In an era where photography seems to be accessible to everyone, where every person with a smart phone can pretend to be a photographer, it feels good to see that there are still real film photo artists out there, passionate picture hunters like Gabriel De Lery, the brain behind our brand new skateboard collection, the Photographer Series.

The photographer, also a well known montreal skateboarder, probably stood in front of the lens as often as behind. In fact, people have been shooting him while performing on his board long before he grabbed a camera himself. It was only a few years ago that he found his first film camera, an Olympus 0m10, which he still uses today.

It’s easy to understand that Gab’s got a good eye, because in a really short period of time, he has earned a place of choice in his domain and quickly became a known and respected photographer who worked and collaborated with prestigious clients and some of the the most glamorous modeling agencies in Montreal.

To enter Gabriel De Lery’s world and discover what’s behind his work and the photos used for the Photographer Serie, we got a hold of the photographer and got to ask him a few questions.

When did you start getting interested by photography?

I started taking pictures about four years ago. I always had a certain tendency towards photography and art in general so it was inevitable that one day I would find a discipline of my own in that field. I was looking for something different than skateboarding, but that would give me the same feeling of belonging. A tool that allows me to be creative in my own way. So I bought a film camera and since that day, I cannot live without it.

What attracted you to it at first?

My mother introduced me to arts when I was really young. She painted a lot at the time and I remember her being passionate about several artistic fields. When I was younger, I loved watching old black and white photos that I found in old family photo books, I could spend hours looking at them. It's probably the reason why I got interested in photography at first, more specifically black and white photography.

Since when are you doing it professionnaly?

I don't really see myself as a professional, there will always be room for improvement and I still have so much to learn. The beauty of all this is that even if I don't end up a full-time photographer, nothing will never stop me from taking pictures and practicing what I like to do daily.

Who did you work for in your carreer?

I mainly work with model agencies, Montage Models and Dulcedo Models are my main gigs. I worked on a small project with the guys at Gallerie Montreal and then the Photographer Series for Empire. I had some interviews on fashion websites from Paris, Italy, Russia and the United States. Recently, five of my photos were published in  What Youth magazine issue 14. Who knows what the future holds for me?

What do you like the most about this job?

I don't really consider photography as a profession at the moment, but more as like a platform that allows me to fully express myself and share my vision with people.

How long have you been skating?

I've been skateboarding since the age of 14, so it's been a while. The more time passes, the more I realize that I will never be able to live without it.

Is there a link between skateboarding and photography for you? If yes, what is it?

Honestly, there are several links between photography and skateboarding. For example, the principle of always being in search of new spots, wanting to see everything and miss nothing. I'm always looking for new places, whether it's for my next photoshoot or just to skate. Raising my head to take a look at someting random comes naturally for me. Wherever I go, I don’t want to miss anything. For me, skateboarding and photography are still two completely different things, but they have similar characteristics.

What do you think about our latest Photographer Series board collection sporting your name?

I am really happy with the result, it was good to have carte blanche on such a project. I never thought I would see my pictures on actual skateboards.

Is there something wou wanted to highlight with the style and images on the boards?

I bet on simplicity, I wanted something different and new for a shop board. Basically, I wanted to make decks that could catch the attention of anyone, not just skateboarders.

What’s next for Gab De Lery?

I have some good projects coming for summer 2017, but I have to keep it secret. Otherwise, i’d like to take more and more photos and skate as often as possible.