During the summer of ’98, Joey and I used to work at a stunt show called The Intensity Games. It was our job to go to Sea World every day and entertain thousands of guests; he wakeboarded and I performed gymnastics. To get paid to do what you love is truly a dream come true—I felt pretty invincible in the beginning of that summer. I think Joey felt the same way. Then both of our lives changed forever.

      Quickly into the summer, Joey blew out his knee resulting in surgery. Then right after summer, I broke my neck and was paralyzed. Like Joey, I found myself searching for new discoveries of talent. Unlike Joey, I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do; he was quick to take to the camera. He feverishly started taking pictures of anything and everyone that would let him. So much that, even when he had recovered from his injury, I barely remember a time that he let that camera strap leave his neck.  
      School was a dreaded subject for both of us. I was afraid to go back. I felt like all the other 20-year-olds would think they had nothing in common with me now that I was in a wheelchair. Joey, I imagine would have just preferred to be outside—on the water—any chance he could get. Since we both had similar majors and two years before we would graduate with a BA, we enrolled and finished school together. I’m not sure either of us would have made it without the other. 
      By the time we graduated, Joey’s photos were consistently in magazines and his passion had become profitable. I had done a few interviews for the same magazines—I had learned to put my talking skills to good use. We had the same friends; so working became easy and fun. I eventually interviewed for and was offered a position at WakeBoarding Magazine. For the next few years Joey and I were given the opportunity to work together again—we had come full circle since our jobs at Sea World. Enter Josh Letchworth.
      Josh was also a senior photographer at WBM during the time I was there. As Managing Editor, my job duties included working closely with all photographers. Besides being incredibly talented, Josh always had a presenceabout him. There are just some people in the world that make life enjoyable—I’ve always felt Joey and Josh are great exemplars of that. 
     Most recently, the two local photographers have joined forces to create a publication named The Standerd: Wake Quarterly. It’s a quarterly magazine dedicated to the wake community, but also an outlet of personal expression through photography. I couldn’t think of two more talented and respectable men to take on such a daunting task. Both Joey and Josh have stepped up and taken on a great feat, and instead of talking about what our city needs—they’re showing us what our city is capable of. 
     What have you done for your city lately? I’ve interviewed Josh and Joey to show support for those locally who are willing to take a chance; now you go subscribe to their magazine.

Coming off of the release of The Standerd’s third issue and the art show/party, how are you guys feeling?
Josh: Amazing, great, it feels like we have lots of momentum. Even though we’ve only gotten through three issues; it’s been a year since we’ve released The Standerd. That year has proven a lot of things for us—it’s been a lot of hard work.
Joey: I think the attitude from people was that it was all talk. A lot of people talk within the industry and usually, nothing ever happens. For us, we didn’t say anything and we took people by surprise when we handed them the first issue. I think in the back of their heads they were like, “Well yeah, they did one. Let’s see if they can follow it up with something just as good as the first one.” So sure enough the second one happened and then they were like, “OK, I’m going to start paying attention to what these people are doing—they may be here to stay.” And then by No. 3 they were like, “Ok, they’re a player. This is really happening and they’re not going anywhere.” The release party was awesome—everyone was stoked on it.

Speaking of the third issue, I haven’t gotten it in the mail yet. What’s up with that?
Joey: It shipped yesterday.
Josh: Someone in China already got theirs, you better check on that. [Laughs]

Yeah right. I do like that the mag comes wrapped up though. I hate when magazines come in the mail with the covers messed up by my address.
Josh: Yeah, they all will come poly-bagged. This one has a surprise in it, so call us when you get it—you’re gonna love it.

