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Gorgeous Photos from NYC Skateboarding's Golden Years

Giovanni Reda unveils historic skate prints from his vault of photos from the mid-90s.

Spencer Fujimoto goes coast to coast with a back side 50 in the old NYC. Photo show on the 26th in NyC at the Diamond store. More details to come. Spencer Fujimoto NYC, 2000. @spencerfujimoto @elsenornewyork @diamondsupplyco @onefelix @jeronwilson #skateboardersruletheworld #iwasateenageddouchebag

A photo posted by Giovanni Reda (@giovannireda) on

Aug 12, 2016 at 11:35am PDT

30 prints documenting the height of the NYC skate scene, starting from the mid-90s and taken by Giovanni Reda line the walls of the Diamond Supply Co store in SoHo for the Diamond x Reda Photo Show. The colorful prints archive an old New York full of storied skate spots and skate legends, from Harold Hunter in the LES, to Danny Supa in the Meatpacking District, to Keith Hufnagel in Battery Park.

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Reda, who has traveled the world shooting skateboarders for the last 20 years, captures the frenetic energy of the sport and the rider with his 35mm Nikon. He tells The Creators Project, “In the mid-90s, the NYC skate scene had a huge impact on the world of skateboarding. Every one of these images has a story of why it’s important. The styles these guys had combined with the trick selection of NYC as a background always adds to the photo.”

Diehard skaters will revel in the gear, the bygone labels, shoe companies, and how close skatewear was to hip-hop in those days. Diamond Supplly Co is selling limited edition hats and t-shirts to mark the historic show. Below, Reda, a bonafide skate personality in his own right (check out his Vice Sports video series Reda for the World), shares his memories shooting the skaters around the city:

Harold Hunter skating a bump over a cellar door in the LES which is now gone along with Harold and the old NYC. All images courtesy the artist

Ben Liversedge BS 180 over a pillar that stuck out of Water Street in the Financial District at a time when there was an upswing in the market and seemed like people were making money hand over fist. 

Keith Hufnagel crooks up a rail that is long gone in Battery Park along the Hudson river. I remember thinking how hard it was to go up the rail and how Keith did it with so much style and power. 

Danny Supa doing a switch flip in the Meatpacking District where we had to avoid blood and guts on the floor from dead animals from all the packing plants that used to be there.

Jeff Pang does a back lip in Williamsburg. I remember thinking how guido Jeff looked here, the hair the white shoes, the acid washed pants all equaled 103.5 KTU to me! Also how amazing that late summer light looks along the wall in the background. 

The Diamond x Reda Photo Show opens tonight in New York City. Learn more about the artist here.

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