This photo is from a recent trip that a few friends and I made to San Diego on a mission to shoot some Joey Chase photos, and also have some time to enjoy So-Cal. This trip was probably one of the best I’ve been on, and I also used it as an opportunity to try some new stuff with the camera. Shooting in San Diego was completely different to what I was used to shooting, as far as the light goes at least. All four days we were there it was incredibly bright, aside the session where this picture was taken — lucky for that. As of recent I have been trying to stick with only one flash, which is typically an Alien Bee, however, in this case I used one Nikon SB-28. The reason for this is because it gives me a lot more time to take in other elements that I may not have seen if I was busy setting up lights. Before setting up my light I always try and find a general angle first, so that I can figure out how to place my flashes correctly. One of the first things I noticed was the flag in the background, and decided that I wanted it in the shot to add some visual contrast. Although I had no control of how the wind was going to blow it, I framed the shot and it worked out great. Russell Day laced this Christ Backslide to fakie first try, and there’s even a little gap into the rail that you cannot see. Obviously, you cannot always get away with using only one flash for skate shots, however, if the ambient light is nice, it’s definitely worth a try — it will definitely effect how you compose and light your photos. — Nick Korompilas