Yo!!! We have a new concept for 2011: “Photographer of the month”… Bit like a contest, each month a different photographer gets the privilege of being awarded the “Title”, which they’ll hold for that month – We definetly have some good photographers on the horizon, and to start things of we have Ryan Wilkinson (better late than never!)…
“Well My name is Ryan Wilkinson, I am 17 years old from a smallish town called Watford which is where I grew up and I work at TGI fridays. I have been riding roughly around 2 – 3 years and since I live in an area where I have quite a few parks around me Including Harrow it hasn’t been trouble finding somewhere to ride.
I try and ride as much as I can well only if the weathers alright and seeing as most of my good friends either ride or skate, The skatepark’s a good place to chill with people when your too tired. Ridings the best thing to do, you get to meet loads of new people, Travel to different places and it gives you descent exercise as well haha. I’m quite lucky in sense of where I live as having Watford as my local park, it has allowed me to become good friends with a quite a few people including Superstars Akin-Hercules Walker and obviously Dephects Ian bowell and not to mention Uniteds Rikki Gunner. I’m grateful that I know them and I am also hoping that I can do future work with them.
I have been interested in photography for around 2 years and I’m currently in my 2nd year at West Herts college studying photography and also hoping to study it further at University.
I Got into photography mainly Because of Bmx, I use to watch people at the skatepark taking photos for each other with their big cameras and I remember thinking that was what I wanted to do, So one summer I decided to apply for college which meant therefore needing a camera. My dad bought me a Nikon D3000 which at the time was fairly new. I began to bring my camera to the park whenever I rode and after a bit of time and getting use to the camera it sort became a normal thing for me to do and as I progressed it become better and better. It really helps being at college, learning about apertures and lighting whilst also learning about the theory side as well which also helps.
September 2010 I upgraded and bought my self a Nikon D90, it’s a lot better than my old one especially now I can film with it, I’m currently filming with some friends for a sort of small Watford locals edit so look out.
I predominantly shoot Bmx at the moment but there are also other genres which I enjoy as well Which include landscape and Documentary photography. I feel that shooting Bmx doesn’t only does it give you a rush but its also produces quite a satisfying feel when you capture the perfect image. I haven’t recently been doing a lot of Bmx photography mainly because of the weather that we’re getting, So as soon as it dries up and starts to get hotter I want to start shooting and filming a lot more so I can increase my portfolio and start a career for myself.
I enjoy shooting with Ian quite a bit and although I haven’t shot a lot with him whenever I have he always manages to pull something ridiculous like the hand plant I shot. Obviously along the route of becoming a photographer I have been influenced by certain people whether they’re riders or photographers, One being Devon Hutchins”
Links: www.flickr.com/photos/ryanwilkinson1