Ian Coble

Remembering Sarah Burke

2012-01-23T12:33:00.000-08:00

This has been a tough week for the ski industry. We lost an amazing person. Sarah Burke was so many things to this industry and the people that call it home. I've been trying to find the words the last few days to post about her, but it's tough to put my thoughts onto paper.

Rather than try and explain all of her accomplishments, her contributions to the sport or what she meant to everyone, I thought I'd share a story.

I met Sarah for the first time back in 2007. It was one of the first major commercial shoots I had ever been on in my career as a photographer. It was a 2 week heli ski trip in Terrace, British Columbia with Matchstick Productions. To say the least, I was nervous as hell. I was slated to work with some of the biggest names in the industry on this shoot. Names I had read in magazines and seen in movies for years. Now I was supposed to be the one shooting them. While I was honored and stoked at this opportunity, I was a nervous wreck the first day.

As I walked in the door of the lodge and set my gear down, there was Sarah. I'd seen her in competitions, movies, magazines and ads, but up until that moment, she was just a name. Without hesitation, she jumped right up, walked over and introduced herself with a big smile. I'm pretty sure I stuttered back a nervous "nice to meet you". Sensing I was new to the crew, and a little nervous, she went out of her way to talk to me and make feel like part of the group. She asked questions, told stories and joked around with me and everyone else. I can't tell you how that simple action helped to set my nerves at ease. Because of her caring nature and wanting to make sure everyone was comfortable and happy, I quickly calmed my nerves and was able to be myself... instead of the stumbling newcomer. It's amazing what even the tiniest of gestures can do though.

But that was just who Sarah was and it's what made her so incredible. She was always friendly and outgoing and made you feel good about yourself. I saw her do this with all her friends, and even her fans that would come up to ask for her autograph. She was truly a class act.

I feel blessed to have gotten to know Sarah on that trip to Terrace and on the numerous occasions I got to work with her after that. Her impact on the sport will never be forgotten. But even beyond her impact on the sport of skiing, is a lesson I think we can all learn from... to be more like Sarah. To welcome those around you, to be friendly and outgoing, to make a difference. The world is a better place for having had Sarah in it, even if she was taken away from us all too early. I can only hope to try and live my life in a similar manner that helps to enlighten and enrich the lives of those around us.

My thoughts and prayers go out to her family and her husband Rory. My deepest sympathies.

And to Sarah, thank you again for being such an incredible human being. You will never be forgotten. Rest in Peace.

Because of the space restrictions of this blog format, I couldn't fit all the photos I wanted to include. If you'd like to see some more of the images I was fortunate enough to collaborate with Sarah on, please check out the link to an additional gallery HERE.

Below is a beautiful video tribute that's been floating around the internet. Definitely worth the watch.

A Sarah Burke tribute video. from Downtofilm. on Vimeo.

New Magazine Covers on the Newstands

2011-12-28T11:00:00.000-08:00

Just got these a few days ago... two new mag covers! Bravoski Magazine out of Japan and SportMagazin out of Austria. Always fun to see your work as the leading image for a magazine.

Big thanks to Tyler Ceccanti, the skier pictured in both shots. Pretty stoked to get him his first cover... let alone two in the same month.

Skateboard Shoot

2011-12-10T12:56:00.000-08:00

More personal work that I thought I'd share with you all. I found this incredible location last month and I've been jonesing to shoot here ever since. Was finally able to make it happen a few days ago.

Here are a few quick shots from it. One to give you a taste for the action and the other to give you a behind the scenes look. (Thanks to my assistant Pat for standing in and being the lighting test subject here). Use your imagination and you'll have an idea what the final image will look like.

Stay tuned for the website re-launch in the very near future to see the finished images.

Thanks for checking in.

New Published Work: Atlas Snowshoes Website

2011-11-01T11:23:00.000-07:00

Just got a chance to look at the new Atlas Snowshoes website. It's currently chalk full of the images I shot for them over the past 2 years. Really happy to see all the images as a collection that showcases their entire product line. I'm attaching a screen capture of their site below, but check out the site for yourself if you have a chance. The images are on a rotating display, so you'll get to see a lot more imagery there.

I'm excited to shoot for them again this year for their 2013 product line. Should be fun.

Track and Field Shoot

2011-10-22T12:39:00.000-07:00

Been working on some personal projects lately and here's a few behind the scenes shots from my most recent one.

A little glimpse into how the shots were made.

I'm in the process of redoing my portfolio right now, so stay tuned to see the finished images from this shoot and many others.

ps. a little tip of my hat to Brad Trent for the idea of showing these pics. I was inspired by his "Artificial Portraits" series that showcased the behind the scenes of his shots, but with all the post processing done to them. Check out his site... pretty cool!

Contour

2011-10-20T11:24:00.000-07:00

I've been working with Contour (makers of kick ass POV cameras) for over a year now and have had the opportunity to shoot what seems like every sport under the sun for them.

With the release of their new camera, the Roam, they just updated their website with a bunch of my work. Always fun to see.

And there's plenty more on their site, but I figured that 4 images was enough for the blog.

Stevens Pass Bike Park

2011-10-19T11:47:00.000-07:00

I've been working up at Stevens Pass Resort for the last few days. We've been shooting in their new bike park for next years marketing collateral.

It's been an awesome few days of shooting and the weather has been perfect. Big thanks to Kyle Thomas and Billy Lewis from Diamondback Bikes for putting in the hard work. And to Chris Rudolph and the entire Stevens Pass Park Crew for making the shoot happen.

Will be posting more photos and video as I can release them. Stay tuned.

Stevens Pass Ad

2011-10-14T10:53:00.000-07:00

Just got done working with Stevens Pass Resort on one of their print ads for this winter. Here's the original image and the finished layout of the ad which will be running in the Ski Journal this winter.

Brooks Running: Commercial

2011-10-01T10:34:00.000-07:00

A little while ago I posted about the Brooks Running shoot we did for the release of their Gore Tex shoes (the Ghost and the Adrenaline). Well, we finally got the go ahead to release the video from this project. Really happy with how it turned out.

This was my first foray into being a Director. I'm usually the one behind the camera (which I was on this day, shooting all the stills for the campaign). But it was a nice and refreshing change to get away from the camera for the video half of this project and instead focus on the direction of the video. Really stoked to have had such great and talented people helping with the production for the shoot. Big thanks to my homie Riley who did all the shooting and editing and Pat for his kick ass work assisting. Thanks guys.

Enjoy!

Brooks Running: Ad Campaign

2011-09-26T15:08:00.000-07:00

Last month I got a phone call from the people at Brooks Running asking me to shoot a new ad campaign for their new Gore-Tex shoes, the Ghost and Adrenaline.

Stand Alone 4 Panel Accordian Brochure

While I was stoked at the prospect of shooting for Brooks, I was a bit nervous. Not nervous about shooting for Brooks, but because we were going to be shooting a waterproof shoe campaign and here it was late July... not the best time of year for crummy weather in Seattle. So, as the shoot came together, we had all the contingency plans available and ready to put into action (buckets of water, garden sprayers, hoses, water truck... you name it). However, as the morning of the shoot arrived, we couldn't have been more blessed as a huge thunderstorm descended on Seattle. It poured rain (with thunder and lightening) all morning long, providing us with great cloudy backgrounds, huge natural puddles and an all around wet look to the shoot.

The only bummer about the days shoot was that the torrential rain destroyed one of my Nikon D3 bodies. After hours out in the rain, the poor thing just couldn't hang any longer. Fortunately, it's occasions like this that have led me to always carry back up bodies on a shoot. After swapping the old with the new, we were able to continue shooting without missing a beat.

Print Ad for Magazine

I'm really happy with how the campaign turned out. Something a little different than your typical running shoot, with a little bit of humor interjected.

Outtake from the day's shoot

We also shot a short video for this campaign and we'll be posting that on the blog shortly.

A huge thanks to Brooks for choosing me to shoot this campaign for them.

Specialized Catalog Shoot

2011-09-26T12:48:00.000-07:00

I had the incredible opportunity earlier this summer to do a catalog shoot for Specialized Bicycles. This was a two day shoot in Portland that was aimed at garnering more attention for their Fitness/ Commuter bike series.

Working with the creative team from Popamatic Studios, we spent two long days traversing the city streets, coffee shops, back alleys, and country roads in and around the Portland area.

The resulting collateral that will utilize these images hasn't gone to print yet, but I was finally given the go ahead to release a few of these images for the blog.

A huge thanks to the folks at Specialized and Popamatic for turning to me to shoot this campaign. I've been a HUGE fan of Specialized bikes for years and I'm stoked to have had the opportunity to shoot this for them.

Photo of the Week on NationalGeographic.com

2011-08-08T10:47:00.000-07:00

This just went live the other day and I wanted to share it on the blog before I forgot. National Geographic just chose one of my ski photos from last winter as their "Extreme Photo of the Week".

Never been published by National Geographic before, and I'm pretty stoked at this opportunity. I'm even more excited that they chose a photo that I really dig!

If you'd like to see the write up, click HERE. And if you'd like to see the photo a little larger, without the clutter and layout, it's attached below.

Cheers!

New Published Work: Atlas Snowshoes

2011-07-06T10:42:00.001-07:00

I just got the first round of tearsheets from my recent work with Atlas Snowshoes this past winter. Below is one of my favorite shots from our shoot up at Mt Baker. I love the shot, but I also love the incredibly simple layout that allows the image to really shine through.

Thanks again to Atlas for working with me on their catalog for another year. I can't wait to see what we can do next winter.

It's Summertime... Release the Ski Movie Teasers

2011-07-06T07:53:00.000-07:00

It might be 80 degrees here in Seattle today, but it's already starting to feel a lot like winter again. Why? Because Matchstick Productions (MSP) just released their official trailer for this Fall's movie, Attack of La Nina.

