The Bastard Photographer of Portland: Ethan Walsh

Bio: I have no family. My mother put me in debt 100K ten years ago through forging my signature for credit cards and school loans. I was about to start law school. I had a full ride. I wanted to change this country. I studied Marxist Social Theory, Game Theory, Class Inequality, Systems of Labor Management, Criminology, and Japanese Culture. I speak Japanese and have lived in Portland for 34 years. Everything that’s happened to me made me who I always wanted to be.


“When I started I really wanted to do something different. In a lot of skate photos the skater’s face isn’t super visible and I wanted people who see my photos to recognize the skaters I photograph in the street. So I added the portraits. I’ve been using photoshop for 20 years and I like to try to tell a story as simply as possible. Ohh yeah I also planned to release a print magazine three years ago but a crooked cop didn’t like how well spoken I was so he put a buncha false charges on me and I had to spend $5000 (the magazine savings) on a lawyer. I’m still free but as a result I just put out a bunch of the photos that were going to go in the mag. Those were a lot of the edited photos with skaters faces or bodies superimposed over the skate photo. Everyone seems hyped! Thank you Confusion Mag! DIY for life.”  – Ethan Walsh

Xeno Miller. Walljam pivot fakie.

Xeno Miller. Walljam pivot fakie.

Sandy Peraza. Invert revert at Burnside

Sandy Peraza. Invert revert at Burnside

Levi Poole Boardslide. Stigmata

Levi Poole Boardslide. Stigmata

Ty Johnson 50-50 and after party

Ty Johnson 50-50 and after party

Tameron Eaglehorse. Switch BS flip

Tameron Eaglehorse. Switch BS flip

Benjamin Walker. FS Blunt. Swift park

Benjamin Walker. FS Blunt. Swift park

Riley Stevens melon at Burnside Halloween

Riley Stevens melon at Burnside Halloween

Mike Marcus. Panda Express nose grind

Mike Marcus. Panda Express nose grind

Levi Poole. Kickturn DIY RIP

Levi Poole. Kickturn DIY RIP

Tameron Eaglehorse. 180 switch 5-0

Tameron Eaglehorse. 180 switch 5-0

Kristina Narayan. Walking the dog

Kristina Narayan. Walking the dog

Jorel Lord. Hippity Hop at Powells Books

Jorel Lord. Hippity Hop at Powells Books

Mike Marcus. Layback slug slide

Mike Marcus. Layback slug slide

James Alby. Polejam

James Alby. Polejam

Deaf Paul and Deaf Rob. Burnside buddy transfer

Deaf Paul and Deaf Rob. Burnside buddy transfer

Maddie Collins. The Lion Back D

Maddie Collins. The Lion Back D

Colten Aiken. Front salad. Kooksville DIY

Colten Aiken. Front salad. Kooksville DIY

Caleb Herford. Rainy day FSA

Caleb Herford. Rainy day FSA

Cabrea Davis. Ninja Ollie and lipslide on unmoved sign

Cabrea Davis. Ninja Ollie and lipslide on unmoved sign

Benjamin Walker. Smith

Benjamin Walker. Smith

Also I included a kooky-ass pic of myself in my halloween 'costume.' I make shirts, hats, and do stick n poke tatts for all the homies. Also I included a kooky-ass pic of myself in my halloween ‘costume.’ I make shirts, hats, and do stick n poke tatts for all the homies.

And thanks to Lipstick Skateboards for backing me. And also thanks to Smart Collective Skateshop.