When he was 16, Jake Darwen’s dreams of becoming a professional skateboarder came to a halt when he suffered a knee injury. But during his recovery, the Auckland, New Zealand, native picked up a camera. Now based in Los Angeles, the 28-year- old is one of the most sought-after skateboard photographers in the world, thanks to his sharp eye, perfect timing, and his ability to transform boarders’ fleeting tricks and their surroundings into complete works of art.
Casey Ainsworth, Adelaide, Australia, 2015
“Casey came across this really steep bank one day, so we went back in the evening to be undisturbed. That’s when we realized that the stadium was lit up, which only made the whole thing look even more spectacular.”
Marius Syvänen, Tugun, Australia, 2018
“It’s almost too good to be true but this bowl is just a couple hundred meters away from the landing strip at Gold Coast Airport. Marius and I worked out that planes landed about every 20 minutes. Whenever a plane came in, Marius took off. It took a long time for us to get it just right, but it was certainly worth it.”
Jake Hayes & Jordan Trahan, Los Angeles, 2019
“A classic schoolyard session at the height of summer. My flashes were practically exploding in the heat, but the guys kept a cool head and managed to get their kickflips over the table in perfect sync.”
Marquise Henry, Los Angeles, 2020
“I have always been a big fan of backlighting my subject whenever I get the opportunity. I love the way the shadows meld with the ground and the glow behind the person.”
Louie Dodd, Melbourne, Australia, 2016.
“Louie always skates in such great places that you want to be there to be able to photograph him. Luckily I got my wish. This abstract sculpture is in the heart of Melbourne.”
Dean Palmer, Peking, China, 2014
“I’d always wanted to photograph someone in a waterspout fountain, but people mostly don’t want to get wet. I asked Dean if he felt like it when we were in Beijing together. He was soaking within five minutes. He went back to the hotel, got new clothes and we did it all again.”
Throwing Caution to the Wind
Franky Villani, Los Angeles, 2020
“I didn’t take any photos for a month after the COVID outbreak began. Then we realized that closed schools were safe, as there was no one around. Franky instantly chose the least-safe trick: the 50-50 grind hippie jump —over the railing and through a hole in the fence.”
Gabriel Summers, Melbourne, Australia, 2015
“To this day nobody knows who built it or what they built it for—a random structure with nails and overlapping bits of plywood sticking out of it. Gabriel knew that he had to have the balance of a gymnast to get his board into the right position and then just hope for the best. Thankfully nothing happened.”
Ronnie Kessner, New York, 2019
“We’d gone to this station for something to eat. On the way out I realized that from up above you could see all the way down, which immediately gave me an idea for a picture. I communicated with Ronnie by phone, and an assistant also used a flash from above, which created the shadow. We didn’t have much time. The security guys were on our heels.”
Kayle Lawson, Melbourne, Australia, 2016
“This site was locked up for years, but then locals removed the locks and there were exactly two weeks where people got to skate. Pictured here is my best friend Kayle doing a switch backside lipslide.”