I've had the privilege of working with MSP for 5 years now and it's always awesome collaborating with them. This year was no exception as I teamed up with them on 2 separate park shoots, 1 in Breckenridge and 1 at Stevens Pass. Both shoots went incredibly well and you can see a couple preview shots from those trips below.

So, while winter still might be 5 months away, it's feeling a little bit closer now.

Cheers!

Location Scouting: Weather

2011-06-30T12:14:00.000-07:00

With wrapping up my winter work from the ski, snowboard and outdoor industry, I've been spending countless hours in front of the monitor editing and retouching. Unfortunately, that doesn't make for a lot of great blog posts.

However, this doesn't occupy all of our time. When we're not sorting through the work we've already shot, we're currently planning a series of new shoots in the coming weeks. So, in the name of getting some new info up, I've decided to do a series of posts on our photoshoot production. For this installment, we'll take a quick look at what we do regarding weather forecasting as well as share some of our favorite weather websites.

Nothing can ruin a shoot like bad weather. Be it rain, sun, heat, cold, wind... whatever you're hoping the weather gods will bring you on the day of your shoot, chances are, they'll bring the opposite.

Unfortunately, there's no magic bullet that will take care of everything. In the end it boils down to a lot of work and a little bit of luck. We usually spend several hours a day checking the different forecasts before a big shoot. You can't change the weather once you get a location, but it can help in your planning (wether that be the day you plan the shoot, or how you budget your time over the course of the day once you're already there). By keeping an obsessive vigil on the weather maps and taking an average of what you see, you can usually do a pretty good job of predicting what will be in store for the day of your next big shoot.

Following is a list of our favorite weather sites with a quick description of what each is good for.

Weather.com I know this site seems cliche given its popularity, but it's really pretty accurate

Weather Underground More detailed forecast than weather.com with some useful almanac info

NOAA If you're a weather dork, this is your holy grail. However, I've noticed their forecasts have been pretty inaccurate lately... not sure why.

Snow-Forecast For forecasting weather in the mountains, this is one of the best, by far. Great for predicting the strength of storms during the winter months.

Weather Spark This is a new site to me, but so far I'm really enjoying the graphing features and the overall layout. Time will tell how accurate it is though.

New Google Image Search Options

2011-06-20T10:42:00.001-07:00

In case you hadn't heard, Google just launched a new image searching tool. This was just brought to my attention a couple of days ago and I finally had a chance to dig into and run a few tests. In short, google users can now upload a photo and search the web to see where it's being used. For photographers, this is a great way to see if your photos are being pirated, stolen or otherwise mis-used. Getty Images has had this technology for a few years, but it's now available to everyone... finally.

I did a couple of tests with photos of mine that have been heavily used and was amazed at how quickly it came up with results. In some cases it even came up with the names of people pictured in the photos.

Similar search engines such as Tin Eye offer similar search engines (and have been around for much longer). However, I tested numerous images on both platforms, and Google won hands down every time.

It's definitely worth looking into if you're a photographer. Policing your images just got a lot easier.

A big thanks to Erik Seo for giving me the heads up about this. Much appreciated buddy.

Behind the Scenes Article in Jack Magazine: Italy

2011-05-10T12:09:00.000-07:00

This is something that I've been working on for the past couple of months, and alas, now I can finally talk about. I went to my mailbox yesterday and opened it to find a box full of the newest Jack Magazine from Italy.

After my 3D Kayak shoot with Tao Berman last summer for Red Bull, I was contacted by the editors of Jack. They wanted to run an article on the technology and behind the scenes details of the shoot.

Jack Magazine is Italy's largest popular technology magazine. (Think Maxim blended with Popular Mechanics). And while I might not be able to read Italian, I'm super stoked on the tremendous exposure from this. If you'd like to read the general logistics of the article, visist the write up on the Red Bull Illume website HERE.

(Cover of Jack Magazine that the article appears in)

Thanks to everyone at Jack Magazine and Red Bull for working with me on this. I'm tremendously honored.

Kip Garre 1973-2011

2011-05-02T13:53:00.000-07:00

The ski world was rocked again this past week with the tragic passing of Kip Garre and his girlfriend Allison Kreutzen. I unfortunately never got the chance to meet Allison. However, I was blessed to be able to hang out, travel and ski with Kip over the years. He was an incredible person who's stoke for life was contagious and will be greatly missed.

To take a line from the blog of fellow ski photographer Alex O'Brien, "I'm starting to feel like this blog is an obituary page to friends that I have lost." As I look at my own blog now, I have to say that mine is starting to resemble the same. While that's not what I was hoping to acomplish when I first stated this blog, I still feel it necessary to pay tribute to my friends that have passed while chasing their dreams.

Rather than post a blog entry about what happened to Kip and Allison or my feelings on the subject, I'm going to keep this simple. Here are some of my favorite photos I got to take of Kip over the years.

If you'd like to read a more detailed account of things, please check out the link to the article by Powder Magazine HERE.

Kip, I'm gonna miss you buddy.

Sorry, I've Been Busy! But Here's a Sneak Peak at What I've Been Up To

2011-04-20T10:01:00.000-07:00

Sorry for the lack of correspondence recently on the blog. I've been busier than a one legged man in an ass kicking contest lately. Lot's of shooting and time spent in production mode over the last two and a half weeks. But these are great things and I'm excited with the work that we've been working on and what we've got slated for the very near future.

While I can't yet share the final images from these shoots, I can share some of the out-takes from this past Saturday's shoot of the AMA SuperCross at Qwest Field. A nice and muddy shoot to say the least. I'll be chipping dirt out of my camera for some time to come.

Photos above are of Red Bull athlete James Stewart exiting a corner during qualifiers and a discarded goggle tear off laying on the muddy track.

Enjoy!

Backcountry Ski Shoot in the Cascades

2011-03-29T10:25:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago I went out to do a shoot with skiers Bryce Phillips in the North Cascade Backcountry. I've worked with Bryce for years and it was great getting a chance to go shooting with him again. On this occasion, we were headed out into a zone I've grown to love recently. Beautiful scenery, steep terrain, lots of features... it's perfect. And things looked great on this day. It had snowed about a foot the night before, we had a few great friends along with us for the day and it was completely clear and blue as we left the car.

However, three things that we hadn't counted.

1: the snow was far deeper than we had anticipated. It took us a full two hours to get to the zone, when under normal conditions, it's about a half hour.

2: the snowpack was a little on the unstable size. The spines would be relatively safe, but anything in the open was going to be out of the question. We'd triggered a couple of sympathetic slides (avalanches that occur at a point away from your location, but that are caused by your weight on the snowpack) on the hike out. So, we'd have to be extra careful.

And 3: as we continued our trudge out to the zone, the clouds were beginning to roll in... fast.

However, after all the work, it totally paid off. The resulting shot of Bryce dropping in on spine is one of my favorite shots of the year. While I can't currently share that image with you, I am at liberty to share the video clip from Bryce's Contour POV camera that he was wearing. I'll post the image on the blog as soon as the embargo has lapsed... but I'm sure you'll like it.

A side note, you may ask why we were skiing on a day where we knew the avalanche conditions were less than favorable. To answer that question... because you occasionally have to deal with less than favorable conditions when shooting. That's not to say we were being reckless or taking unnecessary risks. Far from it. On this day, we checked the avy forecast, we hiked along ridge lines and along tree groves, we had all of our backcountry gear with us and we stationed 2 people running safety from protected vantage points to watch over the others at any time skiing was taking place. While you can't take all the risk out of traveling in the backcountry, there are steps you can take to minimize that risk. Be safe out there.

Shooting with Nimbus Independent

2011-03-24T11:11:00.000-07:00

Last week I was out shooting with production company Nimbus Independent at Crystal Mountain. With skiers Eric Pollard and Bryce Phillips, we spent 3 days compiling footage for their next years movie.

All in all the shoot went great... although the weather wasn't super cooperative. While we had a few tiny windows of blue, most all of our time was spent in grey, stormy weather. Not a big problem though, as we were able to hug to the trees and pillow zones and still come out with some great footage.

Here are a few of the out-takes from those days. Enjoy!

Supermoon in Seattle

2011-03-20T09:35:00.000-07:00

With all the talk of the "Supermoon" last night, I decided I had to stay home and shoot some photos of this meteorological event.

According to Accuweather blogger Mark Paquette, a supermoon is a new or full moon at 90% or more of it's perigee (or closest approach to earth). This event doesn't occur often, as the next supermoon isn't slated until November 14th, 2016.

But science aside, last night's supermoon provided a great opportunity to photograph it. As anyone that's visited the Pacific Northwest knows, we don't often get clear nights here. And fortunately for everyone watching the sky, last night was incredibly clear over Seattle.

So, with my camera pack, tripod and beer in hand, I ducked out the door to the neighborhood park overlooking the skyline several times over the course of the evening. My patient wife, Karlee was a true sport and cooked dinner for me, while I dorked out with my camera. It was fun to see the huge number of people out trying to catch a glimpe of the moon.

Enjoy the pics!

And for my fellow photo-dorks of the world out there who may be wondering what these photos were shot with... I shot these images with a Nikon D7000 with an 80-200mm f/2.8 lens with a TC-20E III AF-S 2x teleconvertor. I shot with the D7000 instead of my trusted D3 for 2 reasons: 1. to test out it's low light capabilities (which I was pleased with) and 2. because the 1.5 crop on the sensor got me a little tighter on the moon than I would have with the D3.

Neighbors in Breck

2011-03-09T18:32:00.000-08:00

Last week when we were up in Breckenridge for a park shoot, Dustin (MSP's cinematographer) spotted this little guy napping in the backyard of our rental house. Couldn't help myself and had to snag a few shots of him before he ran off down the road. Amazing how comfortable he was around humans.

