Skate Photographer: Ryan Allan
Ryan Allan is an Ontario bred boy, who broke free of the farm fields and become an LA based fashion & skate photographer. Shooting the biggest names in the industry. So stoked to have shot the shit over coffee with him. Wanna know what he ordered? A Keith Richards. Four espresso shots over steamed milk.
Check his work out here www.ryanallan.com
Self Portait: Jesus Fish
At the time I was living in a trailer, at a campground, in Tofino, in 2010. The night before this was taken, I got naked in the parking lot while putting my wetsuit on. I did it in front of a carload of girls who were clearly spying on the boys and I. Everyone got a good crack out of it. Then they sped off in there civics. When we came back from the surf I noticed they'd left a note on my car with their number on it. I called them, or probably got someone else to, and invited them to my place for a campfire. They came. Later that night we'd had a few too many pops, and I thought that'd be a good time to win a girl over. So I grabbed a wiener roasting stick and bent the two prongs across each and made a Jesus Fish symbol. I had the girls pin me down on the ground. One on each arm, and one on each leg. I had my pants at me knees. Then I waited for my pal Bob to pull the metal prongs out of the yellow coals.
Then he branded my ass.
Then the girls went home.
Then I went to the doctor.
Then I couldn't surf for two weeks...
I remember this day, clear as all hell, as one of the gloomiest days of living on my own. I didn't find a new place to live until the evening I moved out of the Cambie House. It was with a bunch of stoners I didn't know, and the feeling was too familiar. Later that week, Ian called me up to go crabbing with the boys. This is them at the bow of the boat, going full speed. These guys were having a riot pulling up crabs, but I just couldn't kick it. I sat in the back and observed. I remember intentionally putting my finger in the frame to make this image look gloomier.
Circa, 2011 | London Drugs 35mm film | Thrift store point & shoot camera
Cambie House Rules
- "Hella" 10 pushups
- Feet over the head while farting.
- Squat like a girl while peeing.
- Naked while eating pizza.
- Ten pushups if you say "mine"
- OUT OF THE BOOT OR OUT OF THE HOUSE
Circa 2010 #UnapologeticApologies
We Placed Your Ashes Under A Tree, But You'll Burn My Ashes Under The Sea.
Leica M2 | 35mm Voigtlander lens | Ilford HP5
Naked Pizza Party Selfie
This was taken at my old house in 2010. I lived with 5 other skater punks. While in school, we'd snowboard 4 days a week trying to get an education. None of us knew how to cook, or had time too, so we found ourselves eating frozen pizza four nights a week. We had these house rules (posted behind us) titled "Cambie House Rules" Number four stated: "Naked while eating pizza." I would come home from school and find one of the guys eating pizza alone, and naked- then I'd Join em'. These two are still some of my best pals in life. Mickey in the middle, just won the Amazing Race Canada. Everyone say "Hi Mickey!"
On this night I was boozin' hard with the boys, having some laughs. We were at a party we weren't invited to, and we were stealing the show. Then I lost my dads memorial ring. I shut the party down, asking everyone to help me find the ring. I couldn't find it. On the way out of the house I took this photo. It looked sad too. The next day, with a moral hangover I stumbled back to the door step to have another look. I didn't even know the hostess's name. She wasn't there but her dad was. Man, he wasn't happy to see me. I told him my story, and he said I could have another look for The Ring, I just had to help him move this desk into the car. Turned out he had split with his wife and that's why he was moving. There I was, one of the lousy skids from the night before. Anyways I was having trouble finding it. So I decided to follow the dog around. Yea, weird eh? But he led me to a flower pot, and inside was my dads memorial ring! #UnapologeticApologies #35mm
The Living Room
K here we go, shit's getting interesting now for this #UnapologeticApologies series. This is first or second year uni in 2010. Shooting every project wasted, then submitting it hungover. Here we are skating in my pals living room. Life motto's at this point: "Fuck The Man" and "Live Fast, Die Young." not "Skate Or Die" that came later I swear.
Why I don't Shoot Weddings.
Here's an outtake from a shoot I did circa 2010. It's been suggested to me countless times, "You should shoot weddings... Who cares if you hate it, you can make a killing!" Truth be told, shooting weddings are a huge turn off for me because of all the artificial, juvenile, and short lived fleeting relationships around me. It gives me the shits thinking about it. That being said there are a number of wedding photographers out there who specialize in this field and are doing a great job, capturing those moments and making 10 times what I make. "3k in a day! How could you pass that up Alex!?" How bout 5k, 10k? Because It taxes me emotionally, and artistically. It's just not me. I'd rather photograph a couple making love.
