CC Roberts’ Bucketboard
Subject: CC Roberts
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Profile, Page 54
CC killed it this day. I can’t even imagine how hard this is. Wes Brisco and Nick V helped us out by driving the boat, and James K held down rope duty. It takes a lot of patience and confidence to pull it off but we made it happen. I held the my rope with one hand, the camera in the other, then reached over to help CC. He starts right next to me balancing in the water with his life vest on. I’d help hold the tip of the board in the right direction until the ropes came tight. He can stick the sliding beach start everytime, but out in the deep water it’s a balancing act in the water…especially with rollers. Once we were all good and pointing in the right direction, Wes would tighten up the rope and pull us up. It’s cool to watch from my angle because he gets up on the water plane so fast…compared to somebody who naturally stands while riding.
Once we’re up and riding, I’d cut out with CC to the side and snap off some shots. We got a few lucky glassy patches of water until the clouds rolled in that morning. I think we were in the water for an hour straight. It was awesome. Thanks to Wes and the boys for helping out that morning.
-Meddock
CC Roberts’ wheels and board
Subject: CC Roberts
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Profile, Page 44
For each Profile we do in The Standerd, we purposely try to shoot an opener and closer horizontal image that best represents the personality or characteristic of that particular individual. We kicked around some other ideas, but this one just kept coming back to me. I ran the idea by CC and he was into it as well. He liked what it represented. It’s a bit of symbolism in CC’s case because of the nature of his history. His car, or any car for that matter, brings back many mixed emotions for him I’m sure. The night of his accident, the car acted as a tomb for close friend Todd Brendel. The car was also the last time he would walk on his own two feet and climb into the back seat of a car like any other human being would.
Post paralysis, that car is looked upon as a vehicle to freedom. Until you get too old to drive, people lose sight of the fact that driving is a privilege. Unless you know somebody personally who is in a similar situation, it’s hard to explain the challenges that individuals with spinal cord injuries have. CC has been stripped of many things in life that most people can’t appreciate, but his keys to freedom haven’t. That’s why we went with this idea for his opener. To me its says, “I got my wheels and my board, I’m going surfing.”
-Meddock
Limo Drive by
Subject: Limo
Photo: Reed Hansen
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Chronicle, Page 35
Welcome to my life in Groveland, Florida. This was a drive by photo, I bet this guy was on his way to have some fun!!! Either that, or somebody was fixin to get married. You see this kind of stuff all the time out by where I live. That is pretty much the main reason that I love living out here. WWC rules!
-Reed
Ryan Lemons Makes a Splash
Subject: Ryan Lemons
Photo: Roman Rusinov
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Chronicle, Page 33
This was my first day of testing new water housing. I had just gotten back
from work and we went to the lake. I wasn’t even expecting the testing to produce so many great shots.
Time was perfect; almost twilight. The water was freezing cold, but that doesn’t really stop me. When I was reviewing the shots I kinda put that one away since I was trying hard to get the “trick shot,” but then once I got back I realized that I had caught a pretty good moment up there. I think Brett’s B&W shot from a past Standerd inspired me and I decided to keep it. I ended up printing in large format and putting it on the wall in my room. Sometimes a photo is not all about quality, proper composition, right focus and aperture. It’s about the feeling it conveys. An accidental shot can give much more of this. Guess that was it.
-Roman
Brandon Thomas’ Ghost
Subject: Brandon Thomas
Photo: Rodrigo Donoso
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Chronicle, Page 34
I had been staying at Grubb and BT’s place like I always do when I’m in O town. Earlier that evening we had all decided to go downtown and chill for a little. Well, it started with a little, till a little wouldn’t do it, so a little got more and more. I’m pretty sure that’s a GNR lyric, but it’s true so I’m going to borrow it.
Anyhow, if you’ve ever been out with me while I’m under the influence of Crown then you know there may be a good chance that I’ll start throwing out some rhymes. We handled business downtown at the Dragon Room and bounced. After a 10 minute taxi ride home full of some of the best drunken lyrics that I’ve ever thrown down ( in a taxi ) we were back at the pad staring through Grubb’s back window where we had just been no longer than an hour ago.
So we decided to do some photo’n. I seem to get really motivated to do things when it’s really late at night. BT was still up, so we went out back. It didn’t take long to get this shot, that BT sure can stand still.
-Rodrigo
Kickflip off the M Gap
Subject: Andrew Pastura
Photo: Megan Miller
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Chronicle, Page 37
This shot was taken in the Clearwater area somewhere. My friend from Gainesville, where I was going to school at the time, called me up and told me to grab a camera and we were heading to Tampa for the weekend to meet up with some kids to wakeskate. We drove a few hours and I had no idea where we were going. When I got to this spot I knew I was going to see some cool stuff.
The two riders that really killed it that day were Tyler Mangus and Andrew Pastura. This was the first time I’d ever seen either of them ride, and it was impressive. This trip was also my first time shooting winching, and I immediately fell in love with it. I liked the feeling that every spot and every trick could be something new.
Andrew landed this kickflip a few times that day, I was stoked that I got a couple shots of it.