Breckenridge: Park Shoot with Matchstick Productions

2011-03-03T10:28:00.000-08:00

This week I'm in Breckenridge, Colorado on a terrain park shoot with Matchstick Productions (MSP). We're here shooting with athletes Bobby Brown, Jacob Wester, Russ Henshaw and Gus Kenworthy. After 2 days of shooting, we've been able to nail some really solid shots. However, as with any shoot outdoors, success is heavily dictated by the weather. While the last 2 days were sunny and amazing, a front rolled in last night and it started snowing. It hasn't shut down production, but it has definitely slowed the pace a bit. But, it's this weather delay that's giving me a few minutes to post this to the blog, along with these 2 shots.

The shot above shows Booby Brown airing a transfer gap with me in the bottom left frame shooting (photo courtesy: Austyn Williams). Shot below shows the cannon rail with a cherry picker positioned overhead.

Will try and post a few more shots (not from an iPhone) when I get a little more free time. But for now... enjoy!

Last Week in the Pacific Northwest

2011-02-23T11:12:00.001-08:00

It's been a little while since I spent some time posting to the blog. So, as I spend a much needed day in the office catching up on emails and editing, and icing a sore back, I thought I'd make a post about what new shoots have been happening.

After what was a very lack-luster January in the Pacific Northwest, February has been a much needed refresher. With numerous storms stacked off the coast, the Cascades have been getting pummeled with snow. And to make matters even better, we've even been getting a couple of bluebird days in between... something that is typically a rarity around here.

To make this series of storms even sweeter, I was finally able to get into a new zone in the Cascades I've been scouting for years. Due to it's location and terrain, it's not a zone that you can access very often. The snow has to perfect (stable, deep and consistent), the winds have to be calm and the skies have to be blue. Last week, after over a year of scouting, I was finally able to get out and shoot this area. Incredibly happy with finally realizing that dream.

Unfortunately for now, I won't be sharing the shots from that zone... not yet. Right now the images are on hold and I can't share them. But once they get released, I'll make sure to post them along with some more details of that days shoot.

Enjoy!

The Rebels Manifesto: A Fun Read

2011-02-23T10:59:00.000-08:00

I just saw this on Keith Stoeckeler's BLOG. A great little website if you're ever in need of fun, creative ideas. I particularly liked this one so I thought I'd share it. In life and in the creative industry, this advice is golden.

New Work

2011-02-17T07:11:00.000-08:00

Just got this in the mail a few days ago and wanted to share it. The rest of the catalog is stacked with my photos from the work I did with Atlas last year and I'm really happy with the selection of images that they used. I'll post more of them when I have a little more time to spend in front of the scanner. But in the meantime... enjoy!

Red Bull 3D Shoot: "How to" 3D Tutorial

2011-01-19T12:39:00.000-08:00

Just a quick post to keep people up to date. I did a 3D shoot for Red Bull earlier this past summer and as a result, got a ton of emails asking for a tutorial or behind the scenes look at how it was done. Well, without further ado, here it is. Check out the Red Bull Illume website HERE to see the interview and the quick rundown on what's involved in producing a 3D shoot.

If you're questions aren't answered in the article, feel free to post your questions below and I'll do my best to answer them.

Cheers!

In the News

2011-01-13T16:25:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to throw up a link to this. MSNBC just did an article on the top 10 jobs in the Ski Industry and named me as having the number 3 job! Click HERE to see the article.
Although bits and pieces of this story came from an interview I did with Skiing Magazine last year, I still thought it worthy of sharing as it's now with a National news network.

A quick note though, as I was a little misquoted. When asked how to break into the industry, my first piece of advice was not "Photoshop skills are a must". I mentioned much later in the interview that photoshop skills were part of the job and you had to have a thorough understanding of the program, but that wasn't my first piece of advice to aspiring photos out there.

What would be my first piece of advice??? Love what you're doing and be prepared to work your ass off if you ever want to succeed. It takes a lot more than pretty pictures to make it as pro. It's the hard work, the determination, the strong work ethic, and the passion that will make or break a career.

And one more little piece of self promotion to toss in here. One of my favorite ski shops (anywhere) and the site of my first office, EVO, just started a blog following some of the ski and snowboard photographers in the PNW (Pacific Northwest). I'll be working with them throughout the winter to showcase some of my travels and work in the ski industry. For this first installment, it's a short bio and a quick inside look at a few shots from the past season. To see the full article, click HERE.

Thanks for checking this out. Cheers!

Amazing RipCurl Surf Video

2011-01-04T12:53:00.000-08:00

I saw this video a few months ago and other than tweeting about it, I didn't do much else. However, as I was brainstorming ideas this morning, I remembered this video and thought it was worth sharing here on the blog.

Once you watch the main video, check out the "making of video" below to see how they accomplished this unique perspective and style.

It's essentially the same technology that was originally pioneered in the movie the Matrix. However, implementing this technology on a Hollywood soundstage would have been WAAYYY easier than on location in a wave pool.

I just saw an additonal adaptation of this technology in the movie The Other Guys, with Will Ferrill and Mark Walberg. The bar scene in the movie utilizes this style of shooting also. It took me a couple of watches to figure it out though, as it's really intricate and well executed. Definitely worth watching.

I personally would love to incorporate this type of technology into a shoot. I've got a couple of ideas, but I might have to start saving my pennies and selling my organs in order to finance it. Unless you or anyone you know has a large budget they want to hire me with :)

Backcountry Magazine Cover

2010-12-29T13:29:00.000-08:00

I just got this from my photo editor over at Backcountry Magazine, the cover of the January 2011 issue. A huge thanks to Simon and the guys over at Backcountry for running my image on the cover. And another big thanks to skier Todd Ligare for the hard work he put in on this day of shooting in Utah. Thanks everyone!

Behind the Scenes: Ski Shoot at Stevens Pass

2010-12-23T13:14:00.000-08:00

Something short and simple, but I thought it was kind of funny. I was shooting at Stevens Pass last week with skier KC Deane. We'd found a zone that was littered with downed stumps, logs and root balls that had created a fun pillow field for shooting. After scouting the area, we landed on this location and began shooting. My friend Josh Malczyk was riding with us and shot this little video.

Unfortunately, not everything goes as you had hoped, and on this take, KC came up a little short on his flip. Fortunately he was ok. But, it does showcase one thing about still photos... you don't always have to land everything perfectly in order to get a great still image.

Sorry KC for sharing this little spill and letting people know that you don't stomp every single air :)

Tim Lincecum Shoot for Red Bull

2010-12-22T12:44:00.000-08:00

Just a short post to share some new work. This falls into the category of work that normally doesn't come my way, but I thought it still worth sharing.

At last Sunday's Seattle Seahawks game, Tim Lincecum (star pitcher for the San Francisco Giants) raised the 12th Man flag before the game. Red Bull, one of Tim's sponsors, brought me in to snap a few pics of him raising the flag.

As I said, not my normal gig, but still a lot of fun. A totally different experience than what I'm used to though. Having to coordinate with the NFL and the Seahawks game day coordinators was a bit daunting at first. However, everything went on without a hitch. It was a very editorial, photojournalistic style shoot. Not a lot of room to plan, style or coordinate with Tim. From start to finish, the whole thing went down in less than 5 minutes and I was jockying with 5 other photogs to get the best angle. All in all though, I'm happy with how everything went.

Thanks to Red Bull for bringing me in to shoot this. It's always fun to get outside of your normal routine and shoot something new.

New Work in Print

2010-12-14T12:19:00.000-08:00

Just wanted to post some of my my most recent and favorite tearsheets in print right now. Really happy with how these turned out. Thanks to all my clients for working with me on these campaigns. Enjoy!

Salomon Ad: Quest Boot Campaign

Contour: Point of Purchase Displays

Patagonia: Dealer Catalog Cover

Crystal Mountain: Brochure Cover

Dakine: 1.5 Page Ad

Atlas Snowshoes: Cabelas In Store Displays

Stevens Pass: Ad

This is just a small sampling of some of our favorite published works. If you'd like to see more or get more regular updates about news and events, check out our fan page on FACEBOOK.

Moustache + November = Movember

2010-12-07T09:26:00.000-08:00

This past month was the month of "Movember". What is Movember you may ask? Movember is an organization that encourages men to grow a moustache for the month of November to increase awareness about Prostate cancer. The rules are simple, start November 1st clean shaven and grow a moustache (beards are cheating) for the entire month.

I just heard about Movember about a month ago via a local Seattle Radio show (the men's room on 99.9 KISW) and loved the idea. My interest in Movember went deeper than just the simple humor in growing a moustache. My father had a bout with Prostate Cancer about 5 years ago. Fortunately, after surgery, he's been Cancer free ever since. However, seeing that Prostate Cancer runs in my family and knowing how many men will face it during the course of their lifetime, I wanted to do something to help raise awareness. "Movember" seemed like a perfect way.

And to be honest, I got a lot of questions during the month. Most centering around why in the hell would I grow such a hideous things voluntarily? "Had I lost a bet?" But, each of those questions was met with my response of "to increase awareness for Prostate Cancer". Most everyone liked the idea and was on board with it... all except for my wife Karlee, who despite liking the concept, couldn't wait for December 1st when I could shave again.

This year was just a trial to see how it was received. I plan on making a bigger deal of Movember next year and would like to encourage anyone reading this to sign up. I'd like to get a collection of fellow moustache wearers together for a portrait series to help spread the word. If you're interested, please make a post below.

And if you're interested in learning more about Movember or donating to the cause, click HERE to visit their website. Thanks!

Mountain Bike Shoot in San Francisco & Santa Cruz

2010-11-16T12:37:00.000-08:00

Just got back from a great weekend of shooting in the bay area. I packed up my camera gear last Friday and headed to San Francisco to shoot dirt jumping for the folks over at Contour POV Cameras. I've been working with Contour for a while now and it's always awesome shooting for them because I never know what I'll be shooting next. One day it's skiing, the next it's kayaking or mountain biking or... well, you name it. It's fun getting to shoot so many different sports with the best athletes from every discipline.

So, when I got the call to head to SF, I was stoked!!! Two days of shooting with two of the best mountain bikers on the planet, Cameron Zink and Cameron McCaul.

