THE DARKROOM

NEW EVERYTHING.

2011-11-03T00:34:00.003-04:00

I just revamped my entire brand. Go check out the the all-new JOSHLETCHWORTH.COM

To my loyal followers...First of all, thank you for the support. And, secondly, please continue to do so at the new RSS feed. All future blog posts will be at the address below:

JOSHLETCHWORTH.COM/BLOG

IN THE ARMS OF FLORIDA

2011-10-24T15:31:00.001-04:00

My good friend, Chad Crawford, produces a TV show called How To Do Florida Its showcases the state of Florida and all of the awesome things there are to do here. And, most importantly, its from a true Native's perspective. This isn't a show about Mickey Mouse and theme parks. Its about being outside, immersing yourself and your family in every little nook and cranny that Florida has to offer. Check it out, you will not be disappointed. I was born and raised in the state and have explored a fairly good part of it. I watch this show every week and discover some new little nugget that makes me wanna go there.

Last Thursday, we went out and spent the day in the arms of Florida. We watched the sunrise in a field of black-eyed susans and cooled off at Blue Springs around lunch. We shot a series of images to match up with the show and its exploratory nature.

Get out there. Nature's not coming to you.

NYC: 12 years

2011-10-13T09:41:00.003-04:00

My wife and I went up to NYC to celebrate 12 years of marriage. We tore that city up.

Marriage is work. DO the work and be rewarded. I couldn't imagine exploring this planet with anyone else.

I carried my Iphone and Instagram-ed the hell out that place.

FIND YOUR GURUV

2011-09-26T15:30:00.003-04:00

I am fortunate to have found an incredible yoga community to be part of. I am even more fortunate to have had the opportunity to photograph them all. A huge thank you to Tymi Howard for creating the space that she has. We are all forever grateful.

Namaste.

RETENTION... A BUNCH OF HIPPIES GO TO NAHUNTA

2011-09-22T23:35:00.002-04:00

Bottom line...this is how a wakeskate contest should go down. Definitely one of funnest weekends I've had in a long time. A huge thank you to the Horan's. I would let them adopt me into their commune if they ever asked. Seriously one of the raddest families I've come across.

Here's some photos. I shot some film and that was fun. My feet were really dirty and I think I slept about 6 hours total.

bear was my co-pilot. this was his camera and bag of stuff for the weekend.

the master of ceremonies

lake lion

who wasn't smiling this weekend?

tad is rad

little balz

board to the head...and still smiling

bears and dragonflies share an affinity for film

my feet

dan's feet

i miss taking b/w photos of this guy

leo and friends

nick should have quoted "point break" at this moment

people camped

water monsters

VERONIKA AND THE SLUMBERLAND MOTEL

2011-08-29T09:54:00.002-04:00

I've had this idea in my sketchbook for quite some time now. It just took awhile to find the perfect person and the perfect place to tell the story. There's something fascinating about the dying breed of shabby motels. The decor, the odor, the polyester sheets, the transient guests, the odd management, the broken signs, the filled-in swimming pools and perhaps most evident...the peculiar vibe that attaches itself to these places and just won't let go.

LIke many, I am inspired by David Lynch and his ability to evoke a deep, uneasy feeling, way beyond what you are seeing in the scene. I think a good photograph makes you ask more questions. Sometimes its not about what it shows, but what it doesn't. So this was a personal project to push those boundaries and leave a few blanks to be filled in.

"....as if something is about to happen." I have that written on my Note board. I think those are words to live by when making images.

A big thanks to my main man, Ian Reid (first assistant) for all the help on this one. And, of course, thank you Veronika. You brought the whole idea to life.

The Slumberland Motel

Veronika Sznajder

HSCS PHOTO CAMP

2011-08-19T11:24:00.002-04:00

Trevor Graves is a legendary snowboard photographer that captured a good chunk of the sport's history and help pave the way for other action sport photographers to carry on that tradition. He has always been a inspiration to me, long before i knew him. I'm proud to say that he's a good friend of mine now. Most of his time now is spent managing Nemo, an agency based out in Portland that I've had the privilege to work with quite a bit for all of the NIke 6.0 shoots.
Trevor and his crew have also managed to find time to organize a photo camp that runs parallel with the HIgh Cascade Snowboard Camp up in Mt. Hood every summer. Its been running strong for quite some time now and this year I was honored to have been invited to come out as an instructor, share my experiences with the students and learn a whole lot for myself. It was an amazing few days up there. There was an all-star cast of photographers on hand to teach as well. Tim Zimmerman, Andy Wright, Christie Chaloux, Kari Rowe and even a special appearance from Mr. Trevor Graves himself. It was an honor to be among that crew and pretty much geek out on photography for a week.
Incredible things happen when creative, open minds get together and break down the walls of competition and secrets. THere's power in sharing. Everyone walks away a little something that can go a long way. I know that I learned so much about myself as shooter, came home refreshed and even have a whole new bag of tricks to apply to my workflow. (The Lightroom immersion from Tim was intense and insightful for sure. )

I set my own intention to start sharing more of my own "process"....to be more transparent with my workflow and humble in regards to the workflow of others. My experience at the Photo Camp was just that. My topic of discussion for teaching was "Transitioning from Action to Lifestyle" and how I made my way through the ranks. I was amazed at how good it felt to tell my story, relive it and then watch it inspire others. Thats the full circle....

So, thanks to all the campers, instructors, counselors, riders and everyone else that somehow made our time up in Mt. Hood a great experience. I"ll be back for sure.

Here's some images from the weekend. Just a few fun ones of the campers and instructors up on the mountain. Enjoy. Get out there and shoot....and share.

peace.

BE INSPIRED...DO THE WORK.

2011-08-04T10:06:00.002-04:00

You can write it down, plan it out, talk about it in focus groups, edit it, rehash it, set a date....

But in the end...you just gotta DO THE WORK.

Here's a few shots from around these parts recently. Evidence of all the above.

I've been reading this REWORK book lately and discussing it with some great friends. its says that we should be more like Chefs. Share our recipes. There are no secrets that someone is going to take from you, open a shop and put you out of business. There's still that magic ingredient that only you possess.

I'm gonna start sharing more. Be transparent, be vulnerable, unveil the process. Its ultimately up to each one of us to DO THE WORK.

DEVISE AND CONQUER - REMOTE

2011-07-21T12:38:00.002-04:00

I'm all about fairness...and its only fair that I do a pretty little post of all the REMOTE flicks from our efforts in the recent Transworld Devise and Conquer competition. Nobody likes runner up, but we're all winners in my heart.

This rounded out a solid 6 days out at the Projects with a sunburn and ant bites to prove it. Again, it was well worth the suffering.

These dudes ripped a new hole in the book of Wakeskating. Unreal to watch.

Remote....thank you and I love you.

FOUR EYES FANCY

2011-07-11T14:55:00.002-04:00

So...it happened. Ruby's creative voice became louder than our will to tame it. Ruby is our incredibly eclectic, 7-year old daughter. We gladly and honorably caved to her idea to start a blog about her funky little outlook on life. She has more style than most teenagers and seems to match up the most blog-worthiest of outfits. So, follow along or stop in once in awhile. You just might be inspired.

Ladies, Gents, enthusiasts and aficionados...

We give you...

FOUR EYES FANCY
fashion through the four eyes of Ruby Letchworth

http://foureyesfancy.tumblr.com/

On behalf of Miss Rub Ray Letchworth...

Dad (her official photographer)

OAKLEY SPRING '12 SURF CATALOG

2011-07-01T15:20:00.002-04:00

I recently posted last year's 2011 Oakley Catalog shoot and now here's this years. We had the opportunity to go back down to Australia this past February to shoot with some of the team for a few days for the 2012 catalog. It was just days before the first ASP tour stop at Snappers, so the whole circus was in town and excitement and tensions were running high.

