Why do I love this photo of Jeremy Wray jumping over Matt Hensley so much?
I’m the CEO of an early-stage startup. I’ve got miles to go today, and I pride myself on cutting through brush quickly. Yet I’ve been staring at this photo for 20 minutes.
As I’m shaping our brand identity, why does it feel like it's everything I want Bigspin to be? What makes it so perfect?
Is it the kinetic artistry of the moment? The skater suspended in perfect form, the mix of precision and playfulness required to capture this particular shot. The whole thing is carefully timed and constructed — yet effortlessly cool.
Or is it the anticipation of the moment? Jeremy Wray is suspended, but I can feel his motion, his trajectory. I can’t help but complete the arc, anticipate the sound the wheels will make when they bite concrete, the way he will bend his knees to absorb the shock.
But I’ve looked at hundreds of skateboarding photos now. I love them all, but I didn’t write an essay about any of them. What makes this one different?
It’s Matt Hensley, of course, sitting in that chair. Take him out and it’s just another cool skateboarding photo. But with him there, it’s transformed into something else. A mystery, a story, an invitation.
What is he doing in that chair? What is the chair even doing there in the first place? Did they plan this trick and lug it out there intentionally, or was this improvised? Either way, as soon as he got in the chair, this somehow felt inevitable.
And how is he so impossibly calm? There’s a person flying over his head. But he’s not even looking up, he’s looking at us. Is this a normal occurrence?
Matt Hensley is a legendary figure in skating culture. He himself is an extremely talented and accomplished skateboarder. But he’s not the one doing the trick here. He’s just sitting there. But by sitting there, he is creating the very conditions for this remarkable scene to occur. And his relaxed confidence — it suggests what we’re seeing can be totally natural, even routine.
That direct gaze at us? It’s not watch-me. It’s not arrogant. It has ease, confidence — and a slight twinkle. It’s the crucial piece that brings us in.
Because of his gaze, the calm confidence, we are not just witnessing the moment. He’s inviting us. His gaze is saying, “go ahead, why don’t you try something interesting here.”
Without the skater, without the gaze out at us captured by the photographer, he’s just a cool guy in a chair. But put all those pieces together and we produce something spectacular. He’s not performing the creative act, but he makes it inevitable.
That’s why I love this photo. That’s why I’ll keep looking at it. Because that’s Bigspin. We’re Matt Hensley in the chair.
Go ahead— what would you like to build?
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Our new brand identity is on the way. A little sneak peek before we roll it out.
Photo credit: Jody Morris
