Words and captions by Luis Ferra
I’ve been watching the Dew Tour contests since I started skateboarding back in Puerto Rico. Ever since, I would dream of attending one or being a part of it. After 10 years of growing my photography career and moving to LA, I had the opportunity of my dreams to be a photographer on my first Dew Tour back in 2018 and do what I love on such a professional and demanding level. I felt like I just teleported from watching on my laptop, living on a trailer, straight to shooting it always trips me out. Finally, all those years shooting on the streets with little to no reward paid off, and the experience of being a Dew Tour photographer opened a lot of doors for me.
Fast forward to 2022, this is my fourth Dew Tour event. One of my favorite parts is how challenging it is, especially on fisheye photos, knowing when to go in, frame, focus, and shoot without distracting the skateboarder or getting in the way of others, and there’s no room for error. I love how by shooting, you create close relationships with the world’s best skateboarders and get to know them. The fact that they even remember me trips me out and makes me feel like I really made it, and whenever they hit me up for a photo on the streets is the best feeling ever.
One of my favorite moments is when I was shooting Gustavo Ribeiro on practice, and he was doing a nollie noseblunt on the A-frame, he missed his pop, and the board came flying straight to hit me. I dodged it somehow, and we hugged and laughed it out, then he went back again, and we got the photo. It shows how much trust the skater and photographer need to have and I find that amazing. It’s also amazing to see firsthand the progression level of skating worldwide. Adaptive always blows my mind, how women get insanely better every year and how you see men doing part enders on their runs.
Shooting the world’s best skateboarders is insane, but it wouldn’t be the same if we didn’t have an amazing crew.
I love how we have such an incredible team that supports each other all day. Everyone is on point in their profession, and we back each other up. We get along very well, and it’s always a blessing and so much fun to see each other, makes you hyped to be working alongside them. As a staff photographer, we get treated incredibly well, we always get taken care of in every aspect, and you always feel appreciated. Makes you want to work harder every time because it’s so worth it!
I want to thank Manny Santiago for recommending me, putting a good word for me, and all these years of shooting in the streets and contests. I want to thank Chris Ortiz for giving me the opportunity, believing in me, lacing me up, and having me all these years. And I want to thank Andrew Durso for guiding me on my first Dew Tour event. I wouldn’t have made it without you teaching me the ways while working under pressure.
Much love to the rest of the crew!
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