Thanks to whole crew involved. Despite my horrible stomach flu on our only travel day between locations, the shoot was amazing.

Art Director: Justin Kuttler
Oakley Production: Jessica Tier
First Assistant: Ian Reid

JUST DO IT

2011-06-29T09:31:00.003-04:00

We circled the globe and spent nearly all of last year shooting print ads for NIke 6.0 to match the new NIke JUST DO IT campaign that just launched. It was an incredible set of shoots to be a part of. I typically work with a pretty tight crew, so this was quite the experience to be on a set that was 30 people deep at times.

We ended right here in my backyard with the Wake shoot where I was able to shoot both apparel and the action images. We used a mixture of strobes and a healthy grip of hot lights (several 20K's and a 9 light Maxi-brut).

It was an all-nighter. But despite the long day and large production...everyone killed it. Thanks to all the riders and the whole crew involved. It was a shoot for the history books.

DEVISE AND CONQUER - OBSCURA

2011-06-24T13:43:00.007-04:00

Transworld Wake hosted the first annual Devise and Conquer wakeskate creative contest. I had to use "contest" for lack of better description, but it was much more than that. Each team was given 4 days and limited budget to conceptualize, build and shoot an idea that was to be shown in photos and a 5 minute edited video. It was modeled after the highly acclaimed "Skate and Create" that is hosted by Transworld Skateboarding every year. The winners are awarded the cover of the magazine and bragging rights for the next year.

We had one hell of a good time working on this project together. Anything that can push you to use the right side of your brain is a good exercise in my book. I'm really proud of the Obscura guys....they had an idea, presented it, and saw it through to the end.

Spoiler Alert: Obscura won.

Hats off dudes. I am honored to have been part of the team.

Thanks to whole crew:

Riders:
Aaron Reed
Danny Hampson
Grant Roberts
Travis Doran

Filmers:
Tad Matthews
Ian Reid

Photographer:
Josh Letchworth

Photo Assist:
Jessica Gruneisen

Builders / Support / Friends
Stefan Schriewer
Bo
Ben Weiland
Kyle Bohannon

The mag just dropped last week and you can check out the article in there. But here's a bonus gallery to see little bit more of what went down...

MANDEE MARIE

2011-06-21T14:29:00.003-04:00

This is Mandee Marie. She's a singer / songwriter. She's good. We had fun. It was hot outside.

OUR HAPPY PLACE - DAY 10

2011-06-20T12:55:00.002-04:00

the clean up. This is the only day that yields far fewer smiles than the days previous. But, as Dr. Suess always said...

"Don't cry that it's over, SMILE because it happened."

10 photos a day for 10 days. Thanks for taking that trip with us.

OUR HAPPY PLACE - DAY 9

2011-06-17T15:18:00.002-04:00

The "guest" issue... Happy people we found along the way.

OUR HAPPY PLACE - DAY 8

2011-06-16T23:20:00.002-04:00

winding down...

OUR HAPPY PLACE - DAY 7

2011-06-14T00:26:00.002-04:00

the nature issue.

OUR HAPPY PLACE - DAY 6

2011-06-13T09:36:00.002-04:00

got a day behind. But, hey, I'd be lucky to even remember what day it is at this point. We're pretty deep in the rabbit hole of happiness.

OUR HAPPY PLACE - DAY 5

2011-06-11T16:11:00.002-04:00

halfway there. still happy.

OUR HAPPY PLACE - DAY 4

2011-06-10T14:54:00.001-04:00

happiness sequenced.

OUR HAPPY PLACE. - DAY 3

2011-06-09T16:18:00.002-04:00

OUR HAPPY PLACE - DAY 2

2011-06-08T15:23:00.002-04:00

As promised...more happiness.

OUR HAPPY PLACE - DAY 1

2011-06-07T15:47:00.002-04:00

A happy place... Everyone has one. You know, that place you visualize when you're having your teeth pulled, meditating, scared out of your mind, bored or miserable. Its the pearly gates, that place you see beyond the bright white lights. Well, this is ours. Every year we make the pilgrimage 3 hours Southwest of our home. We will spend the next 10 days here working on things that make us smile. The rules are simple.

I will post 10 images each day of these moments. Follow along if you'd like. Happiness is contagious.

HOME IS WHERE THE LIGHT IS

2011-06-03T14:03:00.002-04:00

Sometimes you don't even have to leave your own home to find something inspiring. These were all shot before the first sip of coffee hit my lips...

Charleston...by way of Savannah

2011-05-09T23:30:00.002-04:00

Katy and Jeff know how to get married and party at the same time. The mint juleps amidst the beautiful low-country plantation sure beats the hell out of fizzy flavored Koolaid at the local Community Center. it was a downright honor to be there.

Dana and I made a little roadtrip out of the opportunity. It was just like old times... peaceful, uninterrupted conversations broken only by my urge to pull over and take photos of random things along the way.

We stopped in Savannah on the way up. We figured 3 hrs was plenty of driving for one day. Well....and we wanted to see what this Paula Deen hype was really all about.

I got a new lens the day before we left, so I challenged myself to the 'ol ONE LENS / ONE CAMERA / ONE ROLL OF FILM game.

NIkon FM2
Zeiss 50mm 1.4
Ilford FP4

There were more Ray Ban's than the 1983 premiere party of Risky Business

GO WEST...

2011-04-20T16:13:00.002-04:00

For spring break this year we took the family West. We opted out of the Dodge Caravan from Budget rental car and went with a '91 VW Westfalia instead. It had manual windows, a crummy stereo and not nearly the amount of cup-holders, but a whole lot more character. I promised my kids they would thank me for the experience later. We started in San Francisco with my sister and then hit the PCH South. With Big Sur in our sights, we were stopped short by a road closure due to all the heavy rains. You know that whole saying in life about "Plan B"... well its true, you better be ready. We spun around and headed North and landed in the Armstrong National Park, just outside of wine country. The destination wasn't nearly as important as the journey and for that I am forever grateful. I'm still working on convincing the kids....but rest assured, they'll get it one day.

I carried one camera and one lens.

NIkon FM 2 with a 35mm 1.4. I swear I could take every shot from here on out with that setup.

Film: Kodak 400 Portra NC and Ilford 100 FP4

Get out there and drive around. You'll be amazed at what you'll find.

NIKE WOMEN'S LOOKBOOK

2011-04-18T16:24:00.002-04:00

Here's another project that we worked on last summer that is now coming into fruition. Seeing a project go to print is always the final reward for me.

We had an incredible journey while shooting this one. For 2 weeks last July we zig zagged the country to shoot with these girls in their home environment. Its always an honor to step into someone's inner circle of life and get to take pictures of the process. Despite being swarmed with stylists, wardrobe, cameras, and flashes we always seem to find our moments of serenity and the wall comes down. Thats my favorite moment.

A huge thank you goes out to the whole crew that worked on this one:

First Assistant: Ian Reid
Art Directors: Jen Lorentzen, Steve Hoskins
Nike Creative Director: Damion Triplett
NIke Brand Manager: Stephanie Derham
NIke 6.0 Women's Dept: Debra Friedman, Nikki Neuburger, Jenna Wilson
Producer: Amber Geiger
Hair / Makeup: Karyn Carmona
Stylists: Polina Aranova, Ronald Burton

And or course our Athletes. None of this would have been possible without their patience, happiness and the willingness to open their doors to us all. Thank you so very much.

