Photography & Stuff: Chris Moore
Interview Photography · Los Angeles
Chris Moore From Colorado skateparks to Los Angeles: a photographer who learned on his father's Canon and never stopped documenting the life he knows best.
Before Chris Moore's photographs found their way into galleries, they started on the asphalt of Colorado skateparks.
He grew up skating in the '90s, when the culture and its magazines were his whole world. Those magazines, and his father's Canon F-1, were his first teachers. At first, photography was practical: someone had to document his friends skating. Then came the darkroom, and a craft that took him well beyond the half-pipe.
Skateboarding is still his muse. But these days he finds its spirit in portraits, in landscapes and in the quiet moments in between, a documentarian of the life he knows best.
Chris, share some of your greatest inspirations and influences.
- skateboarding
- ray barbee
- natas kaupas
- mark gonzales
- ed templeton
- girl skateboards
- spike jonze
- alec soth
- william eggleston
- patricia alpizar
- jim goldberg
- tim barber
- ari marcopoulos
- michael leon
- craig stecyk
- evan hecox
- geoff mcfetridge
- j mascis
- dinosaur jr.
- broken social scene
- otis redding
- denver
- venice
- mexico city
- fuentes brotantes
- friends and friendly people
Skaters, photographers, artists, bands and places, in his own words and his own order.
Most memorable shoot so far?
I shot on the set of a music video in this town or place called Bermite… an old abandoned military base. It was this disturbing clown short/music video… everything about it was super creepy. Creepy, yet fun.
Most interesting response to your work so far?
Probably when I started getting emails from people all over the world admiring some work, and finding out a certain record label stole it and released it without contacting or paying me… that was interesting.
How does LA inspire your work?
The weather, the people (especially the non-pretentious people), it's the home of skateboarding, the Pacific Ocean, being able to ride my bike by the beach year round, diversity, galleries, bookstores… the list could go on and on.
Favorite websites and stuff?
- crailtap.com
- blind spot
- arkitip
- juxtapoz
- pitchfork
- monster children
- mumble
- low-budget zines
- all the skateboard magazines
Anything else you'd like to share?
Ya, go make something.
Doesn't matter what it is… it's fun… and it makes you feel good.
Today
His old Tumblr has grown into a full portfolio at cmooreyo.com, including a project called Hot Lunch. His own description is as plain as his advice: he makes pictures, and he helps other people make pictures.
Quick answers
Who is Chris Moore, the skateboarding photographer?
A Los Angeles-based photographer who grew up skateboarding in Colorado in the 1990s. He started by documenting his friends with his father's Canon F-1 and moved on to portraits, landscapes and documentary work rooted in skate culture. Not to be confused with the British catwalk photographer of the same name.
Who inspires Chris Moore?
Skaters including Ray Barbee, Natas Kaupas, Mark Gonzales and Ed Templeton; Girl Skateboards and Spike Jonze; photographers including Alec Soth, William Eggleston, Jim Goldberg, Tim Barber and Ari Marcopoulos; artists including Craig Stecyk, Evan Hecox and Geoff McFetridge; and music from J Mascis, Dinosaur Jr., Broken Social Scene and Otis Redding.
What camera did he start with?
His father's Canon F-1, a 35mm film camera.
