PassionBMX Issue 6

Passion magazine issue six

april 2007

Cover and here:

photos by ben turner

contents 02 06 13 15 16 17 19 20 21 24 26 31 36

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epic bowl jam composition sessions - stown in cov rider profile - fraggle passion playlist photographer spotlight - homer rider profile - james goodwin passion weblinks focus sessions - An evening at Stratford scene check - redditch focus contributors

The annual Epic tag team bowl comp is now in its fourth year and this was without doubt the most impressive, not only in terms of the level of riding but the sheer amount of people that attended. As I already mentioned the standard of riding was unbelievable! Firstly props must go out to Chicken from Team Tree bmx, Chicken had told me he wanted to 3 into the bowl to flat and he stuck clean first go! I shared a secret with him that I want to bars back in from a peg stall on the extension unfortunately I wasn’t as successful as Chicken and am now in a cast for 8 weeks with a broken fibia!

Bristol took home the win in rookie and pro. Craig Stevens somehow had the pop to downside footplant the back of the vert out of the bowl and Pete Marseille was clicking some serious tables way up in the rafters. Collum Walsh smoked the bars back in from fuf, the list goes on and on. Little local ripper Dean Cueson teamed up with Bristols young guns Dan and Del Sheppard to ride way beyond their years and win rookie. Even though Bristol cleaned up the locals gave them a run for their money. In rookie, Team Loose Cannon placed a close second.

It didn’t start off to well for them as Rich Brake got a puncture and had to ride the rest of his run on someone else’s bike, that didn’t stop him as he 3 fakied the extension and pulled a bars air. Adam Pope was getting wild and was going for some sort of 540 flatspin flair and Ollie Dale was going to high for his own safety put did pull an opposite whip air.

In pro Team Tree Bmx got the party started and I know I’ve mentioned Chicken but the rest of his team where equally as awesome, Shaun Hadlington pulled a double whip air. Team Shredditch didn’t hold back either and after my crash they were one man down but they

epic bowl jam Epic Skatepark, Birmingham

photos by jon shears and rich brake

January 2007

words by nik ford

Pete Marseille Fuckin Rad Backside Boneless photo by rich brake

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JS

Above: Ross Wearing, Invert - Below Left: Chris Zerlocki, Flair - Middle: Ben Sutor, Table - Right : Nik Ford, Pegs JS

Isaac Double Whip

photo by jon shears

RB

JS

certainly made up for it! Ben Sutor is one of the most underrated riders in the uk let me just list a run; back to back 5’s, whip airs, bars airs, huge tables, downside peg grinds and he even learnt 540 xup’s! Props to Chris Zerlocki who was chasing a flair he came real close, next time Chris. Gaz Wilson’s team placed second in pro, Gaz had some innovative moves like icepick to whip back in as well as the usual comp bangers.Now it’s all said and done and I write this with my leg up in the air I can’t wait till next new year and the 5th bowl jam. See you there?

epic bowl jam

epic bowl jam Pete Marseille Extension Table

photo by rich brake

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Tel/Fax: 0121 559 9199 http://www.treebmxandskate.com/

com·po·si·tion

The idea for this article came up before last issue but we couldn’t get it done in time. But the main idea of it is for those of you who often wonder how a shot is taken, can find out and learn and the rest of you can still see good photographs............enjoy................

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Martyn Tambling

by Kung

Shot at 1/320th sec, f4.5 100iso, 52mm with 2flashes

The setup for this photo was a pretty lazy and a bit hit or miss. There was a bin just off to the right in front of the bank, which was perfect for positioning a flash. This was ideal as I didn’t bother taking any lighting stands with me that day.

Another flash was placed on a wall to the left, behind the bank. Sticking with the laid back approach, I didn’t bother metering the flashes, just guessed at the power settings. Finally after a few test shots, I found an exposure I was happy with.

