Steve Madden X K2 Snowboards

Every once in a while an idea pops into my head that makes absolutely no sense, and somehow that is exactly what makes it worth creating. This shoot started on one of those days. I have lived in Los Angeles for about a year now, and I have been working nonstop on photography and filmmaking. Because of that, my skateboard, snowboard, and surfboard have all been collecting dust. I am not even watching as many snowboard videos as I used to, which I guess is normal during the summer, but still sad for someone who grew up obsessed with it.

So I decided to poke fun at myself by creating a snowboard that is completely useless. The original concept was simple. Put flip flops on a snowboard. Easy, dumb, perfect. I ran to a thrift store to find some flip flops, and instead found the most iconic pair of Steve Madden dress shoes covered in bedazzled skulls. Fun fact, I used an old K2 snowboard for this project. I used to be a pro snowboarder, and K2 still flows me boards every now and then which is pretty clutch. Much love to K2. Finding those shoes felt meant to be. That is what I love about creating art. You start with one idea, and the second you put it into motion, it transforms into something even better.

I brought the shoes home and tried sticking them to the board with 3M strips because I was planning to return them after the shoot. Of course the strips failed immediately, so I grabbed super glue and fully committed. At that point the project became real.

I called up my friend Andrew Fischer (the model) and we planned a shoot day in Venice Beach, one of my favorite places to photograph in Los Angeles because the energy is always so lively and unpredictable. To my surprise, the Monday night we shot there was way quieter than usual. I had originally imagined Andrew in the middle of a huge crowd. Instead, we got a mostly empty boardwalk. Even though it wasn’t what I pictured, I decided to lean into it and let the environment shape the shoot.

I styled Andrew in a ridiculous snowboard outfit with old Sessions snow pants I had in my closet, a stylish jacket, goggles, gloves, and of course the bedazzled Steve Madden shoes glued onto the K2 board. The contrast of a snowboard on the beach made the whole concept even funnier. There is something about mixing winter gear with Los Angeles sunshine that feels perfectly chaotic.

All of the natural light portraits were shot on my Canon Elan 7n using 35mm Portra 400 film. The flash portraits at the end were shot digitally on my Canon 5D because I ran out of film, which honestly made me laugh. It was one of the first times in a long time that I shot digital just for fun, and to my surprise I enjoyed it.

This project reminded me why I love creating art. It does not have to be serious or perfect. It just has to make you feel something. In this case it made me feel connected to snowboarding again, connected to my creativity, and grateful to be photographing such a playful concept in one of the most iconic places in Los Angeles.

If you are looking for an editorial photographer in Los Angeles, a commercial photographer for creative campaigns, or a portrait photographer who works with both digital and analog 35mm film, I would love to collaborate. I also book travel projects across the country and internationally. Whether it is fashion, lifestyle, analog film photography, branding campaigns, or experimental concepts like this one, I am always excited to bring unique ideas to life.