The first day found us at the AT Showdown dirt jumping demo at the San Francisco Bike Expo. Massively large jumps situated all over the place. What ensued was a four hour huck fest. I was absolutely blown away by the tricks and amplitude of all the athletes... insane.

With day one a wrap, we headed down to Santa Cruz, away from the competition venues, to a secluded, private track. It had rained the night before causing some puddling and mud holes in the transitions of the jumps. But after a couple hours of raking and shoveling, the jumps shaped up and we were good to go.

The day went great. We were able to shoot some really creative/ unique angles that I've been dying to try. After some of the experimental stuff, we moved back to the dirt jumps and sessioned those until the sun dipped below the horizon.

All in all, it was a great weekend. Really happy with how things turned out. Can't wait to get out and shoot with the Contour guys again. I'm already formulating some new ideas for some more unique/ outside the box camera angles.

PDN Self Promo Awards

2010-11-15T14:29:00.000-08:00

Every year, Photo District News has it's "Self Promotion Awards" to highlight the extraordinary efforts people go to promote their photography. And today they just released their list of winners for 2010. No, I didn't win anything in this contest... in fact I didn't enter this year. However, it's worth taking a quick look at if you're at all interested in the art of self promotion.

If you'd like to see a gallery of all the winners, check out the LINK and click on "View the Winners". There's some really impressive work in there. Enjoy!

Snowshoeing... in October !?!?!?

2010-11-10T13:45:00.000-08:00

This was a fun shoot I got to do a couple weeks ago... and am just now getting a chance to post about it. I got a phone call a little while back from one of my favorite clients, Atlas Snowshoes. They needed to get some new shots to round out their upcoming catalog. I'm always stoked to work with Atlas and was excited to get out and shoot some more for them. Only one small problem... it was October and there really wasn't any snow to speak of... anywhere.

So, where can you find snow year-round, glaciers.

With that, myself, two athletes and the marketing director from Atlas headed up to the mountains and the glacial fields to get the shots we needed. In order to get the look we were going for, we met up at midnight in the parking lot and started hiking in under the moonlight of a clear night. After 4 hours of trekking, we finally got to the snowline. A quick scout of the area and we found where we wanted to shoot. From there, it was a 2 hour waiting game for the sun to rise.

After a couple of cold hours spent shivering in the wind, the sun finally broke the horizon and we were able to start shooting. The weather was perfect and the light of the rising sun played well against the sun cupped glacial fields.

The shoot ended up being an incredibly long 21 straight hours by the time I returned home. Covered in sweat and dirt and absolutely exhausted, I think I passed out as soon as I set foot at home. But that said, the shoot was incredible. I love how the images turned out, and it was one of the more memorable shoots I've had in recent years. There's something fun about pouring so much physical energy into a shoot. It can take you to some incredible locations when you're willing to put the effort in. And it's definitely a shoot I won't soon forget. A huge thanks to the folks at Atlas for turning to me for this shoot. What an awesome experience!

Hawaii

2010-11-04T16:20:00.000-07:00

So, after a little bit of time spent catching up on work, I thought I'd post a handful of my favorite images from my recent trip in Kauai. Bear in mind, this was not a work trip... by any stretch of the imagination. This trip was all about the wedding to my beautiful bride, Karlee (pictured below).

With that said, these images are more of a quick look into some of the fun shots I felt like taking while on vacation. Even though I may not have been at work, I still love taking photos for the sheer joy of creating art and documenting the beauty around us.

That's all the disclaimer I have here. Enjoy!

My wife Karlee on the on the Kalalau trail on the Nepali Coast

A view of the North Island, just outside of Hanalei.

Snorkeling shot taken with a Canon G9 with an underwater housing.

Sunset in Poipu the day of our wedding. A huge thanks to the folks at the Beach House restaurant for catering our reception and for providing such an awesome place to watch the sunset.

Red Bull Music Academy: Decibel Festival

2010-10-28T13:35:00.000-07:00

I know this didn't just happen yesterday, but I still wanted to make a post about it... even if it is a couple weeks late. I just got done shooting the Seattle Decibel Festival at Neumos for Red Bull Seattle and thought I'd post a few of my favorite shots from the night.

Yeah, I know music isn't my "normal thing", but who cares?!?! Photography is photography after all. And on top of that, when we step outside of our comfort zone, we sometimes can experience the greatest growth.

That said, not being used to lighting a nightclub for a photoshoot, I was running around Neumos for the first half of the evening like a chicken with my head cut off. Mis-firing poketwizards and an ever changing assortment of strobes and LED lights screwing with my exposure made this a huge challenge. But the challenge made this fun for me. If you walked into every shoot and knew exactly how EVERYTHING was going to go, it'd get boring really quick.

A huge thanks to the folks at Red Bull for giving me the chance to shoot this event. And also, a big shout out to the artists: Schlomo, Teebs, Headhunter, Mount Kimbie, and Modeselektor... what an awesome show... my ears are still ringing.

While I Was Away

2010-10-28T12:29:00.000-07:00

I'm usually the biggest advocate for maintaining a blog with constant updates. However, I just looked at my blog the other day and realized that I've been doing a MISERABLE job of maintaining mine. But, in my defense, hopefully you'll all agree that I had a good reason.

That's right, for those of you who didn't get your invite, I just got married to my beautiful bride Karlee at the beginning of the month in Kauai. With all of the logistics of planning a wedding, unfortunately the timely exercise of blogging had to fall by the wayside. But fear not, I'm back in the saddle again. New blog posts are already slated out as I try and catch up with about a months worth of back-logged ideas. Thanks for sticking in there with me. More to come soon.

Thanks!

Behind the Scenes: Matchstick Productions shoot

2010-09-15T11:53:00.000-07:00

Quick blog post for ya. This coming Friday marks the world premiere of Matchstick Production's new ski movie, The Way I See It. I was fortunate enough to work with the MSP crew on a couple of their shoots this past winter during the filming of the movie.

With the premiere right around the corner, I've been busy working to help them promote the release. Along those lines, we've put up two "behind the scenes" looks at the production of Mark Abma and Eric Hjorleifson's Meadow Lodge trip.

The first behind the scenes look comes from an article I worked on with ESPN. To check out the full article and photo gallery, click on the link HERE.

The second behind the scenes look comes straight from the Matchstick Productions crew. This first episode of "The Making of: The Way I See It" shows some of what goes into filming and shooting skiing movies.

Enjoy!

Red Bull Kayaking Shoot: In 3D

2010-09-06T16:11:00.000-07:00

To see the image in 3D, click HERE.

I just recently finished up a really fun shoot for Red Bull Energy Drink with professional kayaker Tao Berman. What made this shoot so incredible, wasn't just the sheer athleticism in front of the camera, but was the amount of creativity I was afforded. In organizing the shoot, Red Bull had essentially given me free reign to shoot this however I wanted.

For the last few months, I've been dying to try shooting something in 3D. Since I saw the James Cameron movie Avatar, I've wanted to test the 3D technology and see how it translated from video to still. When this shoot with Tao came before me, I knew this was the shoot to make it happen.

In doing my research for this shoot, I'd come across plenty of other 3D photos, but none of them were action or motion based. Everything I was coming across was static... whether a landscape, portrait or still life. Not finding any 3D (also called anaglyph) photos of sports left me really excited. This was going to be something relatively new, and it's always fun to be the guinea pig on new things as you never now what you're going to encounter or how it's going to turn out.

(A brief note: with new versions of Photoshop, it's now possible to create 3D images in post production with a single camera and manipulating the single resulting image. But that's not what I wanted to do here. With this shoot, I wanted to achieve a true 3D image, by shooting two cameras offset from one another. The advantage in using two cameras, is that the resulting 3D image has more depth and texture that it can draw out as it does not require photoshop to extrapolate and create new information.)

Given the inherent danger in running waterfalls, and not wanting to subject Tao to any more danger than necessary, we only had a few cracks at shooing this. With that in mind, we were running 3 cameras at all times, in order to ensure maximum coverage and guarantee differing angles and vantage points.

In the end, the shoot went off great. The resulting 3D image turned out better that I could have hoped. I'm excited to put this technology to use again on some more shoots in the near future... stay tuned.

If you'd like to see some of the other images from the shoot, you can see a small gallery HERE.

Final note: if you're interested in learning more of the details about how to shoot a true anaglyph/3D image, post a comment below. If enough people are interested, I'll follow up with a tutorial post later.

International Photography Awards- Honorable Mention

2010-08-25T08:22:00.000-07:00

I just got notified that one of my photos received an honorable mention in the 2010 International Photography Awards. The above shot of parkour athlete, Daetan Huck was honored in the Professional, Advertising, "Other" division.

The International Photography Awards is an annual competition for professional, non-professional and student photographers on a global scale, which has created one of the most ambitious and comprehensive competitions in the photo world today. www.photoawards.com

I'm honored to have received this mention and it's got me charged with new vigor and ambition to keep pushing my work in new directions.

To see my photo and some of the other honorable mentions, check out the gallery HERE.

On the Road

2010-08-05T14:21:00.000-07:00

I usually try to post at least once a week on this blog. As I look back at the month of June, I realize that my goal was far from reached last month. The result of being on the road and not getting to spend a lot of time behind the camera has left me with the more difficult task of finding things to write about. Not wanting to be "that guy" that just throws up a bunch of random garbage on the blog, I've remained silent for the last 2 weeks.

Well, two weeks of silence is enough for me... actually, I think that's the longest I've ever been quiet for. And while I might not have the most interesting "behind the scenes of a bad-ass photo shoot" blog post for this week, I thought I'd at least post something. Below are a handful of shots from my iPhone from the last couple of weeks of traveling. Hopefully something fun and unique.

Cheers!