Ellery Hollingsworth Watch Hill, Rhode Island
Lakey Peterson Santa Barbara, California
Monyca Byrne_Wickey Hana, Maui
Carissa Moore Honolulu, Hawaii

STEVE THE STAND IN

2011-04-08T11:34:00.002-04:00

Steve's a good dude. We've traveled around the world together over the last few years. He's the lead Art Director at Nemo for the NIke 6.0 stuff that we shoot. We surf, stay up late, talk about music, art and come up with ideas. And when its "go" time...we work....very seamlessly together.

"Steve...stand there in the light and make one of those faces that you do." He always obliges, usually with a witty, whimsical or surprised look that I prefer. He usually has a some version of a point and shoot in his hand, pretending to take pictures. Sometimes of me...yet I don't think I've ever seen one. He has claimed some sort of Flickr stream, however.

So, anyway, here he is. Steve's own personal portfolio, if you will. This is us just finding our way through the moments....scouting, searching, exploring and making memories.

OAKLEY_SURF_CATALOG

2011-04-01T17:23:00.003-04:00

I rarely make posts like this, but I was pretty psyched on how this catalog came out. We shot this last year in February. We had a chance to work with some great athletes and an awesome team that made it all possible. We were even lucky enough to go back this year and do it all again.

BEAR'S BEARD

2011-03-11T16:28:00.005-05:00

A man's facial hair becomes very dear to one's heart after a long bout with the growth process. LIke a farmer and his crop...there's comes a time for harvest. Bear had decided it was time, but we wouldn't see it go without proper acknowledgement and historic documentation.

I've been lucky enough to be Bear's muse on several occasions, so it was nice to flip the script. He came over with his dog on a blustery afternoon, we rolled up our pant legs, and headed down to the lake. I should also mention that he forgot to bring the sunbuster that I planned on using, so we were stuck with 2 inexperienced assistants (my son Max and his buddy) trying to hold a floppy bounce in 20mph winds. Thanks dudes, we made it work.

And thank you Bear for my attempt at making a memory of the infamous, late Bear Beard.

\

SO CAMPY

2011-03-09T10:56:00.006-05:00

Boys have this need to disconnect from life and go play caveman in the woods. Its a reminder that we can let go of all the societal rules when we damn well please. This feeling usually passes after 2 nights of whiskey fueled campfire banter, swarms of mosquitos, vienna sausage dinners and a kinked neck. After that, domestica sounds great again.

Lets just say there was a thermos of whiskey, some machetes, a new moon and a camera involved in the making of this weirdness. Let this be a friendly reminder to get weird and be a kid as often as possible.

HAIR TIES AND THE PLACES THEY LIVE

2011-02-03T09:11:00.004-05:00

The Girl / Boy ratio in our home has just recently became unbalanced. A victory to the X chromosome and the women take the majority. As a male, there's much to learn from women and being surrounded by them on a daily basis. Like..organic energy, the recognition of the emotional heart, and a better understanding of hair products, baby dolls and things that smell good. Its a priceless teaching that I would recommend to anyone.

One female characteristic that has carried through the dawn of time is long hair. They like to brush it, stick it to the shower walls, mistakenly add it to dinner recipes and tie it back with these little colored hair ties. I find these things everywhere. Seriously everywhere. I thought it was a joke at first, like some strange sign that this hair tie was following me around. So I decided to first laugh about it and then take a picture of every one that i found over the course of a month.

Stop by if you ever need one, I know where about 100 of them are.

Love you ladies.

THE KID IN US

2011-01-18T13:00:00.004-05:00

Face it. We grow up. We're told to "act our age.". We tuck our shirts in, give firm handshakes and live up to the modern code of maturity. Well, I'm calling bullshit. We all have a kid inside of us and you gotta let em out. I have 3 kids...and if there's anything to learn from having kids, then it's the constant reminder that we already have the game of life figured out when were born. It just takes the next 30 years to slowly lose touch with it. Then we spend the last 30 trying to find it again.

I live in the "old" part of Lake Mary. We sit on the edge of urban sprawl, but can look out over the lake behind our house and pretend that none of it exists. Just across the lake, through the mucky marsh lands and pine forest there lies the gated golf community of "Timacuan." It's a nice little slice of domestica with well-manicured lawns, kids playing in the streets and businessmen driving high-powered, customized, personal golf-carts. It's really nice and serves our purpose as growing family's. But, I can't help but find a little irony in the fact that we are even willing to name our urban blooms after the Native Americans that once lived here. I wonder what they would think of that country club.

Anyways....back to being a kid. Last Saturday night, my buddy Thomas (who lives in Timacuan) asked me to come over for a beer. It was 10:30pm and I just didn't feel like taking the traditional way. And by that I mean the city's paved thoroughfare with painted lines and street lights. So I agreed to come over, but would communicate via photo text message only to track my route. I believe he was baffled.

So...if you will....follow me on my journey...

what sets us apart

my boots

travel necessities

my vessel. Now this reallys feels right. To Timacuan in a canoe. I bet thats how they first found it.

into my own private wild

one dead soldier and little leak in the boat.

right after this photo was taken jason voorhees came out of water pulled me in.

landfall

the water level is down, so it was pretty dry

my headlamp reveals my obstacles.

tracking my progress.

mud. and no thats not a bone of some sort, but it looks like one.

entering the forest section of the adventure.

I've hit the Timacuan perimeter. A pretty green fence to keep us safe from people like me.

ahhhhhh....sidewalks

the kid in me

in the hood.

crossroads.

despite some cold, wet feet...I made it.

Now I know that wasn't crossing the Rubicon or hiking Everest for God's sake. But, for me it stood for so much. Just the simple fact that there is always an alternative route to get somewhere. Take the path less traveled, dream up an adventure and take it. You'll be amazed at what you'll find. If anything, a little inner peace and that kid that's been just dying to get out.

FAMILY PHOTO SHOOT

2011-01-12T15:20:00.005-05:00

First off...Happy New Year. its gonna be a good one. Just say it.

I really enjoyed the time off. I hope you did as well. Family time for days and days. But just as usual, I eventually start to get the itch. The itch to pick up the camera and shoot something. So Like Clark Griswald, I take lead and mandate a family photo shoot in the front yard. "Be in front of the garage in 10 minutes." Alone, of course... I scramble with gear, schlepping stuff into the driveway to what looks like the start of a photo yard sale. I love how the inspiration of an idea will disguise all hurdles that it takes to make it actually happen.

I'm finally set up, fire a test shot and with great expectations, check my results. Nothing like imagined. I spend the next....well the entire photo shoot trying to make it better and better and better etc. Looking for the perfect match to the masterpiece in my brain. You get the point. The family is breaking down, baby is crying, Max is giving me that blank stare of which I have so many pictures of, I'm sweating...all the typical signs of the creative wrestling match. But there is a lesson. There's always a lesson. I preach it all the time. The experience is all in the journey. The results are just extra. And 9 times out of 10 they will be nothing as you expected. But the point is that you go through the journey, face the adversities and walk away with something. In this case, a Christmas memory and some cool images of my family that I will have forever.

We made our xmas card out of some of these shots. But I though it would be fun to show some that didn't make the cut....the good, the bad and the overexposed...

50% EVERYTHING AT SHOP.JOSHLETCHWORTH.COM

2010-12-13T09:59:00.002-05:00

Happy Holidays from JLP. Yeah, seriously. Take 50% OFF all prints and posters at SHOP.JOSHLETCHWORTH.COM. The deal lasts through Christmas. Get your order in by this Friday, December 17th and you'll have it before the big day. It's our way of saying thanks for a great year. Pick up that print that you've been eyeing for awhile, or better yet, get it for someone else. You may just make their year. The Limited Poster Series are getting low, so get them while they last. Make sure to put in the Discount Code upon checkout: HALF

BALI IN MY EYES

2010-11-29T16:18:00.004-05:00

Perry Farrell wrote a song about Bali and the chorus repeats " I've got Bali in my eyes..." I'm pretty positive he's talking about running around the island on wild mushrooms. Nevertheless, I had that song stuck in my head the entire time I was there. Here are some film images that were taken with my Holga and Nikon FM while getting lost in such a beautifully strange place...

