Skateboarding
Skateboarding
The sky's the limit for Zion Wright and Atiba Jefferson
One hundred floors up, the duo linked at the Edge NYC for a session unlike any other.
Skate photography is as old as skateboarding. And while two disciplines have been paired since the sport’s inception circa 1960, few people understand the relationship between a pro skater and their photog.
Comparable to that of a dancer and composer, or actor and director, it’s a complex, nuanced harmony that can either go terribly wrong or can create images that become make history.
Zion Wright, 25, is an Olympian and one of the world’s best skaters. Atiba Jefferson is the guy widely-acknowledged to be the sport’s greatest image maker.
Zion Wright skates The Edge in New York
© Abita Jefferson
And while they’ve collaborated for a decade, recently they wrapped a session unlike any other. Skate The Edge took months of planning, a 4:00 am call time, and six hours of hard falls. And it all happened 100 stories above New York City, creating some of skating’s most unforgettable images in recent history.
After the session, as techs dissected the ramp, Zion and Atiba sat down to discuss their history, working relationship, and the challenges of skating in high winds.
Most people reading this will know Zion and Atiba, but don't know about the way you all work together. What would you tell them?
A skater and photographer’s relationship is really special. We’re both striving to accomplish the same goal.
Capture that moment, and to get a great picture.
But the thing is, I need Zion more than he needs me. As much as it’s a team effort, he’s really doing everything. The thing that most people don’t realize is he has to ride away from the trick for it to be usable. We do not use [photos of ] tricks that are bales. And if he just posed it, that wouldn’t be special. So when he does make it, that’s what’s special.
We both get to celebrate his victory.
Zion Wright
© Atiba Jefferson
Skaters tend to be independent people, which can make working with others hard…
Yeah. Never is a skater like ‘Put the flashes here. This is your angle!’ It’s a lot of trust. And at times it’s a lot of pressure. It’s up to me not to miss that moment. I don’t want him to get hurt because I’ve missed the moment and have to ask him to do it again.
Atiba, you’ve been on the scene since the '90s. When did you encounter Zion?
It was early on. It’s different now because of social media, but early on I remember seeing Z skate. He was really good, and the fact that he could skate everything. That was just . . . “Oh, wow!” How old were you?
Yeah. Close to ten years ago. Damn. What is our first session?
Griffith Park [a famed skate spot]. Damn! I gotta look up those photos. Even by then people were talking. I was like, ‘Dang. I hope we cross paths.’
Zion Wright skates The Edge in New York
© Atiba Jefferson
How’d you feel about the session today?
Epic. Really dope. Getting up here super early. [Zion’s call time was 4:45am] Feeling that vibe, still nighttime, but seeing the sun rise. The city kind of woke up.
We left the hotel at 3:50. We’re walking here and people are going home from the bars.
Edge at Hudson Yards is 100 stories up. Was this session different?
This was one of the most unique things I’ve ever shot.
Zion Wright skates The Edge in New York
© Atiba Jefferson
Was being that up that high up an issue?
When you’re not on the ramp it’s chill. But when you’re on it and you look out, it’s like, “Whooooooooooa. I’m 100 stories up.”
What were some other challenges?
Having to build the ramp up here. When we arrived this morning, they were putting the last screws in. And we’re on strict time. We didn’t have all day. [Hudson Yards wanted everyone out by 11:00am.]
With that amount of wind, I’m actually blown away that you got the 540 and the heelflip indy.
He said, “Oh, it’s fine.” I’m like, “Dude, it’s windy.” If this was LA, we’d be like, “We’re not skating today.”
Zion Wright skates The Edge in New York
© Atiba Jefferson
How did you both power thru?
Right. You skated it the night before and requested a change, right?
Zion Wright skates The Edge in New York
© Atiba Jefferson
You took a few hard falls at the end to finally get the heelflip Indy. One you didn’t get up right away…but then you nailed it, and Atiba got the shot.
Want to know what Zion listens to while he's kicking and pushing? Check out Zion's Spotify playlist below.
