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Name: Jonathan Nuss
Location: Toronto, Canada
Years skating: 14 years of pushing around and about 3 years of really pushing myself and trying new things. The older I get the more grom I become.
Years shooting: I’ve been a photographer for 12 years now and I’ve been a videographer for about 3 years.
How did you get into photography?: My high school art teacher. We lost our budget for a photography program but she opened the dark room for me with some chemicals she found at school. She really believed in me as an artist and is one the reasons I like working with kids. If I can save a kid’s life like how she saved mine, I can die a happy person. Art is important in all forms.
In 2003, I helped organize the Toronto Boardmeeting photography team with my friend Benjamin Jordan. It’s what launched me into this wacky scene and I’ve been in love with the sport ever since that day. I live for art and skate.
What inspires you?: Friends. I’ve been blessed with many good friends who push me as hard as I push them. When I am in a creative environment with people who work hard there is no end to my creativity.
What kind of gear do you like to shoot with?: I try to keep a very minimal set up and at price range that I can afford. I mostly shoot with a Canon 7d, 15 – 85mm lens and 50 mm lens. I’m a big fan of “it’s not what you have but how you use it”. There are a lot of things I’d like to own but I don’t let that stress me out.
I’ll spend my time looking for better quality light.
Any advice to fellow photographers?: Spend less time taking photos and more time observing your surroundings. I hate watching people machine gun off photos and stand there staring at the LCD screens. It’s the stink bug of the photography world.
Go out with 3 rolls of film and a 50 mm lens if you want to learn how to be a photographer. Make every shot count. Keep moving forward and don’t spend your time looking back. Photography lives in the moment.
Favorite story behind a photo: The photo of John Barnet had rumors started on the internet that it was a no foot toe side aka the Jesus slide. I don’t think anyone bought it though. If this was the 1950′s that totally would have worked.
The other photos are from my art collective/skate team the Skate Invaders. The passion for the art of the sport has pushed me into new directions. 2012 has been a very exciting year for all of us. Cindy is a Loaded/Otang ambassador now and Jensen is off touring with the Comet skateboards team. Things are picking up for all of us, everyone’s hard work is paying off.
Who have you shot for/where has your work been published?: I’ve been published a lot in Concrete Wave and had a cover shot for Boardmeeting 2010. I’ve also been doing work for the Loaded/Otang ambassador page and have had features on Comet’s page because of my work with Eric Jensen. I’ve been one of the main longboard photographers of the Toronto scene for the last 10 years. Most of my work is for Longboard Living, Boz boards, Bombora boards, and Roarockit. I’m always self promoting through my own media service/art collective/skate team the Skate Invaders.
Contact info:
Facebook: Skate Invaders, Jonathannussphotography
Twitter: @skate_invaders, @jonathannuss
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