Digging through photos for Curren Caples’ Fairly Normal I came across this shot of Ishod Wair. I actually come across this shot every day as I have it framed and hanging in my house. (Thanks Arto.)

We were in Copenhagen for the CPH Pro and I was trailing Arto Saari by bike through the back streets. Left here, right here, past the round about, left here and we show up into a crowd of well over 1000 very excited skate fans, all screaming their lungs out in front of Circus Circus Skate Shop for a best trick contest. Trailing Arto is a very interesting thing, especially in this part of the world and at a skate event no less. He’s a towering man and very recognizable, everyone looks up to see who he is and they all smile wildly and elbow their friends to make sure they are also witnessing his passing. Like following an ambulance through traffic, we pass through the crowd with ease because of this and set up shop right at the base of the pyramid. Shooting photos, slapping fives and watching everyone’s genuine ear to ear smiles all with beers in hand on the public street with no threat of citation. Copenhagen you devil.

So we’re there for about 15 minuets and skaters are flying out of the crowd from both directions to clear the gap when Ishod comes in from the opposite side at the same time as someone else and has to leap frog the guy, sending everyone flying, boards included. Arto and I duck and just miss getting Ishod’s board to the face. Arto came up grinning. “Check this one out” as he shoves the back of the camera in my face. It was this shot above. The crowd roared and we went right back to it.

When we released What Youth Issue 6, I made sure this shot was in there. When we had our gallery opening for the release of The Copenhagen Project in L.A. I made sure that this shot was framed and on the wall. And when we were cleaning up with ringing heads the next morning, I made sure that framed image ended up in my truck and eventually to rest on the wall of my living room.

It was a great trip with great people and it was all captured in this single shot. —Scott