BEHIND THE EYES OF LUKE THOMPSON

Posted by Tammy Croucher on 5 November 2010 | 0 Comments

Tags: Skateboarding, Photography, Interviews

Some things in life are certain 1) The earth is indeed round 2) when rummaging through the garden you will always come across a bouncy ball 3) Jenna Jameson's vagina is made of rubber and 4) Luke Thompson knows how to take a good photograph.  

Considering this certainty, I find it surprising that 'TRICKY PROSPECTS' is his first solo exhibition.  Having been a skateboard snappy snapper for over half a decade the boy has quite a bit to work with here.  Yes skaters can do some gnarly tricks, but it's really about the photograph.  How else you gonna know they did it?  Take their word for it? Yeah right. These guys are lucky that Lukey T will be right there with his fancy camera capturing the moment and gathering the proof that amazing things did indeed happen between them and their skateboards.  Thompson is no stranger to having his work featured in magazines such as SLAM or right here in SB, but it really is time that it's all about him, because he so often makes it all about everyone else. I spoke more with the man himself... 

 

HEY LUKE, SO YOUR FIRST SOLO SHOW HEY? WHY NOW?

Yes this is my first exhibition. It's just the right time for me. For many reasons. A big part of it is that Nathan Hetherington approached me to curate an exhibition and he was just so enthusiastic about the whole thing I couldn't let him down. His enthusiasm reminded me of the reason I first started shooting skateboarding, just because I loved it.

 

Luke Thomson in action photographing Californian skateboarder Waylon Hendricks Back Smith. Photo Ward

 

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WORKING ON THIS FOR?

Well some of the photos go back years. I'd say this exhibition is a selection from about five years of shooting skateboarding.

 

Dylan Tomlinson Feeble in Kings Park. Photo Thompson.

 

''TRICKY PROSPECTS" IS A GREAT NAME. SKATING AND TRICKS ETC ...HOW'D YOU COME UP WITH IT?

I had such a hard time thinking of a name. Did some brainstorming and then that one was the only one I didn't hate. It's a play on words "Tricky" obviously relating to the skateboard tricks I've captured. Then "Prospects" relates to the environment and scenery that the tricks are performed in. For me the spot was as important as the trick being shot, sometimes more so. I was always known for taking skaters to some random spot in the middle of nowhere with a beautiful view and saying "Just do any trick and I'll shoot it."

Then the two words together "Tricky Prospects" relate to the challenge of actually capturing these images. The challenge for the skater of trying a really hard and/or scary trick that they might not land. Also the challenge of finding a way to shoot it, always in less than ideal circumstances. Often illegally on private or public property. Dealing with the risks of placing expensive cameras, lighting gear and my face near flying skateboards. Often dealing with a member of the public who wants to be a hero and stop the commotion. Or someone who think this public space is their space and not for skateboarding. It's tough out there Tammy.

 

Admiring Perth's only backyard full-pipe. Photo Thompson.

 

DON'T I KNOW IT BROTHER.  WHAT EFFECT DO YOU HOPE YOUR PHOTOGRAPHS HAVE ON PEOPLE?

I just hope they can appreciate skateboarding as an artistic endeavour and see the talent and creativity that goes into the moves these guys are doing.

 

Harry Clark quarter to wall ride. Photo Thompson.

 

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE THE SKATEBOARDING SCENE HERE IN PERTH?

Oooh the use of the word scene doesn't sit too well. For me skateboarding was never about a scene, it was about people who loved the freedom and challenge of riding a skateboard. If your worried about being part of a scene then you might have missed the point of skateboarding. Sometimes it felt like the entire skateboarding culture in Perth was being pushed forward by one group of friends who just vibed off each other and other people would see the energy and be drawn in. We have an amazing amount of talent and many people who really love skateboarding. I am always impressed with the new generation of skaters, the level of skill just keeps on rising. So it's going strong. The recent GFC has made things hard on skate shops and consequently their sponsored riders. The horrible scooter epidemic has turned some skateparks into a creche filled with babies riding unstable vehicles, lacking peripheral vision and skatepark etiquette.

 

Quade Baker frontside blunt pop out. Photo Thompson.

 

OBVIOUSLY THIS IS A SKATEBOARD CULTURE AND THE PLACE WILL BE STREAMING WITH RIDERS. I KNOW YOU DON'T LIKE THE WORD 'SCENE' BUT THERE ARE THOSE IN THE KNOW AND THEN THOSE WHO DON'T. WHAT DO YOU HOPE THOSE WHO DON'T WOULD GET FROM THIS?

 I hope people who don't ride skateboards can have the same appreciation that the people who do ride skateboards have. Just appreciate the talent and risks taken by the skateboarders to create these images whilst appreciating the aesthetic qualities. Hopefully it inspires people to dust off that skateboard or even go out and buy one. Cruise down the street, feel the wind in your hair, bomb some hills, challenge yourself, take risks, learn something new and have fun doing it.

 

Dylan Tomlinson Ollie. Photo Thompson.

 

YOU LITERALLY TAKE YOUR CAMERA EVERYWHERE YOU GO ... ARE YOU ALWAYS A LITTLE FRIGHTENED YOU'LL MISS SOMETHING?

I guess I am afraid of missing things. Back when I first started shooting I would go skating everyday and you would never know what day we would find an awesome spot and some would do a really good trick.So I learned pretty quickly that the only way to shoot skateboarding is to be there and be prepared. That really carries on with shooting alot of things, you never know when you will see something amazing or even have a great idea and create something awesome to shoot. My philosophy on many things is that if you want to do something then you had better start doing it, right now and all the time. You want to be a skateboarder? Then get a skateboard and ride the damn thing. You want to be a photographer, then get a camera and shoot photos every day. It's that simple. I often hear people say things like "I wish I was better at this certain thing." Well what are you doing about it, pick yourself up and go do it. Leave the whingers behind and take some control. Unless you want to be better at whinging of course, then you should sit down and whine all day long.

 

Barry Mansfield questioning life. Photo Thompson. 

 

HAHA, I'M PRETTY GOOD AT GETTING MY NAILS DONE.  ANY OTHER PROJECTS IN THE PIPELINE?

Lots. I've been photographing me splashing inks and milk around. That is great fun. Not sure what it will turn into though.Maybe an exhibition, maybe just photos that sit on my computer and I just stare at wondering if they are good enough to ever show anyone. I love colour, random chaotic and organic shapes. So splashing and mixing coloured liquids can keep me occupied for some time.

I also have been casually shooting images of people underwater. I love being underwater. Especially in the ocean. Because I wear glasses now I have to take them off to go snorkelling so when I'm underwater I can't really see it as clearly as I used too. So I snorkel around in a blurry underwater world and then shoot photos so I can look at them later.

Recently I shot photos and blogged (privately)  everything that went into my mouth for a few months. Just to keep track of it all and see how much stuff I was consuming just to fuel my lifestyle.I planned to make a big collage and call it "In one end". Everybody kept asking me if I was doing one called "Out the other". Are the things that come out of my body more interesting than the things that go in?
Lately I've been really enjoying creating fantasy landscapes from multiple images and I want to work this into fashion and advertising images too. I have been practising compositing and digital art techniques and can't wait to use them on a big project.

 

Oh what I would do to have a little lurk in Luke's computer files! Interesting fella producing interesting work.  Head down to his exhibition at the YMCA HQ Skatepark in Leederville starting Friday 5 November (TONIGHT) and running till 19 November.  Also hit up LT's website at www.lukeshootsphotos.com.

Make sure you holla at the man himself if you manage to get down there and take home a piece of Luke's fine art and support Western Australian creatives.