IN TRANSIT

2010-11-24T10:16:00.006-05:00

I travel a lot. I'm 200 miles away from Delta Diamond. That's 124,800 miles this year of floating somewhere in between here and there. I carry my camera, so therefore I take pictures of this process. Airports are such a strange place. They are like subculture holding tanks from the real world. You can say your in Hong Kong, but are you really?

These shots were taken in transit to Bali. Most all of them are from the Hong Kong Airport and a few just after take off. We flew Cathay Pacific and were booked in business class. That was nice. But when we boarded the plane for Bali, we were escorted to the First Class cabin. Evidently, there's a difference. It was empty, so they said it was all ours for the next 5 hours. Whoaaa...

MAX 6.0

2010-11-05T10:22:00.003-04:00

My boy Max is a really cool kid. In fact, I consider him one of my best friends. At the end of this past summer, I had to head out to the US Open of Surfing in Huntington Beach to shoot some NIke athletes that were going to be there. I had come off of a busy summer and was getting pretty burnt from traveling so much and being away from the family. So, the trip came up and the day before I left, Max told me he wanted to come along. We made it happen.

He was my shadow for the 3 days we were there. It was a hectic place with close to ! million spectators. My goal was to immerse him in the experience and not lose him. He had a good time to say the least. We were busy, but managed to make every moment fun.

Random fun things:

upgraded to first class, there and back
hot tub at the hotel
room service
hours of play time on the Art Director's Ipad
private acoustic set by Thrice at Nike No Tell Motel
Lance Mountain sighting
Free Weezer concert on the beach

And on the last night there, we were set up at the Nike dinner to get portraits of all the athletes. I thought it would be cool get a shot of Max with each one. So, at the end of each session, Max would jump in for his cameo. It took him awhile to warm up, but he was throwing shaka's by the end.

it will be a privilege to share this with him as he gets older. These guys and girls are an inspiration to the young up and comers. It was a honor for all of us, especially my boy. Thank you..

THE WILD NORTHWEST: SURFING THE OREGON COAST

2010-10-15T15:31:00.001-04:00

I've surfed for the better part of my life. About 25 years now. I've traveled to the far ends of the world in search of an empty line up and a well-shaped wave. I've spent piggy banks of coin on boards, accessories, air fare, un-airconditioned bungalows and skimpy plates of rice and beans all for a chance to ride a mound of water to the sand. Coming from Florida, we settle for less than optimal conditions during most of the year. We fight through the summer doldrums and stare at swell forecasts day after day through the months of August and September, in hopes of a plentiful hurricane season. All for what? What is the allure of surfing? What draws us into that water like a monk's pilgrimage for enlightenment? At times, I really question if surfing is a sport. I mean, sure it involves calorie burning activity and a pro arena of global competition... But, ask any surfer...it's so much more than that.

Its the hunt, the process, the victory, the defeat, the challenge, the lesson, the flow, the stillness, the solitude, the camaraderie. It's like a breath of air, in and out...and most importantly, necessary.

Sometimes we don't need to know why.

Keep surfing.

I took a trip to the Oregon coast the last time I was out there with my good friend, Steve, from Portland. The process of surfing really hit me on this trip. I realized how the journey does indeed match up to the destination. We woke up early, packed the car and set off. I carried my camera along to document our "process".

5:30am

strap 'em down

the road from Porland to Tillamook. this is out my window.

boards and a rip curl F-bomb. a 5/4 mass of rubber

steve

the walk to the beach was like hiking through the ewok forest. slightly different landscape than Florida's east coast

the rays of light were pretty fantastic

our first look at it...

I've never seen anything like this on a surf trip. unreal.

this part takes at least 15 minutes

i look weird

me and my sword

It was about 8:45am when we finally got in the water. Over 3 hrs from when we left. But, really the surfing started the moment we planned the trip. Find your surfing and enjoy the moments that make up the process.

CAN YOU DO THIS?

2010-09-23T22:56:00.003-04:00

this is ellery and she can. She has also inspired me to start a personal project of people "yawning".

IN NEED OF ASSISTANCE

2010-09-16T17:56:00.003-04:00

This is Ian. He flies with me. We ride in taxis together. We stay in hotel rooms that are adjoining. We compare Sky Miles. We sip whiskey and roll smokes together. We eat the same thing for breakfast. We laugh at each other. We make jokes about people we meet along the way.

Yeah, he's my travel companion, but he really does much more. On a photo shoot, there is a lot of shit to think about. The more stuff that clutters my mind, the less room there is for important things like taking a good photo, keeping it in focus and making clients happy.

I'm a big believer in the small things. The small things are really what make the biggest difference. People always ask "Do you really need an assistant while you're shooting?' And honestly, the answer is no. I could do it by myself. I could shlep my camera around, point it and shoot it. But when it matters the most, having help is an invaluable resource that i choose not to give up nor take for granted. So, thanks Ian for being there for those moments that it mattered most.

Here's a random list of things that Ian is responsible for at any given moment....

carrying heavy shit. everywhere.
charging batteries. a lot of them for a lot of things.
driving rental cars.
finding things I lose and possibly taking the blame for it.
set things up.
tear things down. numerous times.
loading film in old cameras.
keep track of that film.
switching expensive lenses while balancing 5 other things I have him carry.
hold things high up in the air. for a long time.
small talk with models, athletes and anyone he has to stand close to for an extended period of time.
bring everything we brought for the shoot to obscure locations. just in case. then only to realize i will only need one camera.
download thousands of images.
back them up.
again and again usually after midnight.
wake me up to do it again.

thanks dude. couldn't do it without ya.

WASHED UP...

2010-08-24T07:27:00.005-04:00

Aaron and Danny finally brought the dude cruise to shore this past weekend. After nearly 3 years of filming each other and all of their friends with that silly little HD, they opened their hearts to the world and let everyone in for a peek.

"washed up before we were has beens" It was good. And the other 349 people there must have thought the same. When the intro started, people bum rushed the front like a justin beiber concert. Just wanted to say hats off to whole Obscura crew. Your hard work and good times were apparent. I'm proud of you to say the least.

I had the pleasure of traveling with them on many of their escapades through the dirty south. We followed that asphalt with our hearts and lost our minds. I captured a lot of photos along the way and unveiled them at the premiere the other night. All film, no action, no color... just the journey, not the destination. I printed 50 5x7's, stuck them to the bricks and let people ride along with us.

Here's some pics from the other night. Thanks to Patrick Wieland for snapping a couple pics of the wall. I completely forgot. And thanks to my right hand man, Ian Reid, as well. He shot some great portraits of everyone who walked through the door. I thought I'd share a few of those too.

Here's the wall:

And here's a closer look at the pics that were chosen to print...

And here's some fun ones from the night (taken by Ian)

THE MANY FACES

2010-08-19T16:52:00.004-04:00

I like getting close when i take portraits. Sometimes its just the camera that draws the line in the sand for the subject's personal space. No euro rules...

