More Than Just the Stars

Atiba Jefferson's Success Story Hinges On A Canon, A Skateboard, And A Dream.

Written and Photographed by Kendall Baldwin

University of Oregon (UO) students sat on the edge of the halfpipe with cameras in hand as skater Josh Matthews soared through the air at the WJ Skatepark. Tucked under a freeway overpass in Eugene, photographer Atiba Jefferson, dressed in a Canon-Supreme tee and baggy cargos, showed students how to properly capture the moment. 

Through his partnership with Canon USA’s Finder of Light program, Jefferson hosted a lighting workshop. UO photography professor Sung Park combined his technical skills with Jefferson’s industry experience to create a workshop aiming to prepare students for the professional world of production. Jefferson handed over his camera, putting students in the driver’s seat. 

Beyond shooting photos themselves, the students observed Jefferson’s production process as he adjusted to the scene. Matthews kept skating through the halfpipe by Jefferson, where he could continuously take shots of him in the air from a number of angles. One student even shot from beneath Matthews as he jumped over them. 

From skating in the streets of Colorado Springs as a kid to becoming one of the most influential photographers in skate and sports culture, Jefferson demonstrates that success isn’t just about raw talent. It’s about perseverance and the people who help along the way. His story is proof that creative paths don’t have to follow a traditional route to lead to something extraordinary.  

Somehow after finding immense success and amassing 430,000 followers on Instagram, Jefferson continues to support young photographers trying to make a name for themselves. During the multi-day workshop, Jefferson lectured to UO journalism students – telling his life story and the struggles he faced growing up. 

“He had to hustle, and he taught himself everything. He was a self starter, very motivated, and you could tell in the way he treats people,” says Park. “He doesn't judge, and he's not there to boast himself. He shows what he knows.”

Park grew up in an immigrant family, and often felt misrepresented. That experience made him a more empathetic educator, which is a quality Park recognized in Jefferson.

“Teaching for him is a mentorship, where you take somebody under your wing. You look after them and make sure that their needs are met, and you try to help them discover this new world that's in front of them,” says Park.

In his childhood, Jefferson navigated poverty alongside his twin brother, Ako, in Colorado Springs, Colorado. His father left the picture when the twins were only 4, so his mother took on the responsibility of raising two toddlers alone at the age of 23.

Jefferson’s family lived paycheck to paycheck and relied on food stamps. With money being consistently tight, Jefferson was forced to find hobbies that he could afford and enjoy with his brother. At a young age, he fell in love with skateboarding, which represented so much more than a physical activity. It connected him to a whole new community of creatives – immersing him fully in art, music and fashion.

When Jefferson was in high school he decided to take a photo class, and suddenly everything started clicking. The dark room launched his creative journey. In a time where photo developing was a drawn out process, creating a moment frozen in time was a big deal. That’s when Jefferson realized that he wanted to take photos all the time.

As Jefferson deepened his bond with the skate world, he realized Colorado didn’t have the level of skate culture he craved. He decided to move to San Diego, California, with Ako to be near more skaters. Jefferson quickly found himself in touch with Andy Bernstein, the head photographer of the Los Angeles Lakers. 

Jefferson ended up working alongside Bernstein and the Lakers. He went from sneaking his camera into games to capturing some of the greatest players courtside, and later shooting for major skate, basketball and fashion organizations – including Thrasher Magazine, Supreme, SLAM magazine, TransWorld Skateboarding, Nike, Adidas and Vans. He even helped create the Skateboard Mag. Before he knew it, Jefferson had created a life for himself that most kids would never dream of. 

Working with the Lakers during home games and media days, Jeffeson became quite close with NBA legend Kobe Bryant. His basketball career was starting to take off with the Lakers at the same time as Jefferson’s photography career. As two men of color navigating life and the pressure of being in the spotlight, they created a personal bond and continued working together for years, bringing out the best in each other. Ako recalled a memory of the two of them where Bryant was shooting for a Nike job with director Stacy Wall, and they called Jefferson to the set because Kobe was “very serious.”

“Once Atiba got there the vibe just changed. You know, there was Kobe and Atiba playing piano and hanging. The director was so stoked,” says Ako. 

Jefferson struggled heavily in 2020 when Bryant passed away in a tragic helicopter accident alongside his daughter Gigi. The whole world mourned an icon and NBA legend. But Jefferson lost a close friend. 

“Kobe was just Kobe to me, there was no ‘the superstar,’ you know, he was just Kobe,” says Jefferson. “Obviously it was so painful to have lost him, but I felt like I lost more of a homie than what the rest of the world lost.”

Jefferson shot the viral images of Kobe and Gigi that were taking the internet by storm after the accident. 

“It was such a tragedy,” says Ako. “But I do think it's really cool that he shot those images that are going to live on — not to diss any other photographer, just such heavy photos coming from somebody that was actually close to him and Gigi I think is a wonderful thing.”

Through all his hardships and success – Jefferson has persevered through the unwavering support from his family. He makes sure to remember where he comes from, and how they pushed him to be great.

“I grew up with a single mom who was trying to juggle three kids without a college education or family support. I think that in some ways seems like a sad situation,” says Jefferson. “But at the same time, I think when you are lower income, there's still a pretty amazing creative process of how to figure things out.”

Jefferson was lucky enough to navigate most of his career alongside his twin. Sharing more than just DNA, the two always had similar tastes in music, movies and video games.

“I'm fortunate to have had that growing up, because both of us have pushed each other, and we still continue to. I have a deal with Vans. He works at Vans, so we still work together. We did the skateboard mag together for 14 years,” says Jefferson. “We worked together our whole lives. And don't get me wrong, we can get at each other, but in reality we really have taught each other so many different worlds.” 

Jefferson gives a lot of credit to his brother for helping him find his passions. 

“He was the first one to pick up a skateboard,” says Jefferson. “That is what I owe everything to. And if he hadn't, I don't know if I would have been down the road that I have landed in.”

Outside of his family, there are others that have helped him step into the shoes of some of the most admired photographers of his generation. Jefferson launched his career through apprenticeships and hard work.

“I do think there is a part of me that would be a totally different photographer if I had an education background in it – if I was able to learn more techniques and have a teacher,” says  Jefferson. “But I also look at the photographers that I assisted as the best teachers I've ever had – Grant Britain and Andy Bernstein. Those are two masters at what they do. So my education was also really great.“

Jefferson continues to push the culture forward while staying true to his roots. He built his career by capturing moments – whether on the court, in the studio or at the skatepark. But more than that, he has spent a lifetime embracing opportunity. His story isn’t just about where he’s been – it’s about the doors he’s opening for the next generation, proving that the best shots are the ones you take with heart.