Rip Zinger is a person who is particularly hard to describe because well, words are just kind of boring compared to him, but I'll try. He hits you like a dodge ball in the dark. He's an individual, a skater, a snowboarder, a photographer, and all around radical homo sapien. He takes on life with a big ol' smile and is eager for each new day. His curiosity helps him see past the obvious and appreciate new places down to the atoms that they are made of. From his journeys he creates art books to share his vision. The Night Rider project is from his homeland, Japan, where he captures that unusual world of night riding and turns the simple into super! Check out some shots from Night Rider and look for more book projects from Rip Zinger, comin' atcha!
Where were these photos taken?
I took this series of photos in Niseko, Hokkaido, Japan. It's a winter heaven for me, full of nature and a lot of positive friends. There's a snowboard brand called "Gentemstick" in Niseko. We all ride their boards for cruising and carving around the mountain.
Over how long of a period did you shoot these photos?
I got 2 night riding lift tickets and BOOM!
Do you feel there is something too contrived about normal snowboard shots, with logos and product visibility being so important?
When I was shooting skateboarding I had to take all this stuff into consideration but when I'm out in nature I feel quite removed from all the commercial constraints.
What changes when you are snowboarding in the dark?
If you are riding at night, you have more focus, right? It's all about limited visual information, high-speed cruising and focused turns on totally covered powder groomers. The lights look like an alien spaceship. Oh, and the dumping snow looks like "sakura" (cherry blossoms) falling from the sky.
Do you have to keep your edges extra sharp for night riding?
Yeah, we take care of our Gentem Sticks. Sharp edges, well-ground and waxed bases. We are huge wax nerds!
What were you trying to express by shooting in the dark?
I was looking for a way to create my own original snowboarding photography, that's the #1 reason why I made this book. I wanted to try to strip down snowboarding to the absolute basic, which is the perspective of the rider. I didn't want any white snow or blue skies, nothing super extreme and not your typical happy leisure photo for a brand campaign. I wanted to capture the moment, riders in the zone, focusing on the carve. Night riding is calm, but simultaneously aggressive through speed and beauty.
What kinda of camera do you use?
Okay, if you don't tell anyone, I'll share my secret. It's a camera from this company called Ricoh. I always have a digital point and shoot compact on me. For this project I used their GXR camera, which has a unique system where the lens comes out with the CCD sensor so there is no way for dust to get on the chip. They are supporting me so I use those cameras a lot for digital photography, but I normally shoot with actual film.
Did you need to use long exposures?
No, that is one of the benefits of the Ricoh camera. They've got this beautiful grain, I call it Ricoh grain, ISO1600!
Most people make noise about first run, what is special about catching the last run?
I like letting everyone ride down before me, it makes me feel like I am totally alone in nature, at least until you catch up with your friends waiting at the bottom.
Did you ever watch "Knight Rider" with Hasselhof when you were younger?
Fuck yeah, of course! I even went to Hollywood to see the Knight Rider car in person, but I couldn't speak English with KITT. Knight Rider is the reason why I learned to speak English, haha!
What other subjects have you shot?
"West Americanized Tour" is my first photo book project. It's about the skate scene that you don't get to see in mags or videos. It shows a side that touches everything from kids to pros, spots to contests, design studios to warehouses, regulated skatepark in a cage to free public skatepark heaven... "New York City" is my second book, it's more about street photography. "Night Riders" is my third book.
Any future book ideas coming up?
Oh yes, I'm currently working on my Europe book. It'll be a documentation of my travels through the Old Continent.
Where can we order a copy of Night Rider?