Here's a series of Nigel Sylvester and Garrett Reynolds. Garrett just won the X games. thats rad. he rips on two wheels...sometimes just one

CORIZONTAL : ART SHOW AT NEMO HQ

2010-08-17T09:13:00.006-04:00

I like when Trevor Graves emails me. It always initiates the start of something good. As was the case a couple weeks ago when he asked me to be part of an art show that they were hosting in conjunction with CORIZONTAL: CAN ACTION SPORTS GROW WITHOUT LOSING IT'S SOUL? It was a frank roundtable discussion with industry leaders and athletes about the opportunities and pitfalls the future of Action Sports holds. Sounds interesting. I'm sure some points were made and epiphany's were reached. Lets hope action sports can indeed hang on to its soul. Its amazing what people will lose these days.

So, here are some pics from the show. I wish I could have been there. My good friend Steve Hoskins, a senior art director out at Nemo took these pics for me. I submitted 4 images for the show. Only one action shot in the bunch that i sent....a dreamy shot of Nigel Sylvester doing a manual off a curb. The rest were portraits... my favorite.

Nigel Sylvester Manual
Nigel Sylvester Portait against a wall
Kolohe Andino b/w in the T-street tunnel
Ellery Holingsworth b/w portrait. She has the best smile. : )

Here's the 4 images, plus photos of them hanging....

going on vacation

2010-07-03T14:58:00.003-04:00

But, before i do....

Just wanted to say thanks for reading this blog. I appreciate it. i really do. In fact...i love you....kinda like I love film.

So here's some film. SX-70 polaroid to be exact. I shot four shots with it and then it stopped working.

see you soon

HARNESS YOUR ENVIRONMENT.

2010-06-02T15:35:00.008-04:00

This world is our playground. Get out there and play. I am always very intrigued and inspired to shoot the different textures and landscapes that we stomp, ride, roll and run on. Artists and athletes think alike. Were really one in the same. I love the way we look at our environments as more than just places. They are opportunities. We see shapes, lines and what's possible.

Go make your line....

CREATE, SHOW MORE PEOPLE AND...

2010-06-01T13:00:00.002-04:00

That's essentially it, right? I guess I could add....AND LET IT MAKE A DIFFERENCE IN THIS WORLD.

I am working on these photos of James Stewart today. I like them and want to show someone. Now I will work on that "changing the world" part.

SHOOT THE SHOOTER : KOLOHE ANDINO

2010-05-28T09:07:00.004-04:00

if you surf...or maybe even if you don't, you should know who Kolohe Andino is. The dude is a rising star from San Clemente, CA and he really rips. He's even so fortunate to have Dino Andino as a father.... an 80's / 90's surf legend. In fact, i think I had some of his Gotcha posters on my wall when I was a kid. Dino also played a surfer role in "Point Break." Yes....cool.

Kolohe was signed to Nike 6.0 earlier this year and we had the chance to spend the day with him, shooting for Summer / Fall. It was a long day to say the least. I think it clocked in at around 10 hrs. We shot about 3500 photos of him. Kolohe is wise beyond his years. You wouldn't think that he's 16 yrs old. His favorite bands are The Talking Heads and Ziggy Stardust. C'mon, who even knows who those bands are at that age.

At the end of our day, a curiosity began to rise in all of the cameras that I was using. He took a liking to my NIkon FM so I let him shoot a couple with it.

So here we have it....me shooting him shooting me....

CRUSHED

2010-05-26T15:53:00.004-04:00

i have a tendency to put my gear down in various places while shooting. I get carried away in the moment and then turn around to see a path of cameras, lenses and filters scattered in different places. Yes, an assistant helps, but there are still those times that I shoot without one.

I was recently shooting up in Aspen with Nike 6.0 snowboard team and I found myself in one of those moments of creative bliss. We were shooting some outerwear with one of the athletes and decided to stage up around a Snow Cat machine. It looked like a safe place to set my backpack. It appeared to have been parked in the same spot for over a week. Well, if it had...then it decided to make a move on this day. We shot some photos and worked our way out of sight my bag.

Here's a rundown of what I had with me:

NIkon d3s
Nikon d700
70-200 2.8
24-70 2.8
35mm 1.4
zeiss 85mm 1.4
50mm 1.4
fisheye
sb 26 flash
Nikon FM

I happened to have both camera bodies around my neck, one with the 70-200 on it and one with the 24-70. The FM was in the backpack with the 35mm 1.4 attached. And everything else listed was also in the backpack.

I present you with evidence image #1. There she is sitting on the snow cat track. Great spot for a camera bag right?

We were about 50 ft away from the Cat when we heard the beast start up and growl. It didn't really grab my attention like it should have. There was some movement and then a sudden realization that my life was in that backpack sitting innocently on death's doorstep. I screamed out...it was too late. The driver was not interested in my frantic waving. And in one split moment....the bag was buried. I rushed over the pried the bag out of the snow. I gave her a shake and heard what sounded like a paper bag full of glass shards.

All in all, I was really damn lucky. First off, having the 2 camera bodies (both of which were not mine) around my neck, really saved my ass. I don't know how...but all the lenses were fine. The zeiss 85mm had a lens hood on it. The hood was wrapped around it like a wilted flower. the lens cover was smashed. Weird. But the lens was fine. The 35mm was attached to the FM. The FM was crushed, but the lens was fine. You could take it on and off the camera ok. All of filters were smashed. And thats pretty much it. I wondered what would have happened if I had the other 2 camera bodies in there with the lenses on them. Could have been ugly.

Lesson learned. Keep an eye on yo shit.

FIRST 3 FRAMES

2010-05-09T00:30:00.003-04:00

on the way to aspen with ellery hollingsworth and steph

the 3rd shot is pretty symbolic actually. Steph is the brand connections manager for NIke 6.0. This was her first flight back on the road after a 6 month hiatus from having her baby boy. Jumpin right back into things.... welcome back steph.

frame 1

frame2

frame 3

6.0 LOWERS PRO

2010-05-06T09:01:00.002-04:00

Yes, i've been quite busy with the swoosh recently. Its been amazing to say the least. They recently asked me to make a collage of images from our last campaign that we shot. It was used as a 17ft display at the Lowers Pro surf contest at Trestles going on right now. I was just out there for 2 days shooting some new apparel on their surfers and I had time to run by the booth to check it out.

Here's the result....

ME AND SCOTT.....BYERLY

2010-04-14T15:59:00.003-04:00

Me and my friend "Bone" have this debate about what to call the one and only Mr. Scott Byerly. I know it sounds silly and simple. His name is Scott, but he's no ordinary Scott. Everyone has a friend named Scott. "Scott" was that kid that was always picked last to play basketball. Bone always says.." So me and Scott were...." And then i interrupt and say "Scott who?" He looks at me like i'm stupid and says "Byerly". But my point is...if your addressing the Pope, you don't call him John. Anyways, it doesn't really matter...call him what you will.

Here's me and The Legend back in 2006 making some magic on an old desert highway.

Not sure who took the photo of me, but thank you. I may have been Justin Stephens.

Me and my friend "Bone" have this debate about what to call the one

FELL INTO A RABBIT HOLE

2010-04-12T10:18:00.005-04:00

... in the mystical sense.

After a recent shoot out in the wild part of Arizona we had a free day to spend as we wished. So, Brett and I headed for Sedona. I"m sure you've heard the many great things that are associated with it. Let me just re-confirm that. My friend Shane said it best about Sedona..."Its not about what's in the town of Sedona , it's what lies all around it."

We took a hike up Boyton Canyon, disconnected from the physical world and tapped into the spiritual. This was the site of one of the VORTEX'S. Read about it...pretty f_ing cool.

Brett led the hike so you have the privilege of seeing a lot of his backside. Enjoy some of the sights that we came across in our 4 hour journey.

trail sign. I don't know where I"m going, but I sure know where I've been.

People like to build these. Its like nature's jenga.

