Photographer publishes collection of iconic skateboarding images

SAN DIEGO >> Sure, J. Grant Brittain could kick and push his way around on a skateboard, but he fell in love with the click of the camera that allowed him to capture the artistry of the sport.

“I skated and surfed as a kid, and was lucky enough to live next door to a pro skateboarder, Wally Inouye, and he got me a job at the Del Mar Skate Ranch when it opened in 1978,” says Brittain. “About six months later I borrowed my roommate’s camera and was immediately hooked.”

Those friends from the 1980s would catapult skateboarding to the global stage and include names like Tony Hawk, Mark Gonzales and Steve Caballero. They’re among the skaters featured in Brittain’s book, “PUSH: J. Grant Brittain — ’80s Skateboarding Photography.”

Brittain, 68, who lives in Encinitas, Calif., took some time to talk about his career and his book.

Questions and answers were edited for space and clarity.

Question: Your book focuses on the beginning of your photography career, capturing iconic skaters and images during the 1980s. Why was it time to publish your photos in this book?

Answer: Every photographer dreams of publishing a book of their photography, and I first discussed it with my designer friend, Josh Higgins, in 2003. When the pandemic hit, I had a lot of free time to pull it together. I knew that I needed to share my photos all in one place — a book for the skaters who grew up with these photos on their walls, and to expose the younger skateboarders to a bit of skateboarding history.

Q: As you were going through 40 years’ worth of photos, what was it about those images from the ’80s, specifically, that stood out to you?

A: I originally wanted to do a 40-year retrospective of my work, but there were just too many important photos. We realized that we needed to narrow it down and focus on one decade of my skateboarding photos, and the 1980s were a very important period in skateboarding. It was the era that birthed modern street skating, and vertical skating went from the basic aerials and boards, and boards were being flipped and spun. Skateboarding evolved from the toy and sidewalk surfing to a multidimensional self-expression; the skateboard is the paintbrush or guitar. I consider the 1980s to be the golden age of skateboarding, which was actually our working title for the book.

Q: In the introduction to the book, Miki Vuckovich (one of many photographers who praise your mentorship) says that you’ve shaped generations of photographers in the visual telling of the story of skateboarding. From your perspective, what is the story of skateboarding? How would you describe it?

A: The story is that anyone can learn to roll on a skateboard, regardless of size, gender, race or economic status, and you don’t need a skate park, team or uniform. … A lot of skaters talk about how skateboarding has given them purpose and direction and even saved their lives; I am not kidding. It’s a great outlet for kids who feel like they don’t fit in because they’re a little different or aren’t a jock — you know, the outcasts or artists, musicians or, yes, photographers. Being a skateboarder automatically puts you in that club, and you have an immediate connection to a whole lot of friends.