Tai Hirayama
The Flying Skateboard © Tai Hirayama
Text: Tai Hirayama
I’ve never been a skater, not to say that I haven’t tried. I once attempted an ollie (the most basic skate trick) and quickly realized I wasn’t cut out for skateboarding. In spite of this, I’ve always been in awe of the sport and the distinct culture surrounding it. When I see a skater land a move that physically doesn't make sense to me I’m blown, a rail trick especially.
So when I approached this photograph I used my idolized perspective of skaters. In the sort of way a little kid has when witnessing something amazing for the first time. Luckily, I got to photograph Joshua Nishimiya, a Japanese pro skater. To direct him, all I said was “do something crazy.” He accomplished that with ease. As he glided through the air with his board, using it as an extension of his body, I was able to capture this enrapturing image.
