Buckley. Plaza Fremantle

50-50 on the over vert bowl. Shaun. Plaza Fremantle

K Grind. Ben Buckley. Plaza Fremantle

Tre flip. Hayden Popovic. Plaza Fremantle

For my first foray into night/flash/sports photography, I'm fairly happy. These photos will be a good stepping stone. I definitely want to do more!