This was on the way down. Sorry no chron order here. Notice the drastic change in landscape that we meander through. amazing.

This oak corral looked like something from Where the Wild Thing Are.

From the b/w roll of film.

up a tree

this is the town of Jerome. We stopped there on the way to Sedona. One of the old Copper mining towns from the 19th century. Badass.

out the window. oh yeah.

Thats Sedona waaaaay down there. And, yes, thats Brett.

Our badass ride. If this thing was a convertible, we would be Daytona Spring Break certified.

sometimes you have to stop and look up.

tree hugger.

I love slightly soft, light flare photos.

f22 makes a starburst. : )

f1/4 makes for some interesting depth of field. This was some sort of spiky palm

I collect heart-shaped rocks for my daughter, but I couldn't take this one. This is someone else's heart. Had to bring this one home on film.

Brett's feet and the well beaten trail. Were not the only ones that have experienced such beauty.

I wish you could touch this tree to feel how smooth it was.

sometimes you have to look down too.

bark.

The outside world. They don't know where I"m going and I don't know where they going.

long shadows.

When finally arrived back at the parking lot, I looked up and saw that the moon was rising. It looked like something out of Ansel adams book. I had a wide lense and one frame left. Sometimes the best camera ISN'T the one you have. ha.

STRAIGHT UP FISHIN'

2010-04-01T12:16:00.002-04:00

We live in the south and we like to fish. Boys can be boys. We can spit, tell bad jokes and have conversations that are only reserved for secludedness.

i had a few shots left on my FM after a recent shoot, so I brought the camera along.

Thats my cousin Justin and my good friend Jeff. Random bit of information...I remember going to Jeff's house the day he was born. So...what I"m saying is.. I've known him for a long time.

Enjoy.

MORE UNEASINESS

2010-03-11T14:01:00.003-05:00

Just a few more images that I found in my WORKING FOLDER that give me that good feeling.

SHOTS THAT MAKE YOU FEEL UNCOMFORTABLE

2010-03-11T11:38:00.004-05:00

I like photos that leave you a little uneasy. Not to the point of "disturbing", although that can be good at times too. Just that slight feeling of "strange" that might provoke a question. i am always clipping out images that I like and posting them on my INSPIRATION BOARD in my office. And some of them always make me stop, look deeper and ask questions.

I was going through a recent shoot's out takes and found these. Its funny to see the INSPIRATION BOARD working. I can see the influence and they even give me that ever so slight feeling of uncomfortableness an curiosity.

THE FIRST 3 FRAMES_THE BIRD

2010-03-10T15:13:00.004-05:00

Here's the first 3 frames from another roll. I usually don't shoot dead things, but it was the first thing I saw this particular day.

frame 1

frame 2

frame 3

THE FIRST 3 FRAMES

2010-03-09T17:24:00.007-05:00

I always have a Nikon FM with me. And because i don't know exactly how many times to wind it when I load it...the first few frames are always interesting.

Here's the first 3 from a day at Kolohe Andino's house.

my bag

?

my flash on a pole in a room with surf posters.

WIZARDS OF OZ

2010-03-05T10:51:00.004-05:00

by the way...my last post was #100. yahhh, it only took me 2 years.

So, its a been a great year so far. I've been busy, traveling a lot, finishing up 2 campaigns in multiple sports. I promise to update some photos and info once I can divulge more about them.

For now, heres a few photos from the Art director on our last shoot in Australia. This was during the scout day. We were jet-lagged as hell but found our way through some really nice spots. Thanks Jesse.

Below that are some shots that I took randomly during the shoot. They could be misfires, tests etc. I'm not really sure, just like them.

this was called Fengal. it was purrrrty.

our room looked out over snappers to kirra.

check out that dip in the lower lip. nice.

lets just say we were mad at the sun by this point. she didn't like to come out for us.

you see, i told ya. many random rain showers. Here our model and makeup artist take cover.

Ian is the lighting guy and the stand in. This shot also reveal our amazing $5 beauty dish setup.

Jesse. Ian took this one while switching cameras for me.

shredding...

NEVER SAY IMPOSSIBLE

2010-03-03T10:32:00.002-05:00

The impossible may have just become possible again.

Check out many films that were thought to be extinct, have been resurrected and redesigned. Thanks dudes...

THE IMPOSSIBLE PROJECT

ON THE NOSE...LITERALLY

2010-02-23T16:14:00.000-05:00

Ok, its time that I drop this story. Awhile back, during Aaron Reed week, I promised one more story about him. Anyone remember? Anyway..Sorry for the delay, but it took me a hell of time to find these old negatives. I shot them on a Hasselblad Xpan panoramic camera. It was the only camera I had with me that day. You see...the best camera really is the one you have with you.

I know this blog sees its fair share of Aaron Reed stories, but for some reason, good shit happens when he and my camera are in the same place. This is undoubtingly my favorite Reed story of all time. (except the one about the crackhead bum that....nevermind)

So I'll try to keep it condensed, but there are some details, so hang in there.

New Zealand. 2007. Red Bull Adrift.

Reed and I like to consider ourselves avid fly fishermen. Were not, but we like to pretend we are. We always promised ourselves that if we were ever in a place that lent itself to a great fly fishing experience (enter New Zealand) we would make it happen. So, in February of 2007, we did just that. We packed up our 6 weights, flies, amenities and broke away from the group for the day. We hopped in a borrowed car, drove on the left hand side of the road and made it up into God's country safely. It was a beautiful day....just downright beautiful. One of those crisp bluebird days where you can't stop huffing in the fresh air. We got out of the car and rigged up. We were just smiling at the fact that we had actually followed through on our word to make this happen. So, we set off down the trail towards the river. Anyone who enjoys fly-fishing can relate to the sounds and smells that accompany a trip on the river. It's pretty intoxicating. We decided that the best way to fish this densely covered section of the river was to split up. Reed chose to cross over to the opposite bank and I stayed on this side. At that point we were pretty much on our own. We knew each other were close by, but now we could fully dive into the introspective head trip of fishing.

Only about 10 minutes passed before the silence was broken by the crackled sound of Reed's voice calling my name. I've heard him call my name many times before, but never like this. It wasn't panic or immediate danger like a bear was about to eat him, but something was definitely wrong. "Uh...Josh...Josh...Come over here. Come here." Him knowing where I was in relation to him and knowing that in order to get to him required that I stop everything i was doing, walk back downstream to a clearing and cross a swift river, I knew he was serious. I did just that. A few cuts from briars, a near slip into the river and a stumble or 2 on some river bank rocks and i had made it to the trail that led to Mr. Reed. My curiosity had gotten the best of me and I increased my movement up to a light jog. There he was, with his back turned, facing the river, apparently alive and standing up. That's a good sign. He voice was calm...very calm. I was confused. He wouldn't look at me, so I asked him what the hell was going on. He said.."Ok, we've got a problem. I"m gonna turn around, so just get out all your laughs or whatever you wanna do and then we need to get serious about this.". "Ok" I said.

I'll be damned if he didn't turn around and have a 2 inch secada fly stuck on the tip of his nose. And I mean STUCK. DEEP. The hook was completely buried. Ha, it indeed was funny...but more odd. Just weird to see a fly stuck right in the middle of his nose. He couldn't have done that with more perfection if he tried. He said he was casting at a big fish down stream when his fly got stuck in on a branch behind him. He gave it a few good tugs and turned around to have a gander at it. Right at that moment, the fly snapped loose and bee-lined it straight for his nose. Bulls-eye...right on the fleshy ball of the nose. Turned out that what he thought was a fish he was casting at, was just a batch of weeds swaying in the current. Owww...salt in the wound for sure.