-Miller
The Winch Gods
Subject: Matt Manzari
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Chronicle, Page 22
Reed Hansen, Matt Manzari and myself took the the winch in tow and went searching for some spots to skate one day. I’ve been getting awfully lucky finding spots on a whim, but the winch gods were with us this day. We were out strolling around blindly and found four perfect spots in one day. It was almost too good to be true.
This undisclosed location was insanely secluded and begging for a skate sesh by two of today’s best wakeskaters. All of the elements were lining up, I knew I was in good hands.
I shot Matt from several different angles that evening. When I felt I had one covered (2.2 Juice photo) I grabbed a different lens and camera setup and began to move in closer. I walked out on the ledge where he was dropping off of and waited for him to give me the signal. I didn’t have a water housing with me that evening and I knew I was in the “wet zone” but I went with it anyway, rolling the dice. I tried to block the water with my body. He was directly behind me, passing me on the right, so I stood with my back to him and pointed the camera back toward the angle of his exiting ollie.
I got completely soaked but the camera stayed dry…bonus. This shot was on film so I didn’t have the immediate satisfaction of knowing what the shot looked like. I did, however, felt that I had a good one as soon as I took this shot. I could see that spit second when I pushed the button. It gave me that “feeling“…that “feeling” that is sometimes absent when shooting digital.
When I got the film back on the light table a few hours later, I couldn’t help but stare at his grip on the handle. That tiny part of detail is what did it for me. The trick itself was dope enough, but that little extra detail and uniqueness is what helped this photo make the cut for chronicle in book 2.2.
-Meddock
WrestleMania with Wes Brisco
Subject: Wes Brisco
Photo: Joey Meddock
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Polaroid, Page 112
For those of you who don’t know, Wes Brisco is the son of WWE hall-of-famer Jerry Brisco. This past March, Wes called me up and invited me to go to WrestleMania XXIV which was held at the Citrus Bowl in our home town, Orlando, FL. An avid wrestling fan myself, I jumped all over the invitation. Wes and his roommate Nick Valliere, Danny Amir and myself took full advantage of the opportunity to witness the biggest event in sports entertainment.
We arrived at the show early enough to meet up with his dad backstage and got VIP access to the red carpet and all the festivities that go on behind the main stage. After meeting with Jerry and some of his other immediate family, Wes guided us over to the athlete and family/friends catering area where all the wrestlers fuel up with nothing short of all the food groups. Fish, chicken, steak, pasta, salad, fruit, you name it, they had it covered. Wrestler after wrestler was in line waiting to get served up some great food before they go out and perform…then you have myself, Nick V and Wes in line waiting for food as well. A bit out of place much? You could say that for sure. Wes knows all the guys like family, so it was cool to see each of them recognize Wes and greet him. Jerry came over for a bit and joined us for dinner as well.
After that feast of wrestler celeb overload, we made our way back outside to the red carpet area where some of the wrestlers were coming out of the ring and headed back to get cleaned up. We were literally standing next to all the superstars. Ric Flair was there, Edge, Chavo and of course, a hand full of WWE divas. Again, Wes recognized “Kelly” and we snagged a quick snapshot before the main show began.
This was an unforgettable memory of a lifetime. Many thanks to Wes for inviting us backstage and to his dad Jerry for taking care of us. I don’t know that I’ll ever get to go to WrestleMania again in my life, much less back stage to be introduced to the biggest superstars in the business.
-Meddock
Shane Bonifay Karate Kick
Subject: Shane Bonifay
Photo: Steven Hahn
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Juice, Pages 6-7
I love Clermont. Although it’s a drive from Orlando, it’s well worth it. It seems like everyone’s out there these days. I’ve been trying to get both Parks and Shane through the lens for some time now, but the timing was never right.
I finally caught both Shane and Parks at home at the same time and convinced them to get out of bed for an early morning session on Lake Minnehaha. Luckily Danny Harf was around that morning and even with a hurt back, he rallied to drive for a couple of his neighbors. With Parks coming off yet another knee injury, we decided to do a tube set and keep things fairly simple. It’s been a while since I’d seen Shane ride, and he just killed it! The cake-colored board that Shane’s riding in this photo really pops. This poked out melon that Shane does always reminds me of a good ole round house karate kick to the head.
James Balzer’s Hospital Visit
Subject: James Balzer
Photo: Kim Traas
TSQ Location: Book 2.2, Polaroid, Page 112
This photo was taken a day or two after James’ discharge from the hospital. He spent a few days having his bones screwed back together, coughing up blood and having sand removed from every crack of his body. My husband, Ivan, and I happened to be on vacation at the time of James’ intimate encounter with the dirt bike track, so a daily visit to the hospital was quickly added to our itinerary. His face didn’t look so bad when he was in the hospital. The swelling was worse, but it took a few days for all the bruises to fully form into the beauty that you see here.
I think I recall that the look on his face in this shot was in response to a simple question about what he wanted for dinner. It was the same expression he had on his face for that whole week… except when the oxycodone wore off, then he added a grimace. The doctor said he hadn’t suffered any head injury, but I don’t know. They didn’t even scan his head, and this look kind of says it all.
James is all back up to snuff now. Whatever damage was done has healed up and he’s back and ready for action. I suggested he and my husband take up fishing or something less risky than dirtbiking or wakeboarding (responsible for my husband’s current cast situation) but they pretty much ignored me.
-Kim Traas