Oh good. Are you continually going to have a party every time an issue is released?
Josh: That’s the plan.
Joey: Yeah, we’d like to … and get it out of Florida as fast as possible. This is not the only place wakeboarding happens, so really the parties should be all over the states.
Josh: I’d like to poll people on that. I’ve heard comments about the release parties and I can’t imagine why anyone would want to complain about it. I think people are concerned that it might get repetitive, but really, it is a celebration for us. The way I see it is everyone needs an excuse to go out and do something. Usually, we come up with something creative and fun to do.
Joey: You’d think people would be stoked on it.
Josh: Exactly. We fine pick comb through every little piece of that book—we put our heart and souls into it. So when it comes off the presses, we are so proud of it. Why not throw a party and have a good time?

What can someone expect to see when they pick up your magazine for the first time?
Josh: They can expect to get a good base of the sports wakeboarding and wakeskating—but more than anything, they can appreciate the pictures and be inspired that we were able to slow something down and show a beautiful side of it. Whether you’ve never been on a boat or you ride every day, you can pick that book up and get inspired from it.
Joey: One of the best compliments we’ve gotten was that, “I don’t know anything about wake and I love the magazine.” The Standerd touches a different nerve. It gets to the people that appreciate the art realm. They see it as an art form rather than just a wakeboarding magazine. It’s catering to a whole new demographic that hasn’t been ventured into in our industry.

How far in advance do you plan for each issue?
Josh: 1.3 is released and we’re already working on 1.4. Even before that though. When Joe and I first started the conceptualization of the book we were budding with ideas, so we have a lot of ideas already in the can.
Joey: Yeah, we have an idea what we’re doing the whole year.

What made you two want to start your own publication?
Josh: For me, I saw it as the next step. I think we both were in the same place in our careers and lives; we kind of were looking at a glass ceiling. As you climb the ladder …
Joey: It’s like stepping stones.
Josh: Yeah. It’s like you’re always looking for the next best thing. We’re so lucky and fortunate to have our jobs be what we completely love. When you love something so much, you just want to keep taking it to the next level. We saw a lot of gaps in what we were doing at that time—it wasn’t going to magically change, unless we stepped up and did it ourselves.
Joey: Our dream is a reality.

How do you guys split the work?
Josh: It seems to balance out pretty good. I think there are so many things to do and so many things to shoot that it equally falls in the hands of whoever is interested in it. There’s a very natural ebb and flow of the workload.

Where are your favorite places to travel?
Joey: I went to quite a bit of international spots this year. It’s crazy because it’s like I never really got out of the country much in the past few years and then all of a sudden, in one year, I hit a bunch of them. I went to Ireland, Amsterdam, Canada, Brazil and some other spots. It’s definitely good to visit a country where there is no language barrier; you feel a lot more comfortable. I like doing the Tropical stuff, like Hawaii and The Keys. I just have to be around water. [Laughs] Luckily, I’m in the right job for that.
Josh: I’d say New Zealand for me. It’s one of the best places I’ve ever been; it’s not very crowded, the people are so nice and welcoming, it has beautiful mountains and countryside, lakes and rivers, beautiful beaches—it has the best of everything.

Joe, you mentioned water. I don’t think I could ever get tired of looking at water shots. What do you think it is about water that is so captivating?
Josh: It’s like the fire thing.
Joey: Yeah, it’s like a campfire. Why does everyone sit around and stare at the camp fire? Why do people go to the beach and stare at the waves?
Josh: I think water has life. Even when it’s completely calm and still; it’s something beautiful and serene. Water is always moving; it’s constantly taking shape. It has personality. It flows. If you really want to get deep, it’s like the blood of your body, and you’re born in water. I think there something to that—there’s something beautiful about it.
Joey: It’s also like a respect thing. You respect the water for its peacefulness some days, but then if you’re in the ocean and there is a hurricane; you’re scared shitless. Water then is your worst enemy; and yet, it’s something we work with every day. There are so many different sides to it. You can stare at the water and not know what the hell is underneath it. There could be a gator sitting there waiting—that’s always in the back of your head no matter what.