Amazing Work... Thanks Red Bull

2010-08-05T13:46:00.000-07:00

I just got an email from Red Bull announcing the finalists for their second Illume Photo Contest. The work that was submitted is absolutely stunning. I spent a good hour flipping through some of the photos featured on their website. I could have spent the rest of my day captivated by these images, but instead, I thought I'd share some of my favorites here. (A quick note: These are NOT my photos, just some of the photos that I feel are truly inspiring! Nice work to the photogs that created them.)

If you'd like to see the entire sampling, scroll down to the bottom of this post for the slideshow in its entirety. Enjoy!

New Work: Road Running

2010-07-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

I usually try to make at least one blog post every week. Recently though, I've been failing at that... miserably! For one excuse or another (traveling, shooting, and a mother board crashing) I've just been too busy to sit down for an hour to post my new work or other random industry musings. But that stops today.

Two weekends ago, I went out to do a road running shoot. Not for any particular client, but because it was something I just wanted to shoot. I firmly believe that every once in a while you need to go out and shoot, just for the sake of shooting. Not every time you pick up a camera has to be for a client. Sometimes it's nice to take a day or two and produce a shoot that you want to shoot, the way you want to shoot it. It's a great way to add to your portfolio while at the time, showing off your true, unconstrained style. All too often, when shooting for a client, you aren't able to shoot things exactly as you'd like. Whether that be because of branding visibility, layout issues, art direction or a slew of other reasons. It's nice to be able to show other creatives what your true style can be.

So with that in mind, I headed up into the Cascades of Washington with my fiance Karlee helping out with modeling responsibilities for the day. Here are a few of the resulting images. And for all you Strobist followers, the shot above will show you my lighting setup for the image that follows. Enjoy!

Ski Movie Season... in July?!?!

2010-07-18T17:47:00.000-07:00

This time every year, there's a nervous energy in the ski and snowboard community. But why you may ask? It's 90 degrees, I'm sunburned and my ice cream just melted in the two minutes it took to read this. Winter and sliding down the hill on skis is the furthest thing from your mind.

Well, that's true. But what every rider is greeted with in July is the release of the ski movie trailers. The 4 - 5 minute teasers that get you excited for the premieres in September. For those unfamiliar with how the ski and snowboard industries work, everything that you see that promotes skiing or snowboarding, was shot the previous winter. It takes the entire summer for that footage to make it's way through the editing boards and the printers, before it lands on your doorstep at the beginning of fall... just in time to get you excited for the coming winter.

So, without further ado, here are my current top 3 videos I'm most looking forward to seeing. In no particular order:

Matchstick Productions- The Way I See It.

Absinthe Films: NowHere.

Teton Gravity Research: Light the Wick.

There's no explanation needed for these films... they're just great works. Amazing riding, great locations, well edited, the full package deal. So enjoy. And to quote my friend Chris Rudolph, "If you need to reach me, you can find me in the walk in freezer waiting for next winter"!

Kayak Shoot: Lewis River Falls

2010-06-29T17:41:00.000-07:00

I just got done with a recent kayaking shoot for my recent project with VholdR cameras. For this shoot, we headed down to the Lewis River in Southern Washington to hit up the falls with kayakers Lizzy English and Adam Craig.

Due to high water levels, we weren't able to run everything that we had wanted, but we were still able to knock off the Middle Falls and Taitnapum Falls.

The weather was just about perfect though... we even got a little sun. And the location worked out great, with plenty of vantage points that would allow us to get unique angles on the rapids.

Big thanks to Lizzy and Adam for their hard work throughout the day of shooting. And thanks to my assistant Pat Snapp for all his help hiking around heavy camera packs through the woods.

And just in case you've ever looked at my photos and thought to yourself, "I wonder what it looks like from the athletes perspective?" Well, this parts for you. With the VholdR Contour HD cameras strapped to the helmets of Adam and Lizzy, we had them roll footage while they were running everything. The video that follows is Adam's helmet cam footage from the image below. Enjoy!!!

Shooting HD-Video on D-SLR's: Sensor Over-Heating Issue

2010-06-22T15:15:00.000-07:00

I've just started dabbling in shooting HD video with the new HD-DSLR cameras. On a recent kayaking shoot, I grabbed a Nikon D300s to shoot some behind the scenes footage and to start familiarizing myself with the nuances of the video functions on a DSLR.

While I won't go into everything I learned over the course of the day, I will bring up one VERY IMPORTANT note I discovered about the limitations of shooting with these cameras. Due to the small sensor size and a lack of any internal cooling system, it is possible to fry your sensor due to overuse. This is something that I was unaware of myself. Even upon returning home, a quick google search didn't return a lot about this phenomena.

In short, long video clips or even leaving the camera in live view mode for an extended period of time will begin to heat up the image sensor. Once that sensor gets hot, it will start corrupting files. Keep shooting and you can actually damage the sensor beyond repair. Fortunately for me, I only corrupted a handful of files at the end of the day without doing any irrevocable damage to the sensor.

I talked to my camera guys at Glazers Camera in Seattle and talked to them about this. Apparently, this is something common to all the HD DSLR's. The small sensor just wasn't built to shoot for extended periods of time. Given the newness of the technology, it is something that the manufacturers haven't yet addressed. I've since heard of some people wrapping their body with gel cold packs to try and stem this issue, but this seems like a horrible idea to me as the condensation will probably do more damage in the long run.

Apparently I'm the first person to come into Glazers with this problem, but they are expecting a rash of similar stories as this new technology is taken out into the field during the hot summer months.

So, I have no answers or sure fire solutions to provide here... just a warning to all the shooters out there. If you're in desperate need of shooting longer video clips, I'd suggest the RED cameras. Their larger sensor isn't prone to overheating apparently.

Photoshop, Retouching, Digital Art and the Debate of "What is Too Much?"

2010-06-16T14:54:00.000-07:00

There's been some controversy in the photo world lately, with the spotlight most recently being aimed at National Geographic... more specifically at the winner of one of their monthly photo contests. Their "Your Shot" photo contest was recently awarded to photographer William Lascelles for the shot below. After numerous complaints from readers, Lascelles finally admitted to the photo being a digital composite.

Had the photo contest been open to digital art, there wouldn't have even been an issue and I wouldn't be making a blog post about it. However, clearly stated in the contest rules is the statement that any digitally manipulated images will be disqualified. To the credit of National Geographic, they originally had doubted the photos authenticity and asked Lascelles for some sort of proof. Lascelles offered them a separate photo he had also composited, claiming it was the next frame in the sequence, and hence furthering his deception.

Manipulating images is going to happen. It's been happening for decades. Even the great Ansel Adams manipulated images by dodging and burning in the highlights and shadows of his photos to create more mood and detail. And yours truly does a fair amount of photoshopping too. I routinely adjust color density, shadow and highlights and clone stamp away blemishes. I'll even do some moderate photoshopping if the image or the client calls for it. I think photoshop is an incredibly valuable tool that allows us to make changes to photos that wouldn't even be possible to create under real lighting conditions.

To showcase a drastic example of this, I'll turn my attention to photographer Ed Freeman and his surfing photography (pictured below). Freeman, who has never surfed a day in his life, went about creating a series of surfing photos that related to how surfing "feels to him". Freeman readily admits that his images are photoshopped to hell. On his site is the disclamier "This is not reportage photography, it's meant as fine art and I've taken all liberties in editing and retouching..."

I first saw Freeman's work in PDN last year and I was really impressed with it, but something didn't feel right. (At the time, I wasn't aware that his images were composited, but now that I know, it makes more sense.) There was something about the body positioning of the surfers that didn't seem natural. Personally, I would never do something like this, as I think there's more value to an image that has been created in camera. But, that aside, his work is still impressive. It might not be photography in my book, but it's still beautiful.

Personally, I think there's a time and a place for digital manipulation. To me, basic color correcting, dust removal as well as dodging and burning are essential manipulations that every image should undergo. It just cleans things up and makes the photo look closer to how things looked when the photo was taken. For editorial, I believe that's the extent of manipulation that should occur... nothing more.

However, if we're talking commercial work, then I think there's more room for leniency with retouching. You're trying to represent a brand with the BEST possible image. If that means some digital manipulation, then so be it, but I think that such manipulation should have bounds and should not go beyond what is realistic or possible. I could photoshop an image of a skier dropping an unskied line on Everest, but I won't, it's not realistic. However, photoshopping a models blemished skin, over saturating of the sky, playing with the sharpness or high pass filter... I'm all game for it in the commercial realm.

With the most recent National Geographic contest hoax, has come the resurgence of the ongoing debate about how photos are creating false expectations of what's real. Rob Haggart made a comment about the phenomenon of overly manipulated photos and the implications that has on the photo industry and society as a whole. "They devalue the work of photographers with the skills and patience to capture awing images in real time. Even worse, modern photo manipulation is seriously screwing up our concept of reality and our willingness to believe what we see in magazines". And I think Rob makes a good point. Our society has some seriously warped ideas of "beauty" in large part because of the fashion and beauty magazines and the extreme leniency they take with photoshopping and retouching.

I don't know that there are any answers to the retouching debate. I don't think that it's a black and white issue. It's a case specific issue in which everyone will have differing opinions on.

Big thanks to Steve Casmiro for originally making me aware of this story. And additional thanks to Rob Haggart for his related article in September's Outside Magazine.

PS. As I'm finishing up this post, this news just dropped about the doctoring of a photo of Lance Armstrong for Outside Magazine's latest cover. Apparently the art department at Outside took some liberties with Armstrongs T-shirt and added the "38 BFD" to make more of a story out of the photo. Unfortunately for them, Armstrong doesn't approve and responded with the following Tweet: "Just saw the cover of the new Outside mag w/ yours truly on it. Nice photoshop on a plain t-shirt guys. That's some lame bullshit. #weak"

To see Outside Magazine response, check out the ARTICLE.

Atlas Snowshoes Catalog: Kids

2010-06-14T16:44:00.000-07:00

After a lot of work, planning, scouting, emailing, traveling, weather checking and a variety of other tasks, I just wrapped up the last day of shooting for the Atlas Snowshoes 2011 Catalog.

