Sierra Prescott - Shredders: Girls Who Skate

Making this book would not have been possible without a ton of physical and emotional support. The time frame to make this book was ambitious, but we did it.

First and foremost, I want to thank all the skateboarders who responded to my out-of-the-blue DMs and opened their busy schedules and inspiring lives up to me. I am beyond moved by each and every one of you. Skateboarding truly is a captivating form of communication and growth, and I feel ridiculously fortunate to have met all of you incredible ladies.

Thank you to everyone who held a flash or bounce, brought me coffee, held me stable in precarious positions, accompanied me on road trips, and took my phone calls when I needed to ramblenamely Kory Archuleta, with an additional thanks to Ignacio Bello and Danny Bezinovich.

Thank you to Professor Schmitt for presenting me with so much history and so much confidence.

Thank you to the families who took me under their wings: the Serafins, the Frames, and the Cais.

Thanks to my cat, Cheesecake, for putting up with me either not being home for weeks on end, or at home never leaving my computer.

Thanks to my dad and mom for always believing in me, and to my late Grandma Carol, Grandpa Bob, Uncle Chris, and Aunt Lisa for eternally watching over me.

Thanks to the multitude of friends and family I didnt see for months on end while I disappeared to make this book. Thank you for understanding. I am so grateful.

Thank you to the awesome team at Ten Speed Press and Penguin Random House for giving me such an electrifying opportunity and always meeting me with so much faith, support, and excitement. Special thanks to my editor, Kaitlin Ketchum, and designer, Annie Marino, as well as Kimmy Tejasindhu, Serena Sigona, Windy Dorresteyn, and Kristin Casemore for helping me make this book what it is today.

Lastly, I want to give a massive thank you to Anne Goldberg, who first reached out to me about a book and helped shape my book proposal. Anne is the reason this book was made possible, starting from a friendly note through the contact page of my website.

I couldnt be happier. Life is RAD. Lets Live.

Born and bred in Los Angeles, California, Sierra Prescott is a commercial photographer specializing in lifestyle, portraits, food, drink, and, of course, action. Shes been at it since she shoplifted her first (and last) Kodak disposable camera at the ripe age of four. Knowing that they had either a photographer or a potential felon on their hands, Sierras folks rolled the dice and gave her a camera instead of a time out.

Sierra has always loved skateboarding. She kicked-and-pushed around with the boys all through elementary and junior high, skating to, from, at, and after school. Her love of photography and skateboarding had their first meet-cute when Sierras dad gifted her a hand-me-down point and shoot. From there, she lived for rolls of black and white film that she would later develop, print, dodge, and burn herself.

By high school, Sierra was photographing a wide range of team and action sports. At eighteen, she framed up alongside esteemed photographers Dave Black and Heinz Kluetmeier at the Kentucky Derby. She was accepted early to the Brooks Institute, worked for the prolific Peggy Sirota while she was a student, and graduated in 2010 with a BA in Professional Photography.

Since 2014, Sierras work has appeared worldwide, both in print and online, as well as on billboards and on television. A creative through and through, her commitment to capturing candid moments is bar-none. Each piece breathes character and freshness; her own charming, ever-smiling disposition sings through each face, item, movement on the page. Sierra has shot campaigns for brands such as Fossil, G Star Raw, Joes Jeans, Michelob Ultra, Hulu, Hansens Soda, Hurley, as well as the Los Angeles restaurants Bestia, Republique, and Otium. In addition to her work behind the camera, she has been featured as talent in campaigns for Madewell, J. Crew, New Era, GQ, Apple, Under Armour, LG, Universal Studios, Credit Karma, and Victoriass Secret, among others.

While she may have two great loves in photography and skateboarding, Sierras goal is singular: to pass on her lust for life attitude, ever blurring that line between work and play.

LIFE IS RAD.

SIERRA PRESCOTT

SOUL

Born

La Caada, California

Current Home

Silver Lake, Los Angeles, California

Started Skating

10 years old

First Board

Element Featherlight with Independents

Board Preferences

Loose with wheel wells and a small nose

Stance

Goofy

Favorite Trick

Bertslide

Trick in the Works

Airwalk on flatground

Skate Day Food of Choice

Aa bowl

Favorite Time to Skate

Morning

Fun Fact

Won a Tony Hawk Birdhouse complete by Ollieing in front of a crowd at X Games 2003

ABEC (Annular Bearing Engineers Committee): A rating given to bearings based on their dimensions, tolerances, geometry, and noise standards, predominantly used for industrial purposes. The rating grades range from 1 to 9 with the larger numbers functioning best at a very high RPM. Although informative in other fields, the ABEC rating system is not the best way to choose a bearing for skateboarding, because skateboarding is not a precision application.

Acid Drop: Skating directly off the end or edge of an obstacle without lifting up the nose, popping, or grabbing the board with the hands.

Air: Being launched out of a ramp, bowl, transition, or street obstacle into the air and catching air time.

Airwalk: A trick performed in the air by kicking the front foot forward and the back foot backward, and grabbing the nose (or not) while the board is vertical.

Alley-oop: An air trick performed in transition where the skater airs in one direction and spins in the opposite direction (for example, spinning to the right while airing to the left).

Amateur (AM): A skateboarder competing, representing, or taking part (in whatever capacity) in skateboarding events with no expectation of financial reward for their participation.