First Shot
Text & Images: Josh Robenstone
“The reason I’ve called it what I have is because I got my first camera when I was there in 1990 on a holiday. I got taken there to go to Disneyland and New York. For a kid it was pretty mind blowing. I remember shooting quite a bit when I was there.”
“This one picture I took of the Statue Of Liberty. We went to go there on a boat one day but it was winter and the weather was terrible and the boat couldn’t go because it was too rough. Anyway, I just remember looking out at it though and it being really stormy, rough and dark but the sun was sort of shining through and I took a picture of it and I remember when I got the print I got that feeling I still get today, that stoked-ness when you first see your photo. That’s when I first experienced loving taking pictures.”
“I found the print a few years ago and I’ve got it framed in the gallery as an intro to the show.”
“I’ve never been there intentionally to shoot but I think it’s four times I’ve been there now, it’s sort of a work in progress.”
“In 2001 I did a snow season in Canada and we were going down to Mexico after that but our van broke down in San Diego and we were stuck there for a month.”
“The van was called Marley, after Bob Marley. We were 20, it seemed like a good idea! We were on the highway in San Diego and it just died, the next thing we know there’s this highway patrol car ramming us off the road. They have these special bumper bars.”
“So we took it to a mechanic and he told us it was gone but we could sleep in the back of the van in the car park outside his garage. We had no money and we spent three weeks in the car park trying not to spend any money and going surfing every day. It was actually the highlight of the trip in the end.”
Josh Robenstone
Everfresh Backbook, The Studio & Streets: 2004-2010
Melbourne book launch – Friday September 3 at 1000 Pound Bend, 361 Lt Lonsdale St, 6pm-11pm
Sydney book launch – Friday September 10 at Ambush Gallery, 4A James St Waterloo, 6pm-9pm
NY/LA And Other American Adventures
China Heights, Level 3 16-28 Foster St Surry Hills, Sydney
Friday October 1, 6pm
Next story: Kudos Indeed – Surf City