It has gotten to be that time of the year where skating outside for fun can become a challenge. Getting more than three skaters out at the same time can seem impossible. A simple fall turns into a more a painfull one. I’m talking about the cold weather. Lately, since it gets dark around 3:30 pm, getting some day shots requires days of advance notice and a keen sense of coming weather patterns.

While looking out the window and getting fooled by the blue sky I forgot for a second that it would be freezing, so I started to call skater after skater to see who was down for a productive photo shoot. As I called, emailed and texted it seemed that no one was available, and then Dave Lang appeared on Facebook.

Now, Dave Lang did this 100ft-long ledge a few weeks back which tore his soul plates to pieces. But when I saw a post of his new turquoise set up, I figured Dave would be back in action. When it came to shooting for Art of Rolling Magazine, I must say getting hammers is a prime idea, but the safety of the skaters is the only objective I try to keep in mind when picking out spots for them. Dave Lang, however, has this overall comfort in his ability that turns big, deadly stunts into “don’t worry, Dave definatly gots that.” I really respect his smarts in saying “No” to somthing he doesn’t feel capable of doing.

This one spot I had in mind was this bank that led down from a Highway. It has a platform that launches you into the bank. With the bank leading you directly onto the entrance ramp of the highway, there is always a array of cars zooming by. While setting up my camera equipment and Dave clearing out the landing, a cop car noticed us from a half block away… keep in mind we are on the busiest avenue in Queens, called Queens Blvd. When I saw the cop notice us, the cop car drove towards us. Just then I told Dave to start striking poses so we would’t look so suspicious. As Dave posed the cop car proceeded to pass us, and then and Dave and I got to work.

While taking the shot I never would have guessed that this shot would be so complex in its final stage. Somewhere between the speeding Mack truck and the airplane flying alongside Dave, we managed to pull one of my favorite shots of this year, and for Dave the experiance was great. He loved the feeling of airing into such an intense downslope, and he did more than eight gaps while landing seven of them, each time jumping higher and higher. I’m glad to have somone willing to fly so many times, because I was able to film the picture and create a mini edit of the trick. Keep a eye out for a Dave Lang profile in our next issue, that’s Art of Rolling Magazine 7, to see a extensive, in-depth look into the life of Dave, and witness the hammers he’s throwing down in NYC. — Angelo Ferrer