So, we headed back towards to truck. Rod in hand, fly in nose. Mind you..we are pretty far out in nature and getting to a hospital is really not at the top of the "cool things to do while hiking" list. We had a decision to make. He knew it...I knew it. The point is...the hook had to come out. Whether it was from some kiwi doctor in a faraway hospital or a couple of bro's with a handful of common sense, the act of removing the hook had to take place. The truck we borrowed was a workers truck. A glass window installer to be exact. It had its fair share of metric tools on board. Our heads had started to connect and we decided to make this surgery happen ourselves. Right here, right now...in the woods.

Ok, how about some pictures...

Of course I had to shoot a photo of it.

Ok, so back to the story. We found a old pair of wire snips in the rusty toolbox in the bed of the truck. We knew the basic fishing hook rule of thumb...Never back a barbed hook out the way it came. Thats a disaster. So, we knew that if we could just push that sucker through the fleshy part of his nose and pop it through the other side, we were good to go. I remember Reed taking a deep breath and saying "C'mon, lets go." He knew his pain tolerance, so I let him do the honors. I was really there for support at this point. He grabbed the fly with all of his fingers began to push, digging deeper into the nose, eyes watering severely and letting out some uncomfortable moans. I could see the skin begin to rise up as if a whitehead was about to burst. So, I decided to intervene. I placed my fingers on either side of the mound that was beginning to form and gave a good swift push back towards the outward force of the hook. POP! That hooked busted right out of his nose. It sounded like someone set off a ladyfinger. But the POP had signified one thing....that our battle with this beast was almost over. The relief was very present in Reed's eyes. I reached for the wire snips, cut below the barb and we backed that hook right outta his nose. I was like a redneck piercing, right there on the riverside.

Here's some photos of the aftermath.

So, here's what really ties all of this together into the paradigm of life. When we were all finished, Reed was pretty quiet. However he did look at me say one thing. "Its hardship and perseverance, Letchworth." He retied his fly, walked back to the river and caught a fish. That really stuck with me. You have to go through the hard things in order to persevere. That day could have went a multitude of different ways...but that path we took left us with an amazing memory and a life lesson that I apply everyday.

Thanks Reed. We hit that one on the nose.

THE BEST CAMERA

2010-01-27T11:44:00.003-05:00

...is the one you have with you. Thank you Chase Jarvis. He said that first. And then he went and named his Iphone app that.

Its easy to get lost in the land of tech specs and megapixels. The reality... when it comes to making a picture, none of it really matters. A picture is a picture. If what you capture inspires you or someone else...you've done something right. Who cares what it was taken on. I like to say...its not what you are pointing, its what you are pointing it at.

These were all taken with my Iphone. I like them and they inspire me.

EVIDENTLY, I'M THE DEAN..

2010-01-15T08:33:00.005-05:00

Look who's on the home page of FUEL.TV. The kind folk over ther contacted me about doing a photo feature on their website and by golly, Its live. Erik Jernberg, a writer for Fuel, even wrote a nice little essay about me and my history. At one point he even refers to me as the "the dean of wake photography." Yes, by definition, thats a leader or senior member of a group. That sounds special.

Big thanks to Erik and everyone at Fuel for making it happen. The dean is very happy.

Below the link i've posted what I originally sent to Erik to write the article. Its just some one liners, but i think it really sums me up. If you've even wanted the cliff notes on my history, then here they are.

GO TO FUEL.TV

Josh Letchworth
35
Cancer...indecisive at times, i have a claw when i need to use it, but mostly i'm very friendly and happy.
Central Florida
2 beautiful kids
1 amazing wife
shooting pictures for 15 years, 12 professionally
I like film. 400 tri-x
Went digital around 2004...unwillfully. ugggg
Yes, now i've accepted it and like it.
NIkon
i have too many cameras.
Favorite one...Nikon FM with a 35mm 1.4
I always have facial hair.
I rebuild old Honda scooters, do a lot of yoga and surfing is my true passion.
I've traveled to over 20 countries with my camera. 9 of those with Aaron Reed.
I like New Zealand the most.
I am biased to shooting wakeskating now. I just enjoy it more.
i am self taught. trial and error.
Most of my gear is dirty.
i have realized that I will always be "fine-tuning" my style. Thats the evolution of art.
I still get really excited when peeling open a polaroid.
My father in law was a professional photographer.
My mom has every year of our lives organized into photo albums.

FEEL ALIVE

2010-01-12T09:00:00.007-05:00

I heard an Alaskan quoted on NPR yesterday saying "The cold air makes you feel alive." I would say that is definitely an opinion and not a fact.

Here's a few shots from summer that remind me of 'feeling alive." Put your feet on the ground and reach out and touch something.

Thats my favorite shirt. I bought it used when I was in Portland. The buttons snap and i can have it open in mere seconds.

a bird with no wings....blending in.

Indians know the feeling.

the field is open

2010-01-03T23:18:00.003-05:00

First off Happy New Year.

I huge thanks for those that stop by this little slice of real estate that occupies only a fraction of the big dubya dubya dubya. I promise to keep it going if you keep showing up. It's as therapeutic for me as it may be for you.

I found a way to symbolically tie this post into the place we all sit in the new born days of a new year. Open, Free and Clear to move in any direction. Sometimes I learn the most from what I shoot after I do it. The day we wandered into this field it poured rain all over us. The gear got wet, probably left some $50 item out there, ruined at least one roll of film and drove home soaked. Kind of an uncertain feeling. Much like the year ahead. Its gonna rain, but there will be moments of serene clarity for sure. Well, I'm going for it, despite what the weatherman says.

The field is ours....run free my friends..

big thanks to Chauntel and Ian. I learned something that day and thats enough.

merry christmas

2009-12-24T23:19:00.002-05:00

thanks for following. I truly do appreciate it.

enjoy the moment.

a little personal slideshow of my family.

OUR MOMENTS

FAREWELL POKINATCHA

2009-12-07T12:48:00.023-05:00

Well, its looks as though the news has been revealed over at the OBSCURA BLOG so I have been called to take action.

She...or He (not sure) had a good run. Shortly after Reed's 18th birthday, 10 years ago, he committed to a life long relationship with one MXPX Pokinatcha Punk. The ink ran deep into his skin, much like his affliction to every 2 minute punk burst that band ever laid down on record. He showed Pokinatcha the world. He swam in many waters. Saw some dark times and many bright ones as well. Aaron was even kind enough to bring him along to his wedding this past October. He may have been hiding beneath his tux, but WE all knew he was there, listening to the vows, sharing the good times and wandering if this new era meant the end of his. Would he meet his demise? Could he die a happy little Indian? "Yes" could be heard from the howling coyotes high from the Indian plains.

We love you Pokinatcha. Thanks for the good times and most importantly....always keeping a straight face through the highs and lows. You will be missed, but not forgotten. And, even though you are covered in the shame of solid black ink, WE know your soul lies beneath it. On quiet , starry nights legend has is that "Move to Bremerton" can be heard whispering high above Seguin, Texas.

Come take the ride with me. When Aaron said it was time, there was no way I was not going along to pay my respects.

Singapore. circa 2003.

10:15am November 19, 2009 East Side Tattoo

Test fit. Pokinatcha is shaking right now.

The last kiss goodbye.

They are both smirking.

a sign of what's to come.

Do I suspect doubt?

Last look.

The first blow to the face.

Jesus was there.

The damage is done.

Pokinatcha was unconscious at this point.

Fade to Black.

it was one of those happy kind of sad moments.

Finish line.

A new love affair emerges.

"I have a massive tattoo on my arm."

Little brother is thinking about one too.

This day was full of decisions.

"take these broken wings and learn to fly again."

Welcome to the new era. One which is filled with kinship, innovation and world domination.

