by Tara Ryan
Quotes that inspired this Visual Diary."The contemplation of things as they are, without error or confusion, without substitution or imposture, is in itself a nobler thing than a whole harvest of invention."¿Francis Bacon"One should really use the camera as though tomorrow you'd be stricken blind."¿Dorothea Lange"Making a good photograph requires genuine interest in the subject."¿Andreas Feininger"I was there, and this is what life was at the moment that I saw it."¿Henri Cariter-Bresson"The camera is a kind of license."¿Diane Arbus"You cannot do anything without passion."¿Krishnamurti
Skateboarding seems to freeze youth as photography freezes a moment on a piece of film. Dedication to these two loves has brought about this Visual Diary. "Visual" because you are viewing these images, and "Diary" because they tell a tale of travels.
The camera enables us to show one another that which we encounter throughout our journey called life. Take skateboarding, for example: kids in the Midwest get to see what goes on in Europe, West Coast skaters view the East Coast, and beginners are able to study the ams and pros. Without the photograph, once could only imagine.
Life is all about growth and change. You aspire to reach a goal and in striving toward it, change as a human being. The images on the next few pages demonstrate life being lived to its fullest, skateboarding in all its various forms, while at the same time they observe life as it unfolds around you. Some of these skaters are just getting started, while others continue to perfect their art. But no matter what level you're at, there is tremendous beauty in both the process and in the goal. Enjoy the photographs.