Jonny Rankin

by Theo Simpson

Nik Ford

by Fiona Scott

Shot at 1/200th sec, f5.6, 50iso, 7.2mm with no flash

This image was taken whilst travelling with my fiancé around Australia. Nik asked me to take a shot of him smith grinding the ledge at Bondi Skatepark. One of my favourite things about this image is the vibrant colours; they give the shot energy and make it aesthetically pleasing. As you will see in the photograph I have played with perspective, the ledge was pretty big but to exaggerate its height I shot from a low angle. Also by positioning Nik on the right hand side of the image nearer the start of the grind, helps to further amplify the perspective and create a more powerful image. I feel the graffiti not only adds more interest to the shot but also complements the photo’s “streetness!”

Adam Galt

by Rich Brake

Shot at 1/4000th sec, f2.8, 200iso, 10.5mm fisheye with no flash

Shot at 1/2500th sec, f4.5, 38mm with no flash

This shot to me just sums up Sheffield bmx in summer, Dev green mid day chilling, no worries, hot as fuck, Jonny Rankin just flowing doing his thing, just capturing good times. The composition is reflected in the idea of the shot, to show the peace and quiet of dev at summer, an overview of the park, shows more feeling, I think it keeps the eye interested after we see the subject, it’s basic composition but it works here I feel!

For this photograph I used a level viewpoint. There is a good sense of depth of field, with the riders being the main focal point they are both sharp and in focus, were as the background is slightly blurred and out of focus. There is also a feeling of scale with Nik standing with his arms up in the air and Adam being much higher giving a good sense of scale. I used a shutter speed of 1/2500 of a second freezing the image completely as not to give any sense of blur or movement, I also used a wide aperture to get as much light into the camera as possible.

Charlie Ashman by Homer

Shot at 1/100th sec, f4.5, 320iso, 15mm fisheye with 2 flashes

Charlie pretty much was boosting this volcano/hip higher than anyone I had to get some pictures. I went for the fisheye as it would make the volcano look bigger and get the whole of it in the shot. I knelt to get Charlie higher up in the shot and place him against the sky which as it was nighttime, is a nice black. I shot at a slower speed since he wasnt going that fast to allow a little more light. I set one flash behind him and one in front to get ample lighting and minimal shadows. I didn’t meter so just fired off a few test shots.

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Stourbridge heads to Coventry

Sessions

Right: Charlie Ashman Hip Lookback Here: Shaun Hadlington Hip Invert

all photos by homer

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Shaun Hadlington Hip Whip

Shaun Hadlington Hip Invert

Sessions

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Rider Profile Fraggle

all photos by jay allen

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Homer

• Arcade Fire - Neon Bible • The Game - Doctor’s Advocate • The Prizefighter Inferno - My b.b.m.

• Modest Mouse - Various

James Hughes

• Pete rock and cl smooth - All Souled Out • Foreign Beggers - Asylum Seekers • DJ Yoda - The Amazing Adventures of • Lee Perry and the Mad Professer Method to the Madness • Squarepusher - Hello everything 2006

Dan Brockhouse

• Mike Relm - Radio Fryer • Arcade Fire - Neon Bible • Antony and the Johnsons - I Am a Bird Now • Cold War Kids - Robbers & Cowards •Joshua Radin- 4 Stars

Playlist

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Homer

Photographerspotlight what made you start taking pictures?

It was something that I wanted to do for ages but never got around to it in typical Homer fashion. That was until I nibbled with Bowl’s slr and the next week I bought a 2nd hand ricoh 35mm. The bug started there and I’ve been spending too much money on it all since.

Charlie bought this crazy convex mirror and apart from annoying you thinking it’s a clock, it’s a nice thing to take a photo of.

what equipment do you use?

