With just over one week left to submit your entries to the First Photos contest, we thought we'd check in with Canadian skate photographer Jeff Comber. Jeff's 29 years old, lives in Toronto, and has been shooting for over a decade. His first published shot was a banger: Darrel Smith kickflipping over a bar in the contents spread of SBC Skateboard. Read on to learn from Jeff's advice.

For more advice, check out our interviews with First Photos judges Brian Caissie and Dylan Doubt; we'll have Bob Kronbauer's interview posted tomorrow.

You can click here to view all the First Photos entries. And remember, the grand prize winner gets a trip to Toronto for the First Photos show, a private photo shoot with a Vans pro skater, $500 in Vans gear, and their photo published in Color Magazine.

How did you get into photography?

When I started to really get into skateboarding, collecting mags and being blown away by photos of skateboarding, that sparked my interest in photography. My sister already had a camera and was creating some amazing images (www.beckycomber.com). My dad already built a darkroom for her, so I bought a 35 mm camera and started experimenting.

Where was your first photo published?

It was a photo of Darrell Smith doing a kickflip over a handicap ramp-to-bar. It was the contents spread of the issue of SBC where Grant Patterson had the cover doing a gap to kickflip front board on the airport hubba. Me and Darrell got to know each other well when we both went to Sheridan College for photography. He can definitely kill it with a camera, too!

Where can we see your work published now?

I'm a freelance photographer, so I contribute to all the Canadian mags and I try and sneak some photos into some international publications when I can.

Who or what inspires you and your work?

Lots of things: Light, people, textures, colour, personalities, timing...

What's your favourite type of skateboarder to shoot?

I like all types as long as there isn't too much stress involved. It's interesting to see how people approach getting tricks; everyone is different.

Aside from skateboarding, what do you like to shoot?

I like to shoot portraits and street photography, but you have to be ready with a camera at all times for that stuff. I give a great deal of respect for people who excel at it! You've gotta be committed.

What's the best piece of advice you'd give an up-and-coming skate photographer?

Have fun... it's only skateboarding.

Click here to see an example of Jeff's work on Push.ca, but that's just a start... Jeff's got plenty of photos in different skate columns on Push.ca. And be sure to check out Jeff's photography site here.