Who is Ollie Kickflip???????

Ollie Kickflip is not a person, more a convenience. The page name came about as a stop gap for me to record skateboarding images and Belfast skaters doing what they do. My normal genre is people and street art, but I now have a particular itch for skateboarders. The Ollie and the Kickflip are two of the first 'tricks' any skateboarder learns.

Lets put this into perspective, I used to be able to skate many moons ago, became an adult and stopped. Now entering my mid 50's I took it up again as a personal challenge, a mode of conveyance and a bit of fun. I am probably not the oldest skateboarder in Belfast but sure I am up there.

It was a bonus really regarding the images. I had no real interest or intention to capture street skateboarding images, but it just kind of well....happened naturally. I skate in Belfast for a bit then go off on a Photo Dander for street images, it's just i tend to gravitate towards skaters where i can as they are the most sociable bunch of people you can meet.

The common bond is falling, failing, pain/injury (big and small) and joy of having mastered a new trick. Even if you don't speak, you pass someone on or carrying a board there's always 'the look and the nod'.

Skaters are stubborn people, trying a trick, falling, trying and trying till they get it right. In fact in the grand scheme of things skatboarding teaches that it's ok to be scared, fear will be overcome by commitment, patience, balance, resilience, skill and most of all being part of something bigger. https://www.facebook.com/OllieKickflipBelfast/