1904photography.com's Blog

Riviera Skateboards and Cinco De Mayo weekend brought us the Catalina Island Classic.

It was the first time I had the chance to go to Catalina. I couldn’t turn it down. Initially, Hector and I decided we weren’t going, but last minute, we said screw it and started getting ready. After heading back from Palomar Mountain, we started making plans for getting to the island. Apparently its a good idea to reserve you spot on the ferry early, so we called to reserve some tickets for later that day. Thank god we did, because if we had gone to the Dana Point landing, we wouldn’t have had a ride back on Sunday night like I needed. We make our reservations and head for the Long Beach Landing. The rest of the trip went rather easy.

Hector waiting for our boat to load. I tried the Brenizer Method with this shot.

Sure was nice being back out the water.

When we got there, I started to notice Classic Minis everywhere.

While we were trying to find a floor to crash on (Thanks to the guys at PNL and ABEC 11 for letting us crash on your floor!) we ended up at the top of the race course. I had to snap a quick pano of the harbor while I was up there.

And then the next day set the way for the race. The course was really technical and narrow.

Kody Noble runs wide into the haybails in turn 2.

Kevin Reimer leads Jeff Budro through a turn on the Catalina Course.

Plenty of cell phone cameras were out as James Kelly crosses the finish line to take the win.

Thanks to Dubes for throwing an epic race!

So Laguna Seca was wrapping up and we started getting into the drive. This was definitely a pedal down, get there, kinda drive. It went by pretty smooth. Before we got to Phoenix, we had to stop and visit Cole Kurtz, a skater we met while he was out in our neck of the woods. I have to say thank you so much to Cole! As soon as I got out of my car, those 12 hours hit me hard. I ended up knocking out for a few min while Cole and Hector talked. I needed that sooooo bad! Thanks again Cole!

Cole on a local road to us, far from home for him. One day, it will be flipped.
Cole Kurtz in San Diego

After heading out, we get to the University of Phoenix Stadium, where the PSP event was being hosted. It’s a bit like back in the bigger days of paintball, events being held in the parking lots of stadiums… I think its a better venue to use than a established field. Most established fields are off the beaten path and most people won’t be too inclined to go to check out the event if they have no previous interest. If you throw an event in the middle of everything, paintball has more of a chance of getting into the eyes of the public. If we keep throwing events in the backwoods, that’s where the sport will stay.

I was curious to how media would be at the event after a fairly large blowup on PBnation by a PSP staff pertaining to photographers and stolen images. Just before the event, I saw on Facebook that there was an email going around asking who is still attending the event as media. Its days before the event and they don’t have a set list of media. We’re off to a good start. I get to the event, and do the usual roam around the field till someone can say where to go for media. Unlike Laguna Seca (and most other major sporting events) there is no signs or mention of a media check-in area. I get to the check in and they don’t have the passes on hand. I am told to come back in a few minutes. I decide to head back to my car and get ready for the day. While walking back, I notice someone stole my BD-Panda hanging from my bumper. It took 15 min of being parked for someone to come by and grab it. Well, this event is off to a great start. I get ready and head back to registration. They still don’t have passes, but they have a media list, of which, I’m not on. So now I have to play phone tag with people to try and get everything in order. I’m told to just go ahead and start shooting and comeback at lunch. Around lunch I head back to the media area to get my pass printed on the spot. Why they couldn’t just do that at the beginning I don’t know. But now I got my pass and I’m on my way.

It’s funny, I go through a rough media check-in every PSP event pretty much, but I keep coming back. It’s because I feel PSP is the better event to shoot. Aside from the Huntington Beach and Las Vegas events from the NPPL, PSP is where its at. If PSP could get an awesome venue like those, and clean up its media issues, it would be a perfect event in my opinion.

Anyways, who came here to read my story, I know its about the photos.