After the very high rent Getty Images bought the very proletariat iStockPhoto they started sending out a weekly email called Hot Shots that highlights eight pictures from each service. Usually the iStock photos rival and sometimes even best the Getty choices, but not this week. Included in the iStock top eight is this shot of a guy who looks like he’s going to bail on his massive living room ollie over a couch. That’s one short takeoff. I’m not exactly sure what the point of this one is. I’m not an advertising genius, but the shot isn’t even well executed. Get some.

Wrapping up some longboard-centric items. First up is fashion designer Adam Kimmel’s promo film Claremont consisting of a couple of beardos screaming downhill in suits we can only assume were designed by Adam Kimmel. I’m not exactly sure how the tie in works, but it seems to be getting people talking. The right people? I can’t make that call. I thought it was a hoax at first, as far as Adam Kimmel being in the fashion industry, but it would have to be an elaborate one. The downhill action looks insanely fast. These guys even pass a car as well as passing the camera between themselves and shooting backwards. I don’t know how they do it, but my helmet is off to them. They make a certain German downhiller look like a wuss in comparison. Supposedly, German police are on the lookout for a man assumed to be “a professional stuntman” in full leathers who reached 62 MPH on a two mile stretch of the Autobahn after getting a tow in by a motorcycle. Pfffft! Talk to me when you do it in light blue polyester. Lastly, there’s the L.A. Times article titled More skaters switching to longboards, from the Health section no less. Because it’s the internet, you can watch both videos in the same place.

- Thanks to sk8norcal, Jake, Colin and Micheal for the tips.

(more…)

“I think that we should be men first, and subjects afterward.  It is not so desirable to cultivate a respect for the law, so much as for the right.” -Henry David Thoreau, Civil Disobedience, 1849

On August 29th, Derek Anderson (Mark Conahan’s age) committed a breach of peace when he scaled a 300-foot crane located in the beer garden of the Doghouse Public House.  This act of civil disobedience was an aim to shed some light on a particular subject: the Dudhope Skatepark, pictured above courtesy of Google Maps user ihatetechnology,  in Westport, Dundee, UK.

(more…)

Alright everybody, get your plates of shrimp ready. Two days after I found out my mother was diagnosed with breast cancer, I got this tip. Kimberly, Lexi and Haylea donated their time and assets to pose for Randal Trucks Buy a set, save a set campaign in where if you buy a set of their (limited edition?) pink trucks, proceeds will benefit the American Breast Cancer Foundation. The percentage of the proceeds to be donated is unclear. In fact, there is not a lot of information available other than about 30 pictures of the girls holding their assets and some pink trucks. The web page seems to have been screwed up since I last checked. If ever there was a case for switching over to a Mac, this might be it. Windows users might find most of these images to be hidden in the shadows. Praise Steve Jobs and a lighter gamma setting, or get ready to hit the shadow/highlight adjustment in Photoshop. Before you buy a set or save a set, check out the sets. UPDATE: Where did the pictures go? Well it turns out some of them were deemed inappropriate by the American Breast Cancer Foundation, and they asked that they be removed. Randal agreed because their main goal is to help ABCF. Randal asked that we stick to the official image as well, and we were happy to oblige.

- Thanks to EC for the tip.

New cameras aren’t usually something I’d feel compelled to cover unless it somehow impacts skateboarding photography, but there are some extenuating circumstances here. First of all, they are using skateboarding a little in the promo materials, which isn’t a big deal by itself. Nice free advertising for Independent Trucks though… The D90 is two steps forward in the evolution of the camera I’ve been using for skate shots for the past three years or so, the D70. At the time, it was the first consumer digital SLR that had the option to use equivalent of a 16mm fisheye, my go to lens for skate photography. The D90 that was just announced improves on the D70 and D80 before it incrementally as well as adding the ability to shoot HD resolution movie clips up to five minutes long. The skatespot they use in the demo footage looks like it is in the Pacific Northwest somewhere, dare I say Seattle or Vancouver? One of our readers should be able to identify the location. I’ve got some stills pulled out plus more camera talk after the jump.

[Source: Gizmodo]

(more…)

Bart Simpson, naked on a skateboard. It’s a Simpsons Movie promotional tie in with 7-11. In case you aren’t aware, Bart rides a skateboard while naked in the film. It’s a plastic relief with a magnet that attaches to a special Slurpee straw. Certainly less expensive than this bit of movie memorabilia. Close up after the jump. The shirt is just something random from a hipster boutique.

(more…)

“Only a fool has a pool and keeps it full. Only a traitor doesn’t drain his pool.” US Bombs, “Jaks”

Ryan Lochte recently obtained two gold and two bronze medals in the 2008 Beijing Olympics for his swimming. He even set a world record for the 200 meter backstroke.  However, the Olympic trials in July were in question for him due to an injured ankle acquired while (skateboarding) dropping from the deck of his house, as noted by the folks at Yahoo!Sports.

-Thanks Sarib for the tip

(more…)

I’ve always found this cover image… appealing. I had assumed it was actually a surfing rag when I first saw it, but later found out it was the precursor to Concrete Wave. I tried to pay the four bucks to download a hi-res pdf but found the whole process convoluted and unsatisfying. (Update: It was a stray link that was supposed to be removed. free now!) You can see a larger version of the cover after the jump. What’s with the handstand shot? It’s just filler I found here while looking for a big version of the cover.

(more…)

It’s a funny coincidence that I was listening to the Trilobites I Can’t Wait For The Summer To End when I got the email tip about this song. “Summer’s not a bummer. It’s a stunner, and it’s now.” Sure, Marc Bolan was not known for the depth of his lyrics, but rather for being the the supreme effeminate glam rock guitarist and vocalist whose half shirts, onstage mincing, high heels and general rocking cool stage presence and persona were not even approached again until the likes of Prince.

Marc must have had a fascination with skateboarding too. This is Skateboard Music features a demo of his titled “Skateboard,” and this video clip performance of “Celebrate Summer” from his UK variety show simply titled “Marc” features skateboarders performing in front of a blue screen. Unfortunately, the song and performance are pretty flat. Not exactly a good introduction to T Rex for the uninitiated. Apparently, Marc was also an advocate for skateparks. You can watch the video and read an excerpt from an interview with Mr Bolan talking about the exciting new sport of skateboarding and what government officials should be doing to promote “skateboard tracks.” - Thanks to Eric Shea for the tip

(more…)

Going off right now right here You’ll have to register but it doesn’t take long. I couldn’t get the low bandwidth version to go but the bigger one worked. Thanks to Troy Sliter for the heads up.