Grant Brittain began using his friend’s Canon to shoot skaters at Del Mar Skateboard Ranch at a time when most people didn’t even know what an Ollie was. Soon after, he traded his part-time job selling Cokes, and miniature golf at the Ranch, for a fulltime career as the man who could capture the swagger and rebellious freedom that would become the hallmark of West Coast skate culture in the late 70s and early 80s. Over the course of his 30+ year career, he captured some of the most iconic skateboarding photos of our time, many of which appeared in Transworld Skateboarding Magazine, a magazine he helped create, over the course of his 20+ year stint as photo editor.
Arkitip was born in 1999 as a run of 50 handmade magazines, and has built itself into one of the most respected, and beautiful art magazines. Never forgetting its roots, Arkitip continues to produce issues, which seek to promote the works of the artists it features, respect their work and never compromise its integrity, and protect freedom of expression in a way, which is accessible and affordable to all.
Noah has partnered with @arkitip and @jgrantbrittain to create a limited line of three t-shirts, and a limited edition poster featuring some of Brittain's most iconic images. As for the man behind the lens? We’ve got that angle covered, too. SAS from Arkitip caught up J. Grant Brittain for a short Q&A.
Q: Having worked with many of the same people (skaters, brands) for so long, what keeps you interested and motivated?
A: I just like the way skateboarding is so photogenic, the action, the energy and how it's always progressing. As a job, I like how it's not like any other job. It's pretty cool.
Q: Have you or do you have a favorite skater to shoot?
A: I have certain skaters that I still get stoked on shooting. I know that we together will get something stylish and timeless. Chris Miller, Tony Hawk, Steve Caballero and Christian Hosoi are still all good friends of mine and they make getting a good photo easy.
Q: With the introduction of digital photography and the popularity of social media, how has that changed or not changed your approach?
A: I dig it all. Digital photography speeds everything up and social media just gives me more avenues to get my photos out there and promote skateboarding, the Skateboard Mag and myself.
Q: How would you like to be remembered in the annals of skateboarding history?
A: I just want to be remembered for shooting some quality images and that I shared my skate photography with the younger photographers coming up after me.
