How Skateboarding Unites the World with Atiba Jefferson

What if you had front row seats to everything you loved? No matter if it’s a basketball game, concert, or halfpipe, Atiba Jefferson has been there with his camera, documenting some of the biggest names in the world. He’s been active as a photograph for over thirty years and is now turning to fashion, working with Vans on the United Through Skateboarding collection. With a log designed by legendary graffiti artist Haze, the collection includes shoes, clothes, and accessories, all paying tribute to skating and the world beyond.

Julia Gunnesch: Could you tell me about your journey as a photographer? Where did you come from, where have you been, where are you going?

Atiba Jefferson: My journey started in the darkroom when I was a junior in high school. So, about 1992. When I saw a print being made, it changed my life. I talk about it all the time. That was the moment where I was like, okay, I love this. And it was the first thing outside of skateboarding—that was the first thing I obsessed over. And photography became the second thing. Besides video games. And then, that journey took me from Colorado, where I grew up, to San Diego then Los Angeles, where I’ve been since 1995. I always say photography has given me the best seats to everything I love, whether it’s a basketball game sitting courtside, the bottom of 20 stairs and seeing the best skateboard trick, or the photo pit of my favorite bands. A camera can be your passport to whatever you want to see. Even the world, going from South Africa to Tokyo to you name it. The camera has brought me everywhere. And what’s coming up next is another collection with Vans. Obviously, photography brought me there. And my first book is coming up, hopefully at the end of next year.

JG: You’ve been active in skateboard shoots for so long. Do you still enjoy it as much as before?

AJ: Oh, yes, and I notice it with a lot of people. I never got out of skateboarding. I always enjoyed skateboarding because I’m a skateboarder. I still take about a day a week to go skateboarding for myself. I have always enjoyed the community, my friends, the creativity. So, I never I never fell out of love with skateboarding. But I think the older you get, the more you actually appreciate things. Whether it’s skateboarding or in life, you kind of realize that everything doesn’t last forever.

JG: What are your favorite shoots nowadays? And of all time?

AJ: Skateboarding will always be my number one. I mean, it’s who I am. It’s in my DNA. But I realize I won’t be shooting skateboarding like I did for the rest of my life. It’s a young person’s game. It’s not for the old, but it will always be my favorite.

I love doing anything. My goal is to just be the best photographer I can be and take the best photo that can make my subject look the best. I’m a subject photographer, so I’m only as good as my subject.

JG: Could you tell me about the collection? How involved were you in designing the clothes?

AJ: I was heavily involved. If something’s going to put my name on it, I’m 100 percent involved. But you’re only as good as your team and the team at Vans has been amazing to work with. They’ve pushed me as much as I’ve pushed them.

JG: Why did you bring Haze into the mix?

AJ: I brought Haze into the mix because I don’t have a logo, and I didn’t want this to be a signature line. It was also another way to include another dynamic. Virgil Abloh is a big inspiration, he was also a friend. I always thought it was super dope how he used Futura. So I was like, “Oh, let me use Haze because I grew up loving his artwork as a graffiti kid in the 90s.” I remember seeing the Beastie Boys record cover [Check Your Head, 1992], and that was mind blowing to me.

I started a list and he was at the top of the list. He agreed to do it, so I didn’t have to move any further.

JG: What does United Through Skateboarding mean to you personally?

AJ: United Through Skateboarding is my world. It’s my foundation. It’s everything that I am a part of. And I’ve gotten to where I am in life because of skateboarding. But it’s also my community. I have a very diverse group of friends. And the coolest thing is that they all come into my skateboard world. And it’s also in my photography too. Like my basketball photography changed when I applied skateboarding ideas to that. So, the throughline in everything for me is skateboarding, but I don’t just stick to skateboarding. My community, sports, music, art, fashion, everything. But at the end of the day, when anyone asks me, I’m just a skater.

JG: The campaign features skaters, artists, musicians, and athletes. Why did you choose to bring different disciplines in and what were the conversations like with them? Did they need to be convinced to be a part of a skate brand campaign?

AJ: The campaign features skaters, artists, musicians, athletes, and comedians. The comedians are the stars. So, when they wanted to do a commercial, I wanted all my friends in it. Everybody believe it or not said yes. Vans really got lucky. I got lucky because that’s a very star-studded commercial without a big budget. I am proud of being a skateboarder that goes outside of skateboarding and brings things together.

JG: You also have been doing media day with Lebron James for 25 years. What’s that relationship like?

AJ: Well, I haven’t done 25 pure years of media day, but, I’ve been shooting LeBron for his whole career since his junior year. So 25 years. He is great. Every time we work together, he’s just 100 percent cool. And when I see him out, he’s cool. LeBron’s just a great dude. And it’s crazy because the first time I shot him, he was a junior in high school. No one knew who he was. And I always say that you never know with my photography who you’re shooting and who they’re going to become. It’s a really great story to have shot him during his whole career.

JG: Who else have you repeatedly shot? What are those relationships like?

AJ: Marshawn Lynch and Reggie Bush are athletes I’ve shot with for a long time. I’ve also been shooting the band Turnstyle for a long time and just recently shot their record cover and back cover. Such relationships are great. It’s amazing when they’re your friends and you’re able to work with them and see them grow and be a part of their journey. I shoot for friends and with strangers. It’s like 50/50, you know?

JG: Favorite skater of all time?

AJ: Oh, that’s really hard. I always struggle with this, and I feel like I give a different answer every time. But, it’s probably Kareem Campbell or Jovonte Turner. Those two. No, it’s Ray Barbee actually. Let’s go Ray Barbee, today. That’s my favorite of all time.