Bronica sq -80mm lens- Ilford HP5 iso400
Caught my first salmon of life today! Caught a chum on my first cast and one on my last cast. Thanks to my pal Michael Barrus for piggy backing me over the river to the dyke... and the fishin' lessons.
Photo credit: Michael Barrus
Burried Stones
All of my work is inspired by other artists. Most are lyrical. This photo reminds me most of Okkervil River's "A Stone" song:
Hot breath
Rought skin,
Warm laughs and smiling,
The lovliest words
Whispered and meant
You like all these things.
But, though you like all these things
You love a stone.
You love a stone,
Because it's smooth and it's cold.
And you'd love most
To be told
That it's all your own.
You love white veins,
You love hard grey,
The heaviest weight,
The clumsiest shape,
The earthiest smell,
The hollowest tone
You love a stone.
And I'm found too fast,
Called too fond of flames,
And then I'm phoning my friends,
And then I'm shouldering the blame,
While you're picking pebbles
Out of the drain,
Miles ago.
You're out singing songs,
And I'm down shouting names
At the flickerless screen,
Going fucking insane.
Am I losing my cool,
Overstating my case?
Well, baby what can I say?
You know I never claimed
That I was a stone.
And you love a stone.
You love white veins,
You love hard grey,
The heaviest weight,
The clumsiest shape,
The earthiest smell,
The hollowest tone
You love a stone.
You love a stone,
Because it's dark and it's old,
And if it could start
Being alive
You'd stop living alone.
And I think I believe that,
If stones could dream,
They'd dream of being laid
Side-by-side,
Piece-by-piece,
And turned into a castle
For some towering queen
They're unable to know.
And when that queen's daughter
Came of age,
I think she'd be lovely
And stubborn and brave,
And suitors would journey
From kingdoms away
Just to make themselves known.
And I think that I know the bitter dismay of a lover who brought
Fresh brouquets every day
When she turned him away
To remember some knave
Who once gave
Just one rose, one day, years ago.
Jakey
I can't find this photo and I probably never will. It's a one off, double exposure 5x6 print from when I was 15. It ain't edited on a computer, or shot in camera like most are, this was done in the dark room on an enlarger with two negatives sandwiched together. This was my girlfriend Daryl's little brother Jakey at 7. Jakey had and has down-syndrome. I overlapped his portrait with a road lined in trees. At that time the only people I showed my photos were friends and classmates- and they were upset with the outcome. It was the first time I was happy with something and no one else was- creatively. Love yea Jakey.
Hi
I just found this filter someone lent me back in 2006 for this photo. Woops. Probably my teacher. It's meant to make clouds more contrasty. I'll give it a go when I find the right sized lens. I remember this flight. The turbulence's were so bad the flight attendant had to come on the speaker and assure everyone we were going to be fine. My dad and I looked at each other and laughed hysterically at how upset everyone was. Sunken back in their seats, grasping arms rests, with heads cocked up, and eye's praying to the sky. We got a kick out of it. An old friend's mom probably still has this on her basement wall. #35mm # UnapologeticApologies
Buy Prints Online!
I've been flying high as hell traveling, shooting, writing, and meeting a lot of new people with real deal stories. In order to land back on the ground safely I've put together an online shop where you can swipe a credit card and buy prints! I'm hoping this will be a good foundation so I can continue to do what I love.
Head over to my shop to see what's good. These are all limited edition, signed, numbered, and professionally printed C-prints, starting at $100, $225, & $425, depending on size.
Free international shipping on all prints for the next week. Just use the coupon code "WANG".
Really stoked FOLK Magazine featured me on there account today. They even plugged my pal Heiðar with some of my words. They also got me 400+ followers in the past hour.
I rented my first camera from Henrey's in grade 10 or 11. You'd put something like a 50 bucks down to rent it for a semester and then you could buy it at the end for another 50. My mom said "If you get an 'A' at the end of it all, I'll buy the camera for you." I ended up getting %100 in the class. An A plus. I was a C+ kinda of guy- then I said suck on that high school. Key West, Florida, Circa 2006.
Unapologetic Apologies
Here's a photo from high school, circa 2006, leaving to Key West, Florida. First time I traveled with my camera. First photo I got into a cafe shop gallery in my hometown, Oakville. One of the last trips with my family as a whole. Fuck! I miss you dad... Anyways, I started scanning dozens and dozens of rolls of film today, dated back to the start of all this- grade 10 or 11- and then all the way into my alcohol, drug crazed days of Art School in 2009. What a trip it's been, thanks to those who've stuck by me while I freaked the fuck out. Lots of wild work so here's the first of my Unapologetic Apologies series.