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Ryan Loughridge’s blog has moved to Ryan Loughridge Media under the BLOG section. Thank you for understanding my need to streamline the blog. Please re-subscribe to the blog at it’s new permanent address. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Passion

These are some skate photos which you have likely seen over the last few years. The bottom line is this: skateboarding has been my passion ever since it came into my life. It has pushed my creative development as an artist and drove me towards photography in the first place. Growing up in colorado it was a mainstay in my life from an early age. In the winter I was snowboarding, in the summer I was skateboarding. This is what makes me tick.

Zachary Taylor, Ollie on the roof bumps.

Joe Oliver Eddie, Air to fakie inside the garage

 Patrick Hergins, Couch Ollie inside the Warehouse

Drew Brighton, Slam

 Paddy O’Connor, Pop-Shuvit

Joe Oliver Eddy, Getting Crooked, Park City, Utah

Kevin Puhl, Backside Flip, Up Over And Out, Ventura California

 J.R. Watson, Crail, Ventura, CA

Doc NOW Media Website Launch!

Check out the latest reel from Doc NOW Media. We are launching the Doc NOW Website today. You’ll be able to see this video and a whole mess of other great content. DocNOWMedia.com!!!

Kerry’s Story

Everyone faces a degree of difficulty in their life. Per individual, these difficulties come in every size, shape, and severity. For my childhood friend Kerry, the sizes were measured in milligrams and ounces. The shapes were that of pills, bottles, pipes and syringes. The severity of these ‘difficulties’ cost him friendships, relationships, jail-time, court fees, lawyer fees and nearly his life.

“Drugs and drinking were the only things I was better at than anyone else.”

Kerry began using controlled substances in his midteens. Alcohol and marijuana segued into other drugs such as prescription pain pills. By his late teens, he had already had numerous run-ins with the justice system. By his early twenties his life was an array of court dates, failed re-hab visits, and jail-time. When he contracted Hepatitis C from a shared spoon while using Heroin, the reality of his situation began to unveil itself to him. The viral infection was able to be beaten with radiation therapy and a tattoo reading “NMH” appeared on Kerry’s forearm, an acronym for No More Heroin. Many of Kerry’s friends and family believed this incident to be the final push that Kerry needed to begin living a clean life.

“The biggest challenges were finding out who I really was.”

It wasn’t until 2009 that Kerry’s life took the much needed step toward recovery. He enrolled in a program in Grand Junction Colorado on February 25th, 2009. He has remained sober since. “I found something greater than myself and started accepting it.” A Counselor named Andrea was to be Kerry’s biggest help on his path to recovery. “I had a counselor named Andrea in treatment that wasn’t afraid to call me out on my own shit.  She didn’t care if it hurt my feelings, but if it was going to help me in the long run, she would make me explore it.  I went through a lot of emotional pain but I came out of the experience with much more self awareness and an idea of who I really am.  These days I stay in direct contact with other recovering addicts as much as possible.”

“It’s that herd instinct, you stay on the outside, on the fringes, you get picked off.”

Since leaving rehab, Kerry has held down jobs and become a beacon for others who face the turmoils of addiction. “I’m thankful that today I don’t have the constant insistant urge to get high & I’m looking forward to finding out what I really want to do with my life.  I just quit a dead end job that I stuck with for way too long just because it was familiar & comfortable.” The road to recovery has allowed a restructuring of the damaged relationships his addictions had manifested. Kerry continues to live in Grand Junction, Colorado and lives a much healthier and positive life.

Editor’s Note: My and Kerry’s friendship began Nearly 20 years ago in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. We have remained close friends even as we moved to different towns. For a time it became difficult to understand my friend as our interests changed throughout our teenage years. But every year I could count on a birthday call from Kerry, a testament to his friendship. Three years ago I received an early morning phone call from Kerry. We had not talked for some time, I found this call to be a bit out of character, but when I probed into why he was calling he was informing me of his 6 months of sobriety. I didn’t think much of the achievement until I tried to remember the last time I had seen him sober. To my sorrow it was sometime in the middle of high school. Three years later and the guy is going strong. To some people this feat may not sound impressive, but it doesn’t need to. What is important is Kerry’s will to adhere to his own set of morales, and that makes me a proud friend.

Happy belated birthday to you brother!

-Ryan Loughridge

Striking

More lighting, this time on Lake Mead. Enjoy.

Bowling With The Beauties

Hannah Covey, Miss Mesquite’s Outstanding Teen 2011 takes her turn during the 2011 Bowling with the Beauties, a public event in coordination with the 2011 Miss Nevada Pageant.

Miss Nevada 2011: Farewells and New Faces

The Miss Nevada 2011 Pageant took place over the 4th of July Weekend. The group of contestants took the stage to compete as Miss Nevada 2010 sang her farewells before the crowning of the new Miss Nevada’s Outstanding Teen and the new Miss Nevada 2011. Miss Nevada 2011 Contestants.

