I started photographing skaters in 2009, creating a series of photographic portraits of skateboarders around the world, capturing them in the spaces they inhabit—urban backdrops, peripheral landscapes, and in-between zones at the edges of cities. Each portrait is still and frontal, allowing the subject to hold space and presence within their environment. The project is rooted in a desire to understand the solitary, internal world of the skateboarder. Many skaters speak of entering a different state of consciousness while skating. When I made these portraits, I asked them to bring themselves into that meditative space.
300 skaters, shot across six countries over three years, the project explores themes of identity, solitude, and subculture, offering a quiet counterpoint to the energy typically associated with skateboarding imagery. The series culminated in a solo exhibition at the National Portrait Gallery and was published as a monograph by Kehrer Verlag.