"Interacting with the world through a lens always brings me a deeper sense of presence and attention to a place/experience, granting myself time and space to be aware of things that otherwise might unconsciously go unnoticed. I think it’s fair to say that even though we might generally be curious and observant, the pace of our lives sometimes gives us a sense of tunnel vision when moving through the world, tuned into our agendas and less focused on the senses. So I’d say although I find joy in immersing myself in a setting without a camera, my experience is truly enhanced when I have one.

The lens then gives me a reason to open my senses and listen to them, identifying things I’m drawn to and knowing that I have something to do with that discovery; make compositions from them and share how they felt to me. I think overall it gives me a chance to slow down and dive deeper passed the surface of my curiosities, knowing that I have a vessel to tell stories with. A lot of the time that results in deeper connection with what’s around me, whether that be a person or a place, spending time and making pictures of the encounter. Then for me, one of the greatest pleasures is being surprised by the results and finding meaning and narrative that came from them."

@joeperri

"A great friend told me that this camera can unlock the secrets life has to offer should you decide to receive it. It bestows an opportunity that can and or will alter your personal bias of how you maneuver through the world. While traversing throughout boroughs and neighborhoods I’ve frequently been drawn to family life and the mundane that comes with it. There's something oddly strange yet comforting when you're able to immerse yourself into an event happening in front of you as if you're living the moment with them. It’s moments comparable to those we’ve previously experienced ourselves or yet to undergo. The camera gives you the gift of living vicariously through the people we choose to photograph, therefore it becomes apart of you whether you know or not.

From interactions with individuals who encourage you to persist as well as those who tether to your outlook, the world is projected through a lens of an individual molded through a series of unique and unusual experiences that develop an ethos of how they interact with the changing scenes revolving in life. Without the camera lens, these experiences are still possible but the nature of them will never be the same since the camera lens is a third party that facilitates the feelings of individuals from different walks of life. With approaching the world as a working artist, the lens we look through often gives clarity to the reality we live in."

@mvc_dre

Photography is a way of preserving history and representing a time. Living my life as a photographer has changed the way I think, what makes something feel important, special, or interesting. Looking with a sense of the future ahead, and thinking, I want to remember this. Someone will also appreciate this, and that's what makes me keep going.

Being a photographer has allowed me special access to the skateboarding world. I’ve been fortunate to witness and photograph some incredible skateboarders that have trusted me to document their tricks at iconic NYC skate spots. The longer I’ve photographed skateboarding, the more connected I feel to the community and the era that I am living in. The most rewarding feeling is getting a photo of a trick that sets a new bar on a spot or is of someone that people really look up to.

Looking ahead, I want to continue documenting the scene here in
New York, and preserve the history of skateboarding.

@sammckenna