Dry Surf Bonus: Bob Carey Photos

One of the participant photographers in our final ‘Group Exhibit’ is world traveler, creator of The Tutu Project, former Phoenix skate rat and one of my favorite people, Bob Carey. Bob was gracious enough to lend us some images but we weren’t expecting 90+ amazing snaps in time to go through. Colin and I spent the afternoon just picking our four favorites. As a bonus, we decided to share all the photos Bob gave us in random order (with Bob’s blessing, of course). It’s an amazing glimpse into 1979 Phoenix. Enjoy! Get hyped! Go roll!

March 1979
Skateboarding started for me the day I broke my shoulder while skating the half pipe at
High Roller Skate Park. I yelled for my best friend Evan to take me to the hospital, and
his reply was, “Hang on, let me do one more run.” Then my friends threw me in the
back of my 1968 Impala, dropping me off at the ER. The one thing I remember that
bummed me out is that they had to cut off my new Black Sabbath t-shirt.

Two weeks later, on the way home from the hospital, my dad didn’t say much but knew I
had a few hundred bucks in the bank and recommended that I buy a camera. It was his
way of suggesting I needed a new hobby. I started photographing my friends, inspired
by Skateboarder Magazine. Who would have thought it would lead to a 40-year career
in photography? It made me feel like I was able to do my own thing, kind of like
skateboarding had always been for me.

-Bob Carey