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Lowbrow Artist Dirty Donny Gillies

Dirty Donny shrunken heads

An excerpt of images from a project I am working on with Brian Bounds and Dirty Donny that will be published by Gingko Press for Double D’s upcoming book.

How To Hang Mounted Photos

Here are some recent gems that came in this week. Take a look at the bottom of this post to learn how to hang a frameless photo on a wall without looking like a complete cheapskate.

Revisit | Freddy Corbin Portrait (A Collaboration)

A collaboration with Brian Bounds on an outtake portrait of tattoo artist Freddy Corbin. Included is an experimentation of ideas over a series of 4 images. original photo by Jay Watson for Inked Magazine.

Incoming: Mavericks on Drift Surfing

Drift Surfing has published my account of the Mavericks surf contest with my words and 28 full screen size images. The piece covers my personal experience of what it was like shooting from the media boat. It was “awesome and horrible at the same time.”

Revisit: Grant Brittain

Revisit: A photo shoot of photographer Grant Brittain outside the office of The Skateboard Mag in Encinitas, CA. Link to an interview and portraits by Jay Watson.

Interview | Liquid Salt Magazine

Liquid Salt Magazine interviewed me last week and posted it here. Included in the interview are a few images previously not seen until now, and the lowdown on why a guy from Baltimore ever started surfing.

Surfboard Shaper Manuel Caro | Drift Surfing

Manuel Caro portraits

Portraits and outtakes of Manuel Caro shot for Drift Surfing. The last image is a before and after set showing my post production work. You can see the difference between a processed RAW file using Adobe Lightroom and compare it to the final retouched version using Adobe PhotoShop.

Teaser: Tyler Smith Surfing Mavericks

A fairly interesting story is nearly finished regarding the Mavericks Surf Contest. I’ll announce where the images will land and or post all of it here. Here is a teaser image from the first heat.

Sinners & Jammers

This Sinners jacket above has been photographed in many different magazines, including an image I shot for Garage Magazine a few years back. Ironically it has never been photographed from the back. Until now, and it rules.

Evel Knievel Sold Insurance

Evel Knievel served in the US army, worked at a copper mine, was a semi pro hockey player, started a successful hunting guide business, competed in ski jumping, pole vaulting, and rodeo events. Images from the Life Archive.

Surf Icon: Buttons Kaluhiokalani

Surfing pro Buttons Kaluhiokalani at the North Shore Oahu

Portraits of Hawaiian pro surfer, icon, and North Shore legend Buttons Kaluhiokalani at his home break in Oahu, Hawaii. © Jay Watson Photography

Tattoo Artist Freddy Corbin | Inked Magazine

Inked Magazine features a multi page piece I shot of Oakland tattoo artist Freddy Corbin for the mag’s “Icons” section. They also included me in the contributor section. I love editorial portrait work!

Our Only Summer Swell (5 of 5)

Images from the summer swell that hit Northern California in 2009. The 5th and final post from the series called “Our Only Summer Swell” on surfing in Santa Cruz, CA.

Our Only Summer Swell (4 of 5)

Images from the summer swell that hit Northern California in 2009. The 4th post from the series called “Our Only Summer Swell” on surfing in Santa Cruz, CA.

Our Only Summer Swell (3 of 5)

Images from the summer swell that hit Northern California in 2009. This group, from Steamer’s Lane in Santa Cruz, CA is the 3rd post from the series of 5.

Our Only Summer Swell (2 of 5)

Each day this week I will be posting images from the only summer swell that hit Northern California. This is the second post out of 5 scheduled.

Driscoll Ranch Rodeo. La Honda, CA

Barrel Racer Driscoll Ranch Rodeo. La Honda, CA

I learned to shoot sports action by practicing, and by shooting rodeos in the Bay Area. The Driscoll Ranch Rodeo in La Honda near Half Moon Bay was a great event for several years. In 2013 the ranch was purchased by the Peninsula Open Space Trust and is now part of the La Honda Open Space Preserve. Maybe someday the rodeo will come back, but I wouldn’t bet on it until at least the Knicks make it to a conference finals.  For now it’s open to hikers, mountain bikers, and horseback riders.

Tazio Nuvolari Had Advice For You

I have saved this newspaper clipping from the LA Times for 10 years, and cut it out from a story when I was getting the paper delivered daily when I first moved to California. Wish I had a chance to photograph Nuvolari. Sounded like an interesting guy.