Photography and skateboarding — it’s his dream

Photographer Jose Martinez got his first camera when he was in ninth grade.

“My dad always wanted me to be a pro baseball player. It came pretty natural to me, and I was in select baseball growing up. But I decided to give it up heading into high school.

“I’m really into skateboarding and photography. My mom’s pretty supportive. She likes my photos. My dad is kind of like, whatever. It can be hard sometimes. Even if I had taken a famous photograph, like that National Geographic shot of the Afghan girl, he still would probably say, ‘You could have been a baseball player.’

“But I’m just trying to stay focused. I want to move to California where skateboarding and photography are really big.

“I want to be a sports photographer, but focused on skateboarding. If I’m able to save enough money, I expect to be out there within two years. Actually, whether I have all the money I need or not, I’ve just got to go and try to make it. And if it doesn’t work out once I’m there, well, at least I tried. It’s my dream.”

— Jose Martinez, 21

Check out some of Jose’s photography.