We had the opportunity to talk with Bryce Casselman a photographer and skimboarder from British Columbia. You can see his photos at www.brycecasselman.com and the Akwa Industries Web site.
Do you skim?
bc: Yes, but I’m kinda old school. I started back in 86’ on the beaches of Qualicum & Parksville, Vancouver Island. My older bro Rob and his buddy Mike got me into it; they go back a ways spending the summers down at White Rock in the early 80’s. In more recent years, since I grew up in North Vancouver I spent the summer months down at Spanks (Spanish Banks). That place is epic!
If you do skim, what kind of board do you ride?
bc: Akwa Industries, City.
Where is your favorite place to skim?
bc: That epic place I mentioned earlier, Spanks, it truly is a gem. Spend a day there on the lowest tide and you’ll have a great time. There are so many pools, streams, the odd wave and great people. All in all it’s just a good time, especially when a stream seshn starts up, everybody just gets stoked for each other, it’s rad.
Where do you want to travel to skim or shoot skim photos?
bc: Oh man tuff question! Well first place would be Poland, Baltic Sea, my other half is Polish and we plan on visiting family soon, so that’s a start. Then it would be off to the UK for some exploring, I have family in Wales who live extremely close to the Irish Sea. Oh and I can’t forget about my own country and what lies to the east, Road Trip! As for shooting photos, again very tuff as this could be a huge list! Some places that come to mind would be the secluded beaches of British Columbia’s Westcoast, overseas would be Portugal & France plus the others mentioned above and I’m really stoked on visiting Japan.
When not taking photos; who do you ride with?
bc: In Vancouver I ride with Fifty-Seven mostly and out on the coast when I don’t have the camera in my hands the Akwa Industries crew.
What is your camera setup?
bc: Disposable point & shoots mostly, I kid; I have this bag of really expensive crap.
How often do you take photos?
bc: I try to get out shooting as much as possible plus I dork around with little side projects to keep my creativity flowing. I’d like to make it my number one profession however I’m bit of an entrepreneur so I get caught up with other endeavors. I will find balance soon enough.
How often do you take skimboarding photos?
bc: Like I said as much as possible. I’m always available for the right shoot and I’d love to hear some ideas plus I got a ton of my own. Who’s down?
What are the perfect conditions for taking skimboarding photos?
bc: There really isn’t any perfect condition for shooting; you just have to be prepared for whatever. I pretty much will shoot in any conditions, just have the right gear and your all good. However if I could pick the perfect conditions it would involve the sun, cooler of ice-cold beer, and good laughs.
What is your favorite place to take skim photos?
bc: As far as shooting ocean (wave riding), so far it’s been Whitaker Beach in Roberts Creek, BC. The wave patterns change so much that every time I get something different. When it comes to flatland, sky’s the limit; the creative freedom I get out of this is huge. There really isn’t a “favorite” place as its kinda like shooting skate photos; there are many great spots but you gotta use your imagination.
Who are some of your favorite riders to photograph?
bc: Fifty-Seven and Scoco hands down, these guys get the work done. Any rider who can share in the mutual benefit of getting quality results is golden in my book. It truly takes a dedication between the two and an understanding of each other’s limits. Riders who are progressive and always pushing their abilities get me motivated, great style helps as well.
What advice would you give to aspiring skimboard photographers or aspiring photographers in general?
bc: Be Prepared, Be Creative and Be Patient. Just like riding, find your own style and harness it. Doesn’t matter if you’re a self-study or have spent years getting schooled, develop your own style. Aside from shooting photos a taste for business is key. If you’re to market your hard work and yourself then be willing to do all the extra work involved and continue to push ahead no matter what. Love what you do and do not get discouraged.
Where do you see skimboarding going in the future?
bc: Near future; flatland will see some enormous growth with more contests and riders who are eager to promote the sport. Were already seeing this happen with all the pop up scenes around the globe. There is a real grassroots feel to it but were shaping our own future, how cool is that! Wave riding on the other hand has a pretty solid foundation to grow from so the future looks very bright. We could get into the whole economics talk but that’s another discussion over some pints.
Final Thoughts?
bc: Thanks to you Matt and Skimboard Culture for giving me this opportunity. Many thanks to Derek over at Foreverskim and the crew at Tydle Mag. Looking forward to years of great skimboarding content. All the best to the industry at large, Peace!