Name, age, where are you from, and where do you live?
Brendan Klein, 32 years old, Oceanside, CA, just moved to Brooklyn.
How and when did you get into shooting skate photos?
Like most kids, skating with my friends.
Didn’t you work at Transworld Skateboarding magazine printing other skate photographers negatives in the darkroom?
Yea, I was the last one. After I left they turned the darkroom into a paper closet.
Did you go to photography school or did you just learn by doing?
I learned by doing then went to school when I was twenty-five, learned some more and met some great people.
What camera set up do you have? What was your first camera set up?
Canon AE-1 with a 28mm and a 50mm lens was my first set up. Now I have a Canon D1X and few other little cameras
What are two of the favorite skate photos you ever took?
These two photos of Justin Hindery.
What other non-skateboarding subject matter do you enjoy the most?
Anything. I usually just shoot my friends and travels.
Do you make a living from shooting photos?
Sometimes. This year I have been focusing on other things for work.
What’s your favorite place you have traveled for shooting skating? non skating?
Creature took me with them to Peru and Ecuador a while back. That trip was crazy. We gave a bartender some mushrooms and he mixed them in with fruit smoothies for us one night and then we saw a pan flute band covering The Beatles. It was trippy.
We did a Bassturd trip to Japan in 2012 but I got so sick on the second day I could barely move and one of the Japanese guys nicknamed me The Snail.
Which skate (and non-skate) photographers inspire you?
That changes day to day. My old room mates Ryan Young and Damon Casarez are blowing up. Jai Tanju, Arto… There are a ton of people.
Which skate magazines do you shoot for on a regular basis (and which other magazine have you occasional had a photo published in)?
I haven’t shot regularly for a few years. Lowcard mostly these days. When I do submit photos I usually try to find out who would actually use them before I start sending stuff out.
What do you like better, digital or analog, and why?
There’s a time and place for both.
What do you think about the popularity of DIY skate spot building? I even saw a series on ESPN lately?
It’s cool how worldwide it’s become. It is what every crew of little kids does but now we’re a little older and the context has changed. From building forts to building spots.
I haven’t seen the ESPN series but I’m sure that could do nothing but get some kids hyped to find a spot to build.
Any advice to aspiring skate photographers of how to stand out from the crowd?
Use less gear.
For more photos from Brendan Klein, check out these sites:
brendanklein.com
Instagram: brendan_klein