Nikon D200 D-SLR Nikon Nikkor AF-S 18-70mm Sigma 15mm EX fisheye Nikon Nikkor AF 70-300mm Zoom Nikon SB-600 Speedlight Vivitar 285 Flash Metz CT-45 Flash Pocket Wizard Plus I / Plus II’ Jessops Hotshoe PC adaptors Sekonic L358 lightmeter Shit loads of Royal Mail rubberbands Various Brushes, cotton buds, cloths Uniross Batteries Redwing 45inch Silver Umbrella Portaflash Brolly Bracket Portaflash Lighting Stand A few Jessops Tripods Photoshop, Lightroom, Illustrator, Indesign DIY Studio Box and snoots

what inspires you?

Alot of people and alot of photographs. Probably any picture that gets me thinking about it and how it was took.

People like Kung who has been a real help and source of info over the years, Dolecki, Ricky Adam, Banners, Hman etcetc. Alot of new people too like Jon Shears, Luke from Cheltbmx - I like his pics. The Strobist blog has inspired me of late for studio stuff. Pretty sure any good photo encourages me to take more shots and improve.

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Homer

Photographerspotlight

A very cold and a very windy long exposure of the M5 Old Kodak Bellows 116 Film Camera

The return trip from a camera buying excursion saw us heading to an ancient, strange and very odd halfpipe in Derby - Jimmy, table Charlie, Epic

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Rider Profile

James Goodwin

all photos by homer

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http://www.randombmx.com http://www.theosimpson.co.uk http://www.jshearsphotography.co.uk http://transplantbmx.blogspot.com http://www.fadeawayfast.com http://www.attilabikes.com http://strobist.blogspot.com http://www.mutinybikes.com http://www.treebmxandskate.com http://www.oneshotcharlies.com http://www.defgrip.net http://www.digbmx.com http://www.ridebmxmag.com

Weblinks

http://www.streetphire.co.uk

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Robbo Invert

photo by tim cooper

Focus...

Ed Tongue Smith Walltap

photo by jon shears

Frog Epic Invert

photo by tim cooper

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Robbo Turndown at Ibstock photo by tim cooper

Key Young Boooost Table photo by homer

Focus...

Craig Stevens Invert Transfer photo by kung

Pete Moore Table at Stratford photo by jon shears

Focus...

An Evening at Stratford

Sessions

Right: Ed Tongue Air

Here: Adam Gault Hip Invert

all photos by jon shears

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Adam Galt Alley Oop Downside Whip

Adam Galt Lookback

Sessions

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Redditch skatepark has been a labour of love for many local bmx riders both old and new.

If it wasn’t for all the hard work put in by the locals of Redditch trails from back in the day and Steve Rooke the Redditch Wheels Project as we know it would not exist. Now the park has been up and running for 8 years in this time both the park and the riders have come on in leaps and bounds. all words and photos by rich brake

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In the past few months the park has been given a face lift, a lick of paint and the addition of a few new ramps. Many of which were built by the riders, noticeable Ben Sutor. This means that the park has bmx in mind. The locals at Redditch are both amazing riders and people the only way I can describe them is by calling them a family, always there to help each other out whether it be encouragement or support.

RIP Anthony Jones within in the park your spirit lives on!

Chris Zerlocki Rich Brake

Adam Pope

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Adam Pope

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Chris Zerlocki

Ben Sutor

Ross Wearing

Ben Sutor

Ollie Dale

Ollie Dale Adam Pope

Ben Sutor

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Passion does not exist without you!

Send your photos, articles and ideas to PassionBMX 72 Wynall Lane Wollescote Stourbridge West Mids DY9 9AG or email us at contributions@passionbmx.co.uk

Focus...

Pete Moore Bank to Wall

photo by jon shears

Fraggle Trails Tuck

photo by jay allen

Robbo Turndown Gap, Loughborough photo by tim cooper

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Josh Cox Downside tap, Stown

photo by simon catchpowle

Cannon Si Pocket Wallride, Stown photo by homer

Focus...

Martyn Tambling Rail up to fakie, Bristol both sequences by kung

Focus...

Martyn Tambling Same shit, different angle

Focus...

web : www.passionbmx.co.uk email : contributions@passionbmx.co.uk myspace : www.myspace.com/passionbmx

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