And for the final day of shooting, we saved the most challenging day for last... kids! If you've been following me for any time what-so-ever, you'll now that I don't shoot kids. Put someone on a sketchy Alaskan face, or about to air a massive jump, and I'm right at home snapping photos and directing activity. But put me in front of a bunch of kids, and we're talking about an entirely different ball game. The first couple of minutes of the shoot must have been comical to any outsider as I cowered in fear of having to direct the kids. I was sure I would have at least one of them yell at me for telling them what to do.

But I always love a good challenge, and kids are usually funny as hell, so I went into it with an optimistic attitude. And in case my positive attitude didn't work, I stopped off at the store on the way up and grabbed several huge bags of candy... worst case scenario, I thought I could at least bribe them to act cute and happy.

Regardless of any fears I may have had, the shoot could not have gone any better. The kids were all incredible and in great spirits (the candy may have helped with that) and the weather was perfect. Lots of snowball fights, snow angels and smiles.

Don't worry, I'm not changing careers or my subject matter anytime soon. I'm not going to become the next Anne Geddes and start putting kids in flower pots or anything like that. I'll always continue to shoot sports and outdoors lifestyle. But it's nice to know that I've got the added ability of working with the miniature adults now too.

Arne Backstrom - A Life Cut Short

2010-06-07T17:26:00.001-07:00

I got a phone call Friday morning... the kind of phone call you absolutely hate to get. As soon as I picked up the line, I knew something was wrong. My friends voice wasn't right and I knew that whatever I was about to hear would not be good. Through tear choked words, my friend Tiana told me that our friend Arne Backstrom had just passed away in a skiing accident in South America.

Arne was an incredible person. Always stoked with whatever was happening around him, he always had a smile on his face. You could see his face light up when he was out in the mountains. He truly looked like he was at home. I unfortunately didn't get the chance to spend a lot of time with Arne. I had the privilege of shooting with him last winter for 8 days on a Warren Miller shoot at our home mountain of Crystal Mountain. He was a pleasure to shoot with and I'm sorry that this was the only chance I would get to work with him.

It seems like this has been an all too common occurrence recently. Arne is now the third friend I've lost this winter alone in skiing accidents. I don't want to take anything away from Arne's tragic passing, but his untimely death has definitely rocked me to the core and it's got me questioning why I (and so many other friends) are still drawn to such a dangerous sport. What is it that pushes us in the pursuit of flying downhill on skis.

I don't think I will ever be able answer that question. Skiing has been a huge part of my life for as long as I can remember and I can't ever see myself abandoning the sport... it's too much a part of who I am. However, in the wake of events like this, it definitely makes me question my motives and is giving me cause to second guess things I would have previously jumped into without hesitation.

Before I finish, I'd like to take a moment to thank the entire ski community for their outpouring of support. Within a matter of minutes of the news breaking, the internet was ablaze with thoughts, well wishes and prayers to Arne and the entire Backstrom family. We've got a solid family of people out there in the ski and snowboard community that genuinely care for those close to them. It was incredible to see such an outpouring of support from so many people.

And to the Backstrom family, my sincerest sympathies on your loss. Arne was an incredible person and we're all going to miss him dearly.

If you'd like to learn more about Arne or about the events surrounding his passing, please check out the attached LINK to Powder Magazine.

Mountain Bike Shoot for VholdR Cameras

2010-05-31T10:50:00.000-07:00

I just got done with a recent shoot for VholdR cameras. For those of you who may be unfamiliar with the brand, VholdR is a camera company specializing in POV (point of view) cameras. This shoot was to showcase their newest camera, the Contour HD, in use.

To put this shoot together, I teamed up with the downhill mountain bike team from Transition Bikes. With riders, Jill Kintner, Bryn Atkinson and Lars Sternberg, we headed out onto the trails just outside of Bellingham.

I've shot mountain biking before on more occasions than I can count, but this shoot was a little more difficult than your average. Given it's commercial origins, the focus of every photo had to be the camera. While one of the big selling features of the camera is it's tiny size, it's small stature also proved to be one of the biggest challenges. Trying to showcase a camera the size of a tube of lipstick, means you've got to be zoomed in pretty tight on your athlete. Factor in that these are some of the fastest bikers on the planet, and you've got a difficult task on your hands. Being able to stay tight on the athletes while panning with them was a challenge. And to make matters more interesting, I decided to add the strobe in to give some of the shots a little more edginess. It meant a lot of variables to juggle, but I loved the challenge.

To see a few more of the photos from the shoot, check out the LINK.

And for those of you tech dorks out there (myself included) that might be interested in some of the camera details of the new Contour HD... weighing in at 4.3 ounces, this camera can easily mount anywhere. It shoots in 1080p and can shoot at a frame rate up to 60 frames per second. For more information on the camera, check out their WEBSITE.

And if people have tech questions as to how some of the shots were produced, leave a comment and I'll get back to you.

Cheers!

"10 Best Jobs in the Ski Industry": Skiing Magazine Article

2010-05-25T11:14:00.000-07:00

I just got interviewed by Skiing Magazine for their online story "The 10 Best Jobs in the Ski Industry". In the article, they focus on everything from guides, product designers, ski makers and everything in between. But for the job of ski photog, they turned to me to get some insight into what it takes to make it this competitive industry.

To see the finished article click on the link HERE.

I'm stoked that they turned to me to speak on behalf of all the other photographers out there. A big thanks to Anna Baldwin for collaborating with me on this. I'm honored!

A couple of photo captions, as the attached images aren't associated directly with the article. (Why attach them then you may ask? Well, because no one reads any of the blog posts that don't have photos accompanying them... and this shows you a couple angles from behind the scenes of a shoot.)

The first image is from Northern Escape Heli Skiing in Northern BC. Cinematographer Dustin Lindgren and I hanging out of the helicopter as we shoot James Heim descending a massive line. The image above is cinematographer, Scott Gaffney, Associate Editor at Powder, John Stifter and myself (blue coat) shooting Mark Abma at Selkirk Wilderness Skiing in central BC on a Helly Hansen shoot.

Fly Fishing in Utah

2010-05-20T17:21:00.000-07:00

I just got back from an extended weekend away in Utah. I got a phone call a couple weeks ago from my favorite fishing partner and best friend, my dad. He simply asked one question "wanna go fishing"? Is that even a question??? "Of course" I answered!

So last Wednesday, I sent off my last email, put my voicemail on extended absence notice and headed for the airport. Destination Salt Lake City, Utah. More specifically, the Green River in Flaming Gorge.

I had fished the Green years back when I was probably 11, but the word "fishing" was a relative term. At the time I had a mullet and I think I spent more time throwing rocks and eating candy than I did fishing. So this would be the first time I would really get a chance to fish the Green. I couldn't wait.

Unfortunately, the fishing on the Green was far from amazing. We still got a handful of nice Browns and Rainbows, but they weren't in the bountiful numbers that you'd expect. But regardless of the fish count, I still had an incredible time. For me, fishing isn't about the number of fish you catch or the amount of time you spend flogging the water in an attempt to coax a fish to the surface. More importantly it's the time you get to spend outside with those that are close to you. It's drinking a gin and tonic, sharing stories and making fun of your closest friends. This trip didn't disappoint.

New work: Skiing Magazine

2010-05-19T17:18:00.000-07:00

I just got done working on a small photo feature for Skiing Magazine, documenting pro skier Elyse Saugstad. I've had the pleasure of shooting with Elyse for the past 4 years now, most recently, on a shoot for Salomon in Austria this past February.

Elyse is putting on a skiing camp in Las Lenas this summer. So, if you feel like ripping pow and drinking wine this summer, you now know who to turn to. To check out the finished article and to see more of the photos from Austria check out the LINK to Skiing Magazine.com .

Photo Editors

2010-05-05T06:49:00.000-07:00

The good folks over at PHOTOSHELTER run a really great blog. If you haven't checked it out, I highly recommend clicking on over and checking it out.

Over the last couple of days, they've been posting regarding the delicate relationship between photographers and photo editors. Starting off the week with a blog post titled Top 13 Ways to Piss off a Photo Editor and following that up with yesterdays Top 10 Ways to Make a Photo Editor Fall in Love with You.

Both of these articles are great reads and have some valuable insights into the working relationships every photographer must manage. But beyond that, even if you're not a photographer, they're still worth a read. After all, in every field, in every job, it all boils down to relationships and how we manage those relationships.

After reflecting on these two articles, and making sure I hadn't done anything in recent history that might fall under the "piss off" category, I got to thinking. Managing relationships in business is a lot like dating. Seriously, I'm not trying to make some obscure metaphor, think about it. You meet someone, you introduce yourself, and you go through that intricate dance of figuring out if/ how you can work with that person. And much like dating, a certain element just boils down to chemistry and how you mesh with that person. You can't force things, you just have to let that relationship grow as it wants to grow.

So give the articles a read through, and think about how you're managing your relationships. And if you find that you've done a couple of things on the "bad list", maybe you need to go get someone some flowers and chocolate.

Photo Feature with ESPN.com

2010-04-30T13:08:00.001-07:00

I've been working with ESPN from time to time on small projects for the last year or so and have always been excited to work with them. So, imagine my reaction when they recently approached me to do a full photo feature with my best work from this winter.

Check out the LINK to the finished article that just went live a few minutes ago. Really stoked with how it turned out and I'm grateful for this awesome opportunity to showcase my work. Thanks guys!

University of Washington Crew

2010-04-28T15:10:00.000-07:00

Last week I got the opportunity to wake up at an obscenely early hour of the morning and ride along with the crew team from the University of Washington.

Being a former rower myself, this shoot was a dream come true. I've raced through the Montlake Cut at the Opening Day Regatta and it was one of the coolest competitions I've ever participated in. To get the chance to go out on the water and shoot with one of the best crews in the United States (and the world), on their home turf, was a huge honor.