Cris Crotz, Miss Nevada 2010 in her final Performance as Miss Nevada.

Bailey Gumm, moments after her crowning as Miss Nevada’s Outstanding Teen 2011.

Alana Lee, Miss Nevada 2011.

Congrats to Cris Crotz, Bailey Gumm and Alana Lee.

 

The 2

Two weeks ago I had a choice: sit in LA traffic on the 15 & 210 on my way home from Nevada and take two hours to get home, or take Highway 2 through a scenic mountain landscape and take two hours to get home. The choice was simple.

Splash!

Branding at Big Creek Ranch

I went out to see the cowboys of Big Creek Ranch do what they do. On today’s menu: branding, innoculations and castrations. This is the way of life for Wyoming, Cowboys.

Lightning at Wrangler’s Tree

The Spins

I love living in LA, but I miss the beauty of the real night sky. This was taken outside of Encampment, Wyoming.

Cowboy

Justin Howe, Wyoming Cowboy.

Updates At Doc NOW Media

It’s been a crazy busy week here in LA. My roommates and I have been hard at work cutting reels, promo videos, photo galleries, business cards, websites and social media hogwash. Although I wish I had more to share with you right now. I can give you a taste of what’s been taking place. Head over to www.docnowmedia.com and watch the two videos, “Light” & “Dark” to have a sample. Enjoy!

www.docnowmedia.com

Urban Exploring with Cris

A couple of days up north in S.F., a great time with Cris.

A Little SF Street Art

Step 2: Then And Now, Ventura Pier And Beach Culture

As I mentioned in Step 1, I was recently asked by the Ventura County Museum to re-create a series of turn of the century photographs. I was able to execute most of them, and will hopefully be finishing them up within the next few days. As you may be able to see, I returned to the same locations and was able to re-create the images through the placement of my subjects within the environments. I will admit that some turned out better than others. For example in the fourth photograph the beach goes through many changes, one of them being the height of the dunes and the change of vantage points. But, I worked with what I had and I am happy with the results. My next step is to submit these to the museum and determine which images will be showcased in the upcoming exhibit.

Vintage Style

I had an impromptu shoot with Cris after a session of head shots. A feather dress, a dartboard, some palm fronds, a spiral staircase, an antique foot stool, and a pretty young lady. Overall, I would say it was a successful shoot rendering an amazing outcome.

Spring, Colorado

It’s been a dry Winter in Colorado. With minimal moisture, the vegetation is dry. But mother nature has a way of always surprising.

Behind the Scenes at the Denver Zoo

I had the unique opportunity to go behind the scenes at the Denver Zoo. I was able to get closer to the animals than I would’ve been able to normally. These are some of the “portraits” I snapped.

Full Frontal Fluff

Today was International Pillow Fight Day, Los Angeles was no exception. My roommate Jeff Johns told me about this less than an hour before it kicked off. We hopped into my truck and drove 5 miles into the city and started snapping away. Enjoy.

Friends

Bright light almost blinding, black night still there shining,
I can’t stop, keep on climbing, looking for what I knew.
Had a friend, she once told me, “You got love, you ain’t lonely,”
Now she’s gone and left me only looking for what I knew.

Mmm, I’m telling you now, The greatest thing you ever can do now,
Is trade a smile with someone who’s blue now, It’s very easy just…

Met a man on the roadside crying, without a friend, there’s no denying,
You’re incomplete, they’ll be no finding looking for what you knew.

So anytime somebody needs you, don’t let them down, although it grieves you,
Some day you’ll need someone like they do, looking for what you knew.

Mmm, I’m telling you now, The greatest thing you ever can do now,
Is trade a smile with someone who’s blue now, It’s very easy just…

Step 1: In A New Light, The Ventura Pier and Beach Culture

I was recently asked by the Ventura County Museum to re-create a series of turn of the century photographs. The following are the photos that I will be taking a crack at. With a modern twist I am going to see what has changed in Ventura and its beach culture. If anyone would like to partake in modeling for this project please drop me a line. I will be shooting between now and the beginning of May. For one shot in particular I need to find about 7 young girls between the ages of 4-10 to pose with their mothers. Wish me luck, 88MPH!

Here is the link to the Facebook event: http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=197921386908868&index=1

Photos property of Ventura County Museum

Another Day In Ventura

Sometimes they are just hard to avoid.

Walking toward me so I can “throw a punch”.

Showing his love for the camera.

Én Vogue

Sway Slay

Sway Mauriz locks into a front board. East L.A.

Props to DeAngelo Johnson, Sway Mauriz, and Ryan Carder for a killer day of exploring some of L.A.’s skate spots. Cheers boys.