Focus Skateboard Magazine

Words: Stephen Oliveira

Lets start with the basics. How old are you and where are you from?
I’m 23 yrs old and I was born in Orlando, Florida.

What do you think of the skate scene out in Florida right now?
The scene in Florida is good. A lot of kids are coming up! I’m hyped!

Things are definitely heating up down here for sure. So how’d you first get in to photography?
I picked up a camera in 2006 and got hooked. Worked 12 and 15 hour shifts all summer of 06 to buy gear haha.

Damn, dedication! What was your first setup?
The first thing I bought was a Canon XTI, a 50mm 1.4, a 70-200L, a 580exII and some pocketwizards.

So what’s all in your camera bag now?
As of now I’m using a Canon 5D, 1D mkIII, 50mm, 70-200L, 35L, 17-40L, Tokina 10-17 fish, Sunpak 120J, Vivitar 285, Sunpak 555 and a few more wizards. Bout time for another flash though.

All that gear doesn’t buy itself. Are you working anywhere?
Yep, I’m working at Mad About Food as of right now. Definitely got the best sandwiches and the best boss in town. She let me take off for a whole month to go to NYC this summer. Shes the best!

Damn, that’s what’s up! Who do you shoot with on most days?
Jerry Yates, Sam Monroe, Matt Macmillen, Rob Aaron, Frank Eutsy and sometimes the Plus Skate Shop guys, whenever they come through town. I’m trying to get some traveling around Florida before I move. Been kinda stuck here, don’t really trust my car, and I’m usually the one driving.

Where are you moving to?
I’m moving to Brooklyn in April.

Hell yeah.. A lot of your photos from the Naysayer Skateboards road trip ended up in our last issue. What was it like traveling with all those guys?
It was awesome. I think we went to 9 cities in 13 days or something like that. A lot of driving, but we made it all the way down south. Definitely a good amount of ripping. Piro Sierra I think got a trick or three at every single spot. That dude is nuts. It was fun trying to decipher what Greg and Roman were always talking about ’cause their English wasn’t too good. They were both from France. Made things interesting.

Haha, it definitely made for a good read though. What was your first photo that got published?
It was an interview that I shot for Tim Thompson in FTK. I was so excited.

Do you shoot anything else besides skateboarding?
Yeah, I shoot a decent amount of weddings. Some Family photos, bands, kids. I enjoy shooting this kind of stuff and it helps pay for the gear and bills. Hopefully soon I’ll be booked enough with this stuff so I can quit working at sandwich shops haha.

Not that there’s anything wrong with knowing how to whip up a good sandwich!
Well Ben, thanks for your time. Is there anyone you’d like to thank or give a shout out to?
That’s for damn sure. Sandwiches are the best! I’d like to thank you first of all Stephen, for setting this up. Thanks to Ma and Pa. Shout outs to Phaze One, Lee at Plus, Eby Ghafarian, Tony and Mazur.

Ben’s website.
Ben’s blog.