Pokinatcha : 1999 - 2009. RIP.

Thanks for the journey.

WEIRD BEARD

2009-12-03T14:16:00.008-05:00

I had a weird beard once. This is a little photo story of the day I shaved it off. Thanks to Josh McWilliams for his barber-like skills.

the weird beard.

combing through the bush.

sarcastic laugh. yes, cut it, really.

precision. focus.

maybe i should have stopped here.

the look of regret.

detachment. the hardest part of seeing a part of yourself on the floor.

JUST BECAUSE

2009-12-01T12:54:00.002-05:00

Why do we take photos? Its something inside that screams out whenever we look around. The need is with us all the time. I can remember the days when I was first discovering the art of photography...I would shoot everyday. I would take roll after roll, spend countless hours in the darkroom, processing, printing and watching them dry. Why? As I got more into shooting, that question would pop in my head. It would frustrate me sometimes. Why was I spending so much time on this just to watch a stack of b/w 8x10's stack up in my closet? The answer is...JUST BECAUSE. There is no answer, nor should we need one. its human behavior to place reason on everything we do. I think its time to place trust in the fact that we do things instinctively and thats reason enough.

As photography has become more of a profession for me over the years, that "Why" question really screams out because another answer has been fabricated....SURVIVAL. But, I've really worked to get that word out of my vocabulary. I've found that if you do what you, even when you're not sure if its right, then you're doing the right thing. Let go of expectations and just do it....BECAUSE.

Here's a photo from one morning when i was on my way to a shoot. There it was...the real reason I got up that morning. The moment happened and I shot it....JUST BECAUSE.

CYBER MONDAY - 50% OFF

2009-11-30T09:24:00.003-05:00

Ok, so I guess I jumped the gun for the internet sales day. Its today. I've never heard of cyber monday, but i'll try it out. Just type in CYBERMONDAY into the discount code for 50% off everything on the site. Yes, everything.

START CYBER SHOPPING.

BLACK FRIDAY...SHOP.JOSHLETCHWORTH.COM

2009-11-27T10:14:00.002-05:00

Everybody's doing it...so why not.

I just opened up a new online store and figured i'd offer some crazy discount for prints and posters. This weekend I'm offering 1/2 everything on the site. There's 100 different prints to choose from ranging is many different categories. Its searchable too, so type in whatever you may be looking for. This a great opportunity to get that signed print you always wanted for 1/2 the cost.

MAKE SOMEONE SMILE, PUT A PRINT ON THEIR WALL.

CHECK OUT SHOP.JOSHLETCHWORTH.COM NOW.

Make sure you type in BLACKFRIDAY in the discount code.

Happy Holidays..
Josh

I AM AN ANARCHIST...

2009-11-24T14:53:00.011-05:00

Well, not really, but that song was in my head while editing these photos from our recent Anarchy Eyewear shoot. 'anarchy' is bold word. i was ready for Reed, Silas and Rattray to start breaking stuff and burning down buildings. Not to worry, downtown Sanford is still intact. Yet, it will never be the same. We left our mark...spiritually. And by that I simply mean we brought and left our good vibes.
Thanks to everyone for bringing the good attitudes, unlimited supply of flannels, open minds, pocket full of teamsmenship ( i just made that word up), Ian's muscles, that cool sunglass rep case, and...the after party.
I had Jesse McIver, a photo student at DBCC, out there shadowing for the day. So, thank you for some of these BTS shots. I love/hate seeing myself at work.
Keep an eye out for Anarchy print ads to be hitting mags early next year. Thanks to Scott Sorensen at Anarchy for getting me on the shoot and letting me blah blah blog about it.

Voila

Reed likes his Monster hat, but this is me telling him "enough"

Me. Thinking or listening...or not.

Hi Silas.

A photo of a photo of a photo.

Process Evident = a human stand and a little bounce.

'STILL MOVING' SERIES. I_FLEW_AROUND_THE_WORLD

2009-11-23T10:19:00.003-05:00

I've been working on this quite awhile now. I wanted to work with a collection of images that relate to one another and tell a story. Even if that story is simple, my intention is to use music and motion to evoke some sort of e-motion. I have always been intrigued by travel. That sense of purgatory that an airplane or an airport leaves with you. Aside from New York City, it may just be most lonesome, crowded place out there. I_FLEW_AROUND_THE_WORLD documents my experiences in-transit to the far ends of the world. In this collection, it truly is about the journey and not the destination. When you are neither here nor there, but somewhere in between.

VIEW IT BELOW. OR GO HERE TO SEE IT BIGGER.

THE STORY OF PEOPLE #2

2009-11-23T09:04:00.005-05:00

Another page, another person, another story.

LOST SOULS

2009-11-10T17:03:00.002-05:00

Blown out. This was the first picture taken on halloween night. They say taking a photograph "steals your soul." Yes, proof.

We are all ghosts....

THE STORY OF PEOPLE

2009-11-09T14:34:00.003-05:00

So here's another little ditty that were going to "re-introduce" to the blog. We may have done one or two awhile back, but were going to make this the "official" introduction. THE STORY OF PEOPLE is something we've worked on over the years. Its just a book. Yeah, a homemade, taped together book of photos that showcase particular individuals. Just people. Nobody, somebody, anybody. It sits on our coffee table for people to enjoy when they come into the office for a visit.
When Brett worked here, this was one of his babies b/c he's so damn handy with the pen. I would give him the photo and he would write a few lines about that person. Often times blunt, but extremely realistic. I thought i'd share some that we've done over the years. And since Brett was co-creator, what better person to start with. He even wrote it himself.

Interested in having your story told? Let me know....I've got the camera is you've got the time.

HELP-PORTRAIT

2009-11-06T14:52:00.003-05:00

Get out your cameras and start giving (not taking) pictures. This is very inspiring. Please go check out HELP-PORTRAIT.

December 12, 2009

This is right in line with a personal project that I am currently working on. IF_YOU'RE_HAPPY_AND_YOU_KNOW_IT.

Make someone SMILE today.

GREGG NECRASON :: FIRST / LAST

2009-10-29T15:32:00.002-04:00

Man, Gregg was a tough one to break into. In 1999, shooting with Gregg was like trying to speak with the pope. When he finally warmed up to me...or rather, caved in to my persistence, I got my time with him. Most of the morning was spent on his couch waiting for him to get up. I could see the sun getting higher and the clouds marching in. He just wasn't cut out for morning shoots. But, eventually, he would get his "mind right' and we'd get some midday moments on the water. We wouldn't speak much...he would do his thing and I would do mine. And eventually after several years of this, we started to understand each other. I am proud to say that I've spent many many great times with Gregg up to the present. Much like the last shot that was taken on Reed's bachelor party in the Keys. He was named "Captain Jumpy" because he wouldn't sit still out on the boat while we were fishing. He was making us all nervous. This is a shot Capt Jumpy at the helm. He had to focus, so he was fairly still for this one.

The first shot was taken back in 1999. Again, not exactly sure if this the actual first shot ever, but its close. I had to shoot stuff for Smith Sunglasses, so I would make him sit in all these random spots to take portraits. This is his look after about 15 minutes of the same thing. I think he was over it.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS

2009-10-29T15:20:00.003-04:00

Now that Aaron Reed is married, we must move on. It saddens me too....BUT...I do have 1 more story that I will tell when I get all right ammo I need to visually put you in the drivers seat.

In the meantime....enjoy this random photo of Reed stepping over a railing in short shorts

AARON + JAMI = LOVE

2009-10-21T23:59:00.002-04:00

For the last post of the week, were gonna keep it simple. LOVE. Because that's all you've really got in the end.

See you in TX.