Warren Bolster

Warren Edward Bolster (11 June 1947, Arlington, Virginia – 6 September 2006, Mokuleia, Hawaii) was a skateboard photographer during the mid-1970s rebirth of skateboarding.

He was responsible for reviving Skateboarder Magazine, considered "the bible" of skate magazines, and his skateboarding photojournalism helped popularize and define the wheeled sport during its explosive rebirth in the 1970s. Later in his career, he became an accomplished surfboard photographer in Hawaii.

His father was a U.S. foreign service officer and traveled extensively as a diplomat. Bolster moved with his parents and sister to Sydney, Australia in 1963 when his father was appointed US Consul General. He attended The Scots College. It was here that he learned to surfboard and skateboard for the first time, at South Bondi in 1965. He was notable for driving a pillarless Ford Galaxie piled with surfboards around the Sydney beaches looking for good waves. This car had consular plates which meant that the toll collectors on the Sydney Harbour Bridge were required to salute as he went through at no charge, to the delight of all the surfers piled inside.

Bolster had been interested in cameras and photography from an early age. This was especially nurtured by his parents' regular slide-shows of family holidays and the many hand-down cameras they gave to him.

In 1967, he moved to Cocoa Beach, Florida, attended Brevard Community College and earned a reputation as one of the state's top surfers. He also began photographing surfing while in Florida.

By 1970, Bolster had migrated to San Diego and made skateboards out of old water skis to ensure there was "a surfboard-like alternative for the few days lacking surf," he later recalled.

...
Wikipedia