This was created as part of Boston University’s JO537 Advanced Photojournalism Class. The course explored long-form storytelling through the genres of photojournalism and documentary photography. The end product is a digital book in PDF format.
Please note that the introductory text contained in this book is copied at the bottom of this page to provide you with a better reading experience.
From the time the morning rush hour begins until the last school bell rings, Boston’s basketball courts, playgrounds, and sidewalks belong to the mid-day runners, businesspeople rushing to get from place to place and guardians watching their children play. But once the noon-day sun begins to set, it’s time for the skateboarders to take over.
These are the faces and spaces of the sport.
Skateboarding originated in the United States as a recreational activity and method of transportation. It began with flat wooden boards that had roller skate wheels attached at the bottom. It wasn’t until Alan Gelfand, a skateboarder from New York, discovered that he could perform a move that would lift the board off the ground. From there, skateboarding developed into the sport it is today and even made an appearance in the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics.
Skating, once you get used to the movement is a sport with very few rules. It’s an activity where the rider has the freedom to express themselves and show off their style. From the time the first skateboards were developed until the 1960s, skateboarding was a popular sport. However, in 1966, spectators began to raise safety concerns and considered it a dangerous sport. Nevertheless, skateboarders were not to be deterred. By the 70s, the sport was on the rise once more.
But not everyone was a fan.
Often, skateboarders are chased away from parks, yelled at by angry adults, and cursed for a variety of reasons. This book aims to demonstrate that skateboarders are more than just ‘rebels’ and ‘degenerates’. They are lawyers, fathers, sisters and students. They are individuals who are always looking for the perfect ledge, stair set, or rail. They set goals and aim to land the perfect trick, hoping that maybe one day, they’ll nail a laser flip.
It’s a sport that takes dedication, persistence and skill. If you’re lucky you’ll pick up a board and hold your balance. But more often than not, the wheels roll, your body pitches forward and you become well-acquainted with the concrete.
From dawn until dusk, skateboarders can be found all over Boston. They frequent the pump track in Allston, the Lynch Family Skatepark in Cambridge, and any location that has a flat, smooth ground like a basketball court. If they’re looking for a challenge, they’re looking for obstacles – a cone, a ledge, a bump.
The city is their playground.