New photo book aims to shift local attitudes toward street skating

Tampa Bay photographer Adam Hadden is preparing to release "Pelican," a self-published photo book that captures street skating across the region. The project is a collaboration with professional skateboarder Jimmy Lannon and Magenta Skateboards. The hardcover volume consists of 220 glossy pages and features action shots from St. Petersburg and surrounding areas.

Hadden spent nearly four years compiling images for the book. He dedicated the final year and a half to the self-publishing process, working on the project every day after his regular job. The book is designed as a coffee-table style volume intended to showcase the specific locations where he and his friends skate, including spots that are not traditional or highly polished.

The primary goal of the book is to start a conversation about skate-friendly architecture in the Bay area. Hadden wants to use the physical book as a tool to engage with city officials. "Our end goal after the book is to have a tangible item we can present to city officials and say, 'Hey, let's try to make skating a little more progressive towards the city,'" Hadden said. He hopes to create multi-use areas that support a skatable culture beyond the confines of dedicated skate parks.

The release event is scheduled for Saturday, Nov. 7, at 8 p.m. at The Bends, a dive bar located at 919 First Ave. N in St. Petersburg. The event is free to attend. Hadden and Lannon plan to bring 150 signed copies to the venue. Each copy will be sold for $55 on the day of the release. Hadden stated that the books will become available for purchase online shortly after the event.

Lannon, who appears on the cover of the book, recently worked in Bordeaux, France, with a skate urbanism festival called Connect. That festival integrates skate culture into urban planning to create sculptures that are accessible to the public. Lannon cited the infrastructure in that city as a model for planning that benefits both skaters and general residents. "We're all people just sharing these spaces and making cities more inviting and friendly, which promotes mental health and physical health for everybody," Lannon said.

Lannon plans to build relationships with city planners and local elected officials to make public areas less defensive toward skaters. He aims to establish these connections by the end of this year. He specifically noted that skaters are often removed from the St. Pete Pier, while rollerbladers and longboarders are permitted to stay. "We want to bring more skate sculptures to our public spaces," Lannon said. Local skate videos titled "Glasses" by Ryan Bambery and "Florid" by Lannon will also be shown starting at 9 p.m.

The book documents the local skate scene in a way that emphasizes the everyday environments used by the community. It serves as a visual argument for integrating skateboarding into the standard design of public spaces.