"ERA SCANS" is a collection of images from 1998-2001, one of the most groundbreaking and influential decades in BMX street history, when New York City was a cultural melting pot and Jeff Z was right in the middle of it. - Translated from SILENT MAG.
"ERA SCANS" 1998-2001 IS A COLLECTION OF SCANNED IMAGES FROM AN AGE IN BMX THAT WAS NOT ONLY GROUND-BREAKING BUT HIGHLY INFLUENTIAL FROM A STREET RIDING PERSPECTIVE. NEW YORK WAS A MELTING POT OF CULTURE AND JEFF Z WAS RIGHT IN THE HEART OF IT.
Growing up in the northeast of New Jersey City in the late 90s , as a BMX rider and budding photographer, I was lucky enough to be at the beginning of the emerging street style at the time, from Animal Bikes and Base Brooklyn to Arizona group Sombra Crew's "FINDING SHADE". From then on, I developed my ambition to become a BMX photographer, documenting the era of 1998-2001 and a group of crazy progressive street riders.
"AS A BMX RIDER AND FLEDGLING PHOTOGRAPHER GROWING UP IN NORTHEAST NEW JERSEY AROUND THE TURN OF THE CENTURY, I WAS FORTUNATE TO BE AT THE EPICENTER OF A BURGEONING STREET RIDING SCENE. FROM ANIMAL BIKES AND BASE BROOKLYN, TO FINDING SHADE WITH THE SOMBRA CREW IN ARIZONA, I CUT MY TEETH AS AN ASPIRING BMX PHOTOGRAPHER DOCUMENTING A SLEW OF INSANELY PROGRESSIVE RIDERS BETWEEN 1998 TO 2001.
At that time, print publications were at their peak, with about eight BMX magazines on the market. Once the action was completed and the picture was taken well, the developed photos would be sandwiched between two pieces of thick cardboard with "Do not fold" written on them and sent to the publisher.
The contract work continued until the fall of 2001, when I took a full-time job at RIDE BMX Magazine and moved to California. The book "ERA SCANS" contains images taken during a very critical period in my career, which I thought would never be made public. - Translated by Jeff Zielinski
BEING THE HEYDAY FOR PRINT PUBLICATION, THERE WERE EIGHT OR SO BMX MAGAZINES IN CIRCULATION. IF THE TRICK WAS PULLED AND THE PHOTO TURNED OUT RIGHT, OFF IT WENT SANDWICHED BETWEEN TWO PIECES OF STIFF CARDBOARD IN AN ENVELOPE MARKED DO NOT BEND.
THAT FREELANCE CONTRIBUTING PHOTOGRAPHER HUSTLE CONTINUED UNTIL THE FALL OF 2001, WHEN I LANDED A FULL-TIME POSITION AT RIDEBMX MAGAZINE AND MOVED TO CALIFORNIA. ERA SCANS IS A COLLECTION OF WHAT I ASSUME TO BE UNSEEN PHOTOS SHOT PRIOR TO THAT PIVOTAL MOMENT IN MY CAREER."
-JEFF ZIELINSKI
- Size: 20x20CM
- 100 pages of color printing
- Recording the golden age of BMX street culture 1998-2001
- Cover image BOB SCERBO , PHOTO BY JEFF Z
- More than 30 unpublished photos scanned from negatives
- Photographer included: JEFF-Z
- Art Editor: PAUL ROBINSON - SILENT MAG.
- This book is printed on environmentally friendly plastic-free paper.
- Published by SILENT MAGAZINE, UK
- MADE IN UK