What are the advantages and/or disadvantages to being a small publication?
Joey: We are severely understaffed. [Laughs] There are three of us now; we could use probably ten.
Josh: When we declared we were going to do this, we knew we’d wear all the hats. A disadvantage is the heavy work load and that we’re in control of it, and then, that’s the advantage. It’s tough. One of the biggest things I’ve realized taking on this project is when you stick your neck out for something your passionate about, not everyone is going to like it.
Joey: And they’re quick to tell you about it.
Josh: Exactly, but you know what? It powers you more than anything.

What do you think you’d be doing if you never picked up a camera?
Joey: I’ve thought about that a lot; it’s the scariest thing.
Josh: [Laughs] I really wonder. I’ve learned a lot about my personality from being a photographer. I think it’d be something not too far off from photography, and something I could do independently.
Joey: I don’t know what I’d be doing. I hated everything about school. I was doing so well outside of school; it was hard to stay focused on it. For me personally, it’s fucked me up in the sense that I’ll never look at things the same way—I notice more details and my mind thinks differently. On the business side of it, I’ve always told myself I’d be the worst employee. I couldn’t get used to someone else’s schedule or someone telling me what to do after the past 8-years of independence. If I didn’t have a camera in my life … man, I don’t know. The only thing I regret is not picking one up sooner. I wish I had started when I was able to walk.    

What comes to mind when you hear the word photography?
Josh: I think of a beautiful, grainy, black and white negative. For me, that’s what I started with. You know what I think of too? The smell of black and white chemicals. That will always be my roots. When I think of photography, I think of all these black and white shots and me trying to learn how to print photos—those were the moments I was discovering something.
Joey: Art and individuality. It’s a form of expression; it’s something to reflect on. Like when a house goes up in flames, the only things people are concerned with getting are their photos. Why is that? It’s because it’s a memory, a capsule of time. My memory sucks—that’s why I have a camera.

Both of you are mainly film shooters. Where are you both regarding the digital movement coming up behind us?
Joey: Digital is here, it’s not behind us. [Laughs]
Josh: Yeah, it’s not behind us it’s in front of us. [Laughs] We’re trying to catch up with it. We’re doing right now, what most guys were doing 5-years ago. I don’t mean that in a disadvantageous way; it’s just that we’re those stubborn kids who never wanted to accept it. I can be very set in my ways when it comes to certain things, and I’m very comfortable shooting film. But I’ll tell you, I’m trying to embrace digital to a certain extent. I’m trying to learn more about it and look at it with an open mind and say, “Hey, how can this fit and work in with the way I do things.” I’m still glad I treat myself to shooting film though. I’m always afraid of losing the mystical and magical side of photography by shooting digital. Film is so organic; it’s like giving birth or something: You have to shoot it, then take care of the film, then process it, it has to make it through the chemical process alright … you can hold it, the film … how did I get off on such a tangent? [Laughs]
Joey: I hate digital, but I shoot it because people want crap. So I give it to them; here’s your toilet paper to wipe it up. I’m not going to sit at a computer, tweak the color, fuck with the files and that kind of shit though. Here’s your digital, manipulate it the way you want to. Part of the fun of photography to me is the waiting—the anticipation.
Josh: Exactly.
Joey: Granted it’s awesome to be able to see an image right away. Some times you need that for different situations, but it almost strips the fun out of it.
Josh: It does.
Joey: I think a lot of people and photographers will say, “Look at this image. It looks just like film doesn’t it?”  But you never hear it the other way around.
Josh: Hey look at this film shot. It looks like digital! [Laughs]
Joey: Yeah it looks like crap. [Laughs] You never hear it the other way around.
Josh: That is so true.
Joey: If you have the patience and you have the budget for it; film is ten times better. If I was paying someone what they pay us; 100% I’d go to film. By knowledge alone, that film guy will know more than the digital guy nine times out of ten.

Since every second is an opportunity to capture a photo, how do you guys vacation?
Josh: You bring a camera! [Laughs]
Joey: I haven’t gone on a vacation. [Laughs]
Josh: Photography isn’t a job; it’s a way of seeing the world.
Joey: Vacations are photo shoots.