So, at 4:30 AM, I loaded up my car and drove over to the University to hop into the coaches launch with coach Bob Ernst. Over the course of about two hours he steered his team all over Lake Union and Lake Washington. Fortunately for me, this was all occurring during an incredible sunrise which was then followed by the arrival of storm clouds with beautiful diffused light filtering through the clouds. We couldn't have asked for a better morning.

A huge thanks to all the ladies of the UW crew team and to Bob Ernst for getting me out on the water for this shoot.

If you'd like to see a few more of the photos from the mornings shoot, check out the GALLERY.

Powder in April!

2010-04-15T17:38:00.000-07:00

This winter the Pacific Northwest has been a bit on the dry side. Thanks to an El Nino weather pattern, the Cascades were left without their normal blanketing of snow. However, April came around and attempted to remedy an otherwise fairly dry winter. With several storms hitting back to back to back, life in the mountains started to feel like it's supposed to... cold, wet and snowy!

I took a couple days to get out and wallow around in the deep snow and capture some much needed Northwest powder images. Big thanks to athletes KC Deane, Tyler Ceccanti and Alex Schenkar. You guys killed it!

And already, ESPN has picked up on news of these images and run the following mini-article. Stoked with how it turned out.

And for those of you that think this is all there was to see, trust me, I'm holding back on the best frames. You'll just have to wait to see those in the mags.

Salomon Jib Academy

2010-04-05T12:17:00.001-07:00

This past Saturday I got to take part in a fun shoot for Salomon Sports. Actually, more than just a shoot, this was an event.

Every year, Salomon hosts a series of events all across the US called the Jib Academy. These events are aimed at the young up and comers in the sport. Anyone under the age of 16 is invited to show up for the day and ski with some of Salomon's top professional athletes.

As part of the day, the kids get broken up into teams where they get to ski with their favorite pros and get advice and tips as the day goes by. At the end of the day, a make-shift competition is held, with the winner getting an all expense paid trip to Mammoth Mountain for the national finals.

All of the jib academies take place late in the winter to maximize the possibility of sunny days and good park conditions. But thanks to a series of late season storms in the Pacific Northwest, the jib academy at Stevens Pass became more of a deep powder academy.

Weather and snow conditions aside, the event was a total success and the kids were stoked! It's always good to get a chance to connect with the young kids out there who will soon be driving the industry. It's amazing how passionate each of them is about skiing. It reminded me of what it was like to be that age again... when all you cared about was skiing and every moment of your day revolved around how to get better and how to get back out into the mountains again. Oh to be young again!

Thanks to Stevens Pass and Salomon for hosting such an incredible event. And even more important, a huge thanks to all the kids that showed up and made the event such a success. You guys killed it out there!

re:Action Portrait Finalist

2010-04-01T09:23:00.000-07:00

Every year in April, the Telus Ski and Snowboard Festival descends on Whistler, BC. Included in the ten day sports and music festival are several art exhibits and competitions that focus on art in the action sports industry.

This year, the festival announced the creation of a new photo competition: the re:Action competition. This competition was created to bring together the seemingly counter styles of portraiture and action sports photography.

The application process was open to anyone, and photographers were allowed to enter only one image. I chose to enter the above portrait of Mark Abma from a recent shoot in British Columbia. I love the mono-chromatic nature of the image, with the slight blue cast of the evening light balancing the deep blue of his eyes.

At any rate, I just received notice last night that the image is one of the finalists for the competition and will be on display in Whistler during the festival. The winner will be announced on April 22nd at the end of the festival.

Keep your fingers crossed!

And a quick update... the festival organizers just created a page on Flickr to showcase the finalist photos. Check them out HERE.

SEQUENCES

2010-03-27T12:21:00.000-07:00

I just got an email a little while back from my friend Shay over at Freeskier Magazine, asking me to put together a few photo sequences for a CONTEST being presented by Sandisk Memory Cards.

After looking at what others photographers were putting together, I set myself down in front of my computer with a cold beer and set to work. I wanted to present something different from what everyone else was presenting. So, instead of doing the typical terrain park jump, I chose to go with big mountain imagery... and I'm super stoked with how things turned out in the end.

If you'd like to see a few of the other sequences I put together, check out this GALLERY.

Enjoy!!!

Deadliest Catch Commercial

2010-03-22T12:01:00.000-07:00

I just saw this commercial for the newest season of Deadliest Catch on the Discovery Channel. Why am I posting about it you may ask? Well, because I really liked it for one. And on top of that, I think it's a good argument for the need for creativity in marketing and promotion. (A quick note: Discovery Channel just pulled down the link to the commercial from youtube. As soon as I can find another link, I'll repost it. Until then, either start watching commercials on Discovery Channel, or you'll just have to trust me).

It's the simplistic nature of the commercial that caught my attention. It's a series of video portraits of the crews, still life montages of fishing gear and a series of stop motion animations. There's really no fishing action taking place in the minute long commercial. Instead, it's a look at the lifestyle of crab fishing.

I'm always drawn in by art that ignores the obvious subject matter (crab fishing in this instance) and instead focusses on some of the things that go on around that activity. It's all too easy to focus on the immediate task at hand and forget about everything else that's happening around you.

As creatives, sometimes we need to take a step back from the normal way we do things. Get outside of the bubble and look at new ways to tell the same story, but in a unique way. Often times, it's the less obvious approaches that have the most impact... case in point. Had this been a minute long commercial of crab boats rolling through stormy seas, deck hands getting knocked over by rogue waves and crab pots being emptied, I would have filed this in the "not so impressive" category of my brain. But instead, I took note of this commercial... job well done!

Facebook Surpasses Google as Most Visited Site in the US

2010-03-22T11:52:00.000-07:00

Just in case we weren't aware of the importance of social media, here's some recent news that you can't ignore.

Last week, Facebook surpassed Google as the number one visited website online in the US. With a statistic of 7.07% of ALL website visits landing on Facebook, you can't deny the power that social media is now playing in our daily lives.

So, if you're not actively utilizing facebook, what could you be missing out on?

To read more, check out the link HERE.

Interview in Skiing Magazine

2010-03-15T10:28:00.000-07:00

I was shooting up at Stevens Pass on Friday with local athlete Tyler Ceccanti when I bumped into Mark Lesh from Skiing Magazine. Mark wasn't skiing with anyone, so he asked if he could tag along for a little while. I hadn't skied with Mark since last year, so it was good to get a few runs in with him. And an added bonus, every time Mark comes to the Northwest, he seems to bring a good storm with him. This day was no exception, as it had snowed over a foot in the previous 2 days.

As I was shooting with Tyler, Mark asked if I wouldn't mind if he shot over my shoulder... getting some shots of me at work. Of course! Little did I know, those photos also meant that I'd be doing an interview as well. Mark wanted to hear what I'd been up to this season, plans for the future and any advice I might have for aspiring photographers.

Check out the interview and some more of Mark's shot from the day on the Skiing Magazine website HERE.

Thanks for the article Mark. Good getting some turns in with you again. Feel free to come back to Washington anytime... and keep bringing the good snow with you.

Cheers!

Amazing Wave Photography

2010-03-11T10:47:00.001-08:00

Not sure why I'm so focussed on the work of others this week, but I am. I often comb through books, mags and the internet when I'm looking for inspiration. Seeing the work of other creatives can lead to new ideas, concepts or ways of thinking outside the box. It's a great way for me to get inspired and to get excited about trying new ideas.

So, in this weeks creative search, I came across the work of surf photographer Clark Little. What caught my attention with Clark's work is the subject matter. Rather than focussing on the action of surfing, Clark has gone a completely different route. Clark photographs the waves... just the waves.

It's a simple enough idea... take a photo of a wave... millions of people have done it. But Clark has found a unique way to go about it. In fact, he's gaining international recognition for it. His shots from inside the barrel are artistic and beautiful. There's a sense of design and geoemetry to them. There's also an element of tranquility, although I'm sure he got the tar pummeled out of him while capturing a few of the images.

Job well done Clark!!! It's motivational to see how such a simple concept can be tweaked just enough to come up with an amazing, completely unique and original body of work. It's got my caffeine laden brain working in over-drive to think of other everyday things that can be turned into the next amazing piece of art.

Bandito Brothers: Impressive work with D-SLR's

2010-03-09T11:41:00.000-08:00

It's amazing what can be done with technology.

I was recently on a shoot in Austria with a cinematographer. During the course of the trip, we began comparing work and sharing stories. Where we'd each traveled to, what fun adventures our work had taken us on, what interesting projects we'd been fortunate enough to work on. As we talked, he shared with me some of the work he'd done with the Bandito Brothers and their commercial work for the US Navy. When I was shown the clip above, I was stoked!!! My first response was that I wanted to go out jump in a river, shoot guns, and blow something up while listening to heavy metal. But after that first response, I wanted to find out how they were able to attain some of the shots (in particular, I love the shot of the expended shell casing raining down on the camera).

After he showed me this and a few of the short clips he'd worked on, he informed me that they'd all been shot using the Canon 5D and 7D. For those of you that aren't tech weenies like myself, the 5D and 7D are digital SLR's... still cameras (with a 21 megapixel CMOS sensor) that also have the ability to shoot HD video (capable of shooting 1920 x 1080 at 30 fps) all weighing in at about 2.5 pounds.

I won't get too far into the technology that makes these cameras (and other similar D-SLR's) so amazing. If you want the tech specs, there are a million other blogs out there that can spout off the pertinent info. But to me, the main thing that is making these cameras so incredible, is the ability to get a camera into locations never before possible with a conventional movie camera. Thanks to their small size and light weight, these cameras are capable of being mounted where conventional cameras never could. And beyond that, they are capable of being hand held in confined spaces. So counter to what we all may think, size does not always matter... quality is the benchmark we should be looking at.

