Rodrigo Donoso has long been a favorite photographer for riders and media alike because 1) he always delivers the goods, and 2) he’s one of the most fun dudes to be around. Seriously, sit with him for a few minutes and you’ll feel like you’ve known him for years. Plus, his stories are second to none. While the industry is lucky to have him, the luckiest of all might be the riders who live with him on the California Delta. Trust us, it’s pretty sweet to have the glassy waters of the winding Delta sloughs to ride on, while also having the 4x Wake Awards Best Photographer there. Recently Rodrigo went out for a casual evening shoot with Josh Twelker and Mike Belligan. The results speak for themselves, so we figured we’d get some insight from the man behind the lens. Enjoy this edition of Sessions, and be on the lookout for more in the future.
“I was home for a couple days between trips, and Josh happened to be home as well. Bellz (Mike Belligan) was on his way home from work one afternoon, so we decided to all head out. We didn’t have any real reason to shoot other than that’s what we like to do when our schedules line up. It’s what we do, and we enjoy it. Honestly, whenever I get a chance to shoot with the crew, I’m doing it.”
“Shooting with Josh and Bellz is always a good time. We’re out there to have fun, but we’re also trying to get sick photos. They want them as bad as I do. If I see something I think is rad I’ll stop them, show them what I’m thinking we can get, and then we go for it. That gives the rider a really good idea of what to do so they don’t feel like they’re spinning their wheels. Other times I just let them go for it and shoot until I see something that stands out.”
“I ended up with a bunch of cool shots this afternoon. One of my favorites has to be the wrapped, one-footed 3 from Bellz. Another that stood out to me was the one of Josh doing a stalefish front flip. It has some really moody lighting and it’s sick looking trick. It’s Josh, go figure…”