What are job duties of a photographer that most people don’t know about?
Josh: There’s a lot of pressure involved. I used to let that really bother me. When you get hired by a client, you can get caught up in what they want and what appeals to them. I had to switch that and realize; they want what I already do. There’s also a lot of back-end work in photography, a lot of overhead costs with equipment failures, expensive cameras and computers. The monetary stuff can be tough, but not enough to out-weigh the good.
Joey: I think people under estimate how much organization is involved. For example, the images we shoot on a daily basis: where are they going? How do you find something when someone asks for it? The archiving—keeping your computer working and backed up all the time. I have 3-inch binders of slides, and I think I’m coming up on my 100^th binder since I’ve started. But I can pull that first folder out and see all my first images that I shot.

That kind of goes along with my next question, both of you spend a fair amount of time free-lancing. Now, everyone probably comes to you for work, but there was a time when you had to start some where. Where did you submit your photos?
Josh: I get e-mails from kids all the time asking where that starting point is. And I don’t know. To look back, it seems like it was kind of a snow-balling thing. You have to take it slow. For me personally, I discovered photography at a time when I didn’t need much money to survive and I wasn’t reliant on it as my main source of income. It takes an equal combination of your shooting skills, good business sense and a great personality. That’ll get you a long way. You are more than what you’re camera takes; you’re an entity—a business.
Joey: The quickest way to get your name known is submitting to magazines. That’s why it is so important to have photo credits on shots, because people recognize who is taking what. Once people start seeing your name a lot, they might be like, “Hey, I want to use this name to shoot my advertising.” I always tell people, “To survive in photography, it’s all about your reputation and creative uniqueness.”

How do you both feel about accepting other people submissions for your own magazine?
Joey: Love it—it’s awesome.
Josh: That’s one thing we wanted to clear up, and I do think it is cleared up now, people thought when we launched The Standerd it was going to be the Josh and Joey show. We wanted to put a knife in that quick. Out of the integrity of what we’re trying to do, yeah the first couple of issues were going to have a lot of our work. But we’re quick to say, “The door is wide open for submissions.” We want this to be a platform for us to get our creative juices out, but also it’s to create a canvas for other people. So bring it on—the more the better.

Josh, do you find it hard to balance your profession with the family life?
Josh: It is difficult at times. There’s a lot of traveling and my wife is amazing, as you know. My kids have a great understanding too. I couldn’t do this without a supportive team and that’s what they are to me. They stand behind what I do. They respect that it’s what I love and what I take seriously, and it supports our family. They give me the space I need, but I look to them for balance. I have a rule that I try not to travel longer than a week at a time; it’s too much for Dana to do everything on her own.

Jobo, how does photography affect your social life—after all you’re past few girlfriends having been models?
Joey: Geez.
Josh: [Laughs]
Joey: [Laughs] I’m not even going to go there. It takes an understanding, mature person to appreciate what I do. So yeah, the jealous type just doesn’t work out. [Laughs] The jealous and insecure shit; I’ve graduated from all that. One day some chick will embrace my occupation … hopefully.

Not that you’re saying all models are jealous and insecure …
Joey: No, I’m not saying that at all.
Josh: I’ll say that. [Everyone laughs]Alright, so can you give me the inside scoop of what’s coming?
Joey and Josh: No. [Everyone laughs]
Josh: You can expect good things. If I can say anything about the future, it’s that we’re fine-tuning our idea. We’ve only had three issues so far and each one gets better, internally speaking. So that’s exciting.
Joey: We haven’t even touched on the amount of potential we have. It’s going to blow people away. We’re a year down, with many years in front of us.
Josh: I like the unknown. I feel nervous and anxious, but excited. I don’t know what it’s going to be like down the road, but I know we’re going to make it.

So what are the chances I could use either one of your photo’s for a business card?
[Joey and Josh both laugh]
Josh: You’re all set.
Joey: It’s on.

Interview Date: 10/3/07

To learn more about the artist, go to:
www.joshletchworth.com
www.joeymeddock.com
www.thestanderdquarterly.com