GRAPHIC
STORY
Wo r d s :
Jake Malenick
P izza and beer. Beaches and sunburn. Obama and Biden. Sometimes two things go together so perfectly that you can feel their effects worldwide. Two of the most iconic to fall in this category are undoubtedly skateboarding and photography. Since the birth of skating, there have always been those of us, myself included, who weren’t gifted with the coordination and athleticism it takes to excel on four small wheels. However, we still possessed a love and appreciation for rolling sideways and found our own home in this group of misfits behind the lens. Without photographers and videographers surfing the sidewalks right alongside skating’s founders, this simple hobby may have never been captured and shared with the world, elevating its status from pastime to subculture, to a full-blown way of life.
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Those who grew up with the now almost forgotten medium of DVDs, and even farther forgotten VHS tapes, are wholly aware of Girl Skateboards’ prowess and dedication to filmmaking and skate imagery. For the past 20+ years, Girl has been shooting their videos at least partly on film, and have in their possession a full archive of exclusively film photos that document not only the companies storied past but skating’s history as well. They were the clear choice for collaboration with such a well known and respected brand as Kodak, and a product line built on a mutual love for the craft of an analog image was born.
A R K A D E M A G A Z I N E . C O M