![]() Zaki acknowledges the prolific discipline of skater-centric skateboard photography, showcased in the seminal skateboarding magazine Thrasher, for one. "Ultimately, what the viewer sees are not decisive 'moments' in time but images that are a blending of an extended temporal experience, which allude to an expansive sense of time," he said. Light, wind or birds entering the frame can cause blurring. The five to 10 minutes that pass between each photo's series of lens shutters also yield a bit of eye trickery. He eliminates the "distractions" of stickers and vandalism during the editing stage. This process also allows me to photograph in certain tight areas and from difficult positions that would be impossible to capture otherwise." "There is a visual push and pull, a subtle contradiction and peculiarity in how space is rendered using this technology. "The lens I use is somewhat telephoto, which flattens the space in each individual frame, yet the overall angle of view is often quite wide, which exaggerates spatial depth," he said. What results, Zaki said, is all but a fisheye effect. There is a parallel with meditative practices that allow one to quiet and empty the mind of so much activity to leave room for the good stuff."Īmir Zaki SLO Skate Park, San Luis Obispo "They become more imaginative and open as spaces for me. One can easily imagine a skateboarder flying through the air without seeing them," Zaki said. "I consider that photographing simply their formations implies their use. That meditative philosophy is rooted in Zaki's appreciation for Eastern contemplative traditions, he said. The mindset is very different than that of a skater who is waiting their turn to take a run. Having the place to myself really allowed me to study the spaces and contemplate them carefully. He would crawl into the concrete bowls, crouch and soak in the solitude. Now 45 and admittedly not as agile, Zaki describes photographing skate parks as its own athletic feat. Like the mischievous, fence-hopping youth who would scout vacant pools to shred, Zaki found opportunity in emptiness.Ī couple of years ago, Zaki started visiting the parks at the crack of dawn, before skaters would show up, to capture his photos. Mateo Zaki Amir Zaki crouches to snap photos of a skate park at dawn.
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