“This photo was never supposed to happen.”
-Rob Locker

Sometimes things don’t work out as planned, being the owner of a skateboard company with a team I know all-to-well that in order to get shit done you have to do it yourself. This photo is one of those such occasions. Being an up-and-coming skate brand in the 00’s, we did whatever we could to get some mainstream coverage. At the time the most mainstream we were aspiring to was to be featured on the go-to website of the time: Jeff Greenwood’s awesome Concrete Disciples.

It was a big skate weekend in AZ back in 20-whatever and AZPX lined up the CD staff (Christian Cooper and MRZ) to come shoot and write a story about the AZ scene for the website. After a bunch of logistical work, we lined up a shit pit somewhere in Tempe and one of AZPX’s top riders for a photo shoot.

The day of the shoot said AZPX rider called in with a back injury and couldn’t make it. Christian and Ray looked at me and said, “You’re the guy”. At that moment fear came over me. “I don’t have the skills to even come close to getting some good shots for any photographer, let alone a total pro like MRZ.” None of that mattered. They were there, I was the guy. Period. I’m ok in a pool and can keep up in almost any session but what the fuck was I going to do? A radical kickturn?

Hoss Rogers | Legendary Field Guide Photo: MRZ

I think Hoss Rogers might have lined up the bowl, it was my first time there. There wasn’t much to excited about except for the car with suicide doors parked next to the pool, which was a typical steep-n-deep diver with that infamous Kool-Dek style coping. I was going to be lucky to get a backside scratcher grind but I couldn’t let on how nervous I was. While Ray was setting up his lighting equipment, we started feeling out some lines. I was able to get a backside grind without being pitched off from the Kool-Deck so I thought I had a chance to get something done.

I love Ray and Christian. They were patient with me but not too patient. Ray suggested I do the raddest backside grind I could do which set the tone. After a couple of tries with my eyes closed I was charging the coping as hard as I could go and was getting these long, extended backside grinds, sort of locked in. The grind kind of looked like a Backside Smith grind but I was still staying under the lip. I got pitched off a few times and slammed my elbow which bled everywhere. Everyone there egged me on to go for another right away and that’s when this shot was taken.

AZPX 19th Anniversary Poster Series

The experience described above is the reason I chose this shot to be part of AZPX’s 19th Anniversary Poster Series. Narcissistic? Maybe a little. This is one of the most memorable times I have had the opportunity to be a part of during this local skateboard company run. I couldn’t resist sharing it. If you made it this far, thanks for reading and for supporting AZPX over the past nineteen years!