"The Legacy of Warren Bolster, Master of Skateboard Photography" Book Review

"The Legacy of Warren Bolster, Master of Skateboarding Photography" is a limited edition 160 page hard cover book showcasing some of Warren's finest skateboarding photos from the 1975 to 1978. Warren Bolster's pictures showed skateboarding to the world, and helped catapult skateboarding to where it is today. This book is perfect for anyone who grew up reading "SkateBoarder" magazine, or who's interested in skate history. It's a limited edition book - only 4000 copies will be printed.

Back in the 1960s skateboarding hit a popularity wave, and Surfer magazine published the first quarterly issues of the magazine SkateBoarder. In the 1970s, Surfer magazine decided to re-launch SkateBoarder, and Warren Bolster was put in charge of the operation. It was a monumental task, but Warren was the right man for the job.

Warren Bolster ran SkateBoarder magazine for four years - from the magazine's launch in 1975 to 1978. During those four years Warren poured himself heart and soul into SkateBoarder, and propelled skateboarding into the public eye. Skateboarding was still in its early years, and there were truly no rules. Warren's skill as a photographer showed everyone what was possible, and inspired the next generation of skateboarders to become some of the greatest pros we know today.

This book is as beautiful as it is important. I'm too young to appreciate the book from a nostalgic perspective, but I can completely appreciate it for the incredible insight it gives into where skateboarding came from, and why we do what we do today. Each picture has comentary telling about the shot, opening a little window into the world of skating in the 70s. If you are an old school skater, used to read SkateBoarder, or if you are interested in the early history of skateboarding, you'll want this book.

And aside from the history, these photos are simply awesome. Half a decade of skateboarders, both men and women, riding low and fast and free. Competitions, exhibitions, freestyle, downhill, offbeat and inventive - and my favorite, Warren's Arizona desert pipe session images. Warren was a fearless photographer, tossing himself into danger to get these unique and beautiful photos. You can even read in the tributes from some of the skateboarders he photographed about how beat up Warren would get. Tom "Wally" Inouye tells about smashing a new $2,500 fish-eye camera lens of Warren's by lip-sliding into it! Warren was dedicated to his work, and says doesn't regret any of it.

The book is complete with tributes from other people like Tony Hawk, and an acknowledgement from Warren Bolster that gives insight into his life and demonstrates his passion for skateboarding and board sport culture. The writing inside The Legacy of Warren Bolster is interesting and insightful, but also personal and at times humorous. It's simply a well made book.

The Legacy of Warren Bolster contains 157 pages of photos and writing with a handy index at the end. The book is hard bound and published by Concrete Wave Editions. The Legacy of Warren Bolster is a limited edition book - only 4000 will be printed! Copies are available via tailtap.com.

Keep an eye on Concrete Wave - besides being a fresh and original skateboarding magazine, Concrete Wave Editions plans to publish more great books like this one. The next one in the works is to be called Disposable, The History of Skateboard Art. If it's anything like The Legacy of Warren Bolster, Master of Skateboarding Photography, you'll want it.