So, the beauty here is that all of the above is now possible, without sacrificing quality in any way, shape or form. The new and creative angles that these cameras are allowing film makers to explore is revolutionizing the movie industry. It's going to be interesting to see how things continue to progress as this relatively new technology continues to advance.

If you'd like to learn more about the process of using D-SLR's for high production movies, there's a good article HERE in American Cinematographer.

Jeremy Jones: Deeper

2010-03-09T10:51:00.000-08:00

It's not often that I bring up the work of other people, but this is captivating to me.

Jeremy Jones is a professional snowboarder, and he is an AMAZING talent. More than that, what he does on a snowboard is almost inhuman. For years, I've followed Jeremy's career. Every photo or video segment I see of him, leaves me with my jaw on the floor and my eyes bugging out of my head. Most of the lines he's riding, I wouldn't even consider stepping onto. In fact, they make me nervous just to watch him ride them. While I've never worked with Jeremy before, I would jump at the opportunity to work with such an incredibly gifted individual.

But enough of me building up the accomplishments of Mr Jones. I'll let his riding speak for itself.

What is currently amazing me is his newest project, the movie Deeper. This project is stepping away from the normal ski/ snowboard movie formula. Instead of cramming as much action into a one hour period, they've chosen to focus on the journey that is snowboarding in the big mountains. Without the aid of helicopter, snowmobile or snowcat, they're climbing every line they ride and documenting the journey and struggle it takes to get to the top of these peaks.

There are several things about this project that are really catching my attention. First off, is the documentary nature of the film. Don't get me wrong, I love a good ski or snowboard flick with a heavy hitting soundtrack and start to finish action. But it's nice to break away from the norm and look at the other facets of the sport.

Beyond this though, Teton Gravity Research, the producers of the film, have been releasing little web-isodes of the movie. Check out the site and the "Deeper Unplugged" updates HERE. Not only do these help produce hype and added exposure for the films release, but they also provide a behind the scenes look into what all goes into producing a movie like this. In my opinion, this is a great way to keep people interested and develop a real buzz about a project that won't be finished for another 6 months or so. With social networking and promotion still being a relatively new concept, the guys at TGR are crushing it on this front right now.

Finally, I'm really liking the use of the POV (point of view) hemet cams that they've implemented. I've always liked the POV viewpoint as it gives a great perspective to the audience of what it's like to be the athlete. But I like how Jeremy has been using it to show the ascent of faces. It gives real insight into how gnarly and exposed some of these faces truly are.

So, to Jeremy and the whole crew at TGR... cheers! You guys are putting together an incredible project. And your marketing has kept me glued to my laptop for every video update you publish... job well done. I can't wait to see the finished project.

If you'd like to read more about what's going on with Deeper or if you'd like to follow the career of Jeremy Jones, I'd highly recommend following his blog. Well constructed with lot's of good posts and content.

Photo Feature: SNOW Magazine

2010-03-02T09:49:00.000-08:00

Just got this proof emailed to me.

The magazine SNOW, in the Czech Republic, just published a 6 page photo feature about me and my work. Super honored to have such a large profile done on my work. I'm really stoked with the photos they chose to run... now if I could only read Czech :)

Oh wait... just found a copy of the article above online. If you'd like to read the google translated version (very butchered translation), you can check out the link HERE.

Cheers!

CR Johnson: The Passing of a Legend

2010-02-26T13:28:00.000-08:00

August 10, 1983 - February 24, 2010

CR Johnson, one of the most influential skiers of our time, passed away this past Wednesday afternoon.

From what I've been able to piece together from friends and reports, CR was skiing at Squaw Valley on the Light Towers run, off the Headwall lift. Apparently, CR snagged a rock as he dropped in, went over the handlebars and struck a rock. Ski patrol instantly responded to the scene and tried to resuscitate him. Despite the fact that CR was wearing a helmet at the time of the accident, his injuries were too severe and he passed away.

I've been trying to write about CR's death since I first learned of it Thursday. But every time I sit down to try and write something, I just end up staring at a blank screen. I'm overcome with sadness and grief as I try to choke back the tears. It's tough for me to make sense of this. Why did such an amazing person have to be taken away so early. Unfortunately, no amount of pondering this question is providing any answers though.

I first met CR back in 2007 on a shoot in Terrace, British Columbia with Matchstick Productions. I'd been following CR's career for years prior to this trip and I was honored that I would get the chance to work with him. Over the course of that trip, I got to know CR, not just as an athlete, but as a friend as well. Since that trip, I had the privilege of meeting up with CR on several other occasions to get out and ski and shoot photos.

CR was an amazing person. He was always so stoked... on everything. He had such a positive outlook on life. Back in 2005, CR suffered a traumatic head injury in a ski crash. He was induced into a coma and spent over a month in the ICU. That crash nearly ended CR's days of skiing. But his strong will and love of skiing wouldn't allow that. He made a full comeback in less than two years time. But the accident had a tremendous impact on him and the way he chose to live his life. He was so thankful for everything that he had... his friends, his family, and the blessings that this life had given him.

As I proof read this post, I realize that I am not a writer. My words don't do CR justice. The impact that he had on my life and countless others just isn't conveyed in my words. If you'd like to read more details on CR, his career and his impact on the sport, I'd recommend checking out the articles by Jeff Schmuck of Newschoolers, Chris Jerard of Freeskier and Johny Stifter of Powder. These guys have a better way with words than I do.

But I wanted to make this post to try and contribute what I could... to pass along what I'm good at... photos. In this post, I'm attaching a handful of the images I got to create with CR during the 3 years I got to work with him. He was an insanely talented skier. He contributed so much to how park and pipe skiing are perceived today. His career, although all too short, was nothing short of miraculous.

CR was an incredible individual... one I will never forget. I learned a lot from CR in the brief time that I knew him. And I think we all can learn something from CR if we take a second to look in on our own lives. What are you most thankful for? What brings you joy in your life? Answer that question and try and make it a point to enjoy those things every day. Make it a point to tell those you are close to, how much they mean to you.

I'm going to miss you buddy. You were an incredible person. My thoughts and prayers are with you and your family.

“Live your life, love your life. Don’t regret… Live, learn, and move forward positively.” -CR Johnson

Austria

2010-02-16T03:07:00.001-08:00

Just a quick update from the field. I haven't had a lot of time recently to post to the blog. While I've been trying to make a post at least once a week, I feel like I've been failing at that goal recently. The reason... because work's been busy.

But before it gets any later and I don't make a post for this week, let's take care of that right now. Currently, I'm sitting in Austria in the Defereggental Valley at St Jakobs on a shoot for Salomon with athletes Cody Townsend and Elyse Saugstad.

We've been here two days so far. The area is absolutely beautiful. The first two days of the trip have been spent scouting terrain and exploring the area. We've got a lot to work with and now we're trying to figure out where to shoot each location and how to best pull everything

together.

I'll continue to post more as the trip progresses. But for now, enjoy a few of the shots from our scouting missions.

Fundraiser for Northwest Avalanche Center

2010-02-05T15:17:00.000-08:00

It may be old news, but I still thought this worth mentioning in a post. Two weekends ago (January 23rd), I got to help participate in a charity fundraiser for the Northwest Avalanche Center (NWAC).

For anyone note familiar with NWAC, they are an organization that helps promote backcountry safety in Washington and Oregon through education of avalanches and adverse weather. I've used NWAC as a valuable tool for years in helping forecast weather for planning shoots. Additionally, I turn to their avalanche forecast every time I go skiing in the Cascades, to ensure that I know what's going on in the snowpack.

So, when the opportunity came along to help raise money for the NWAC, I jumped at it. With the help of Crystal Mountain, we put on a slideshow of my photos and followed it up with a showing of the newest Warren Miller movie, Dynasty (part of which was filmed at Crystal last year). The event was further helped by donations from Helly Hansen, Ride Snowboards, K2, Smith and a handful of other companies. A huge thanks to all of them.

All in all, the event was a huge success and we were able to raise some much needed funding for NWAC. I hope to continue working on projects like this, where I can try and give a little back to the industry that has given me so much.

Meadow Lodge Shoot with Matchstick Productions

2010-01-29T13:52:00.001-08:00

For those of you who have been following me on twitter and facebook, you may have noticed that I dropped off the radar for most of the month of January. No, I wasn't slacking off, ditching work or starting a new career as a professional bull rider. I was deep in the backcountry of British Columbia on a shoot for Powder Magazine. The location for this shoot was Meadow and Vista Lodges, a part of the incredible backcountry hut network operated by Golden Alpine Holidays. With athletes Mark Abma and Eric Hjorleifson, and the crew from Matchstick Productions, we spent a total of 16 days deep in the backcountry of Rogers Pass.

This trip was a HUGE departure from most ski shoots that I've taken part in. Usually we rely heavily on helicoptors, snowmobiles and other exhaust belching forms of transportation to access terrain in the backcountry. However, on this trip, we were self powered. Once dropped off at the lodge, we were on our own. No electricity, no phone, no internet, no running water... you get the point. All transportation was human powered. That's right, bootpacking and skinning were our only forms of transport. It gave the entire trip an entirely different vibe and made for a different experience from every other trip I've ever been on.

I'll let you decide for yourself. I'm mid-way editing the photos from the trip right now, and once they have been released from Powder Magazine, I'll be posting a gallery of the best images from the trip. In the meantime, enjoy the above image from my iPhone... the only time I was able to use it for 3 weeks. It's a shot from the porch of the lodge. Beautiful terrain. I can't wait to go back.

Stay tuned. I'll be uploading those images ASAP. Until then... enjoy!

Traveling with Photo Equipment on Airlines

2009-12-29T09:12:00.000-08:00

I just got an email from fellow photographer Erik Seo regarding the joys of traveling with camera gear. Reading his words, it got me to begin thinking of all the fun travel experiences I've had over the years as a professional photographer. The wonderful line ups with the good folks at TSA. I wish I could say that these encounters have been fun, but I can't even jokingly say that. The fear of not being allowed to travel to a job with your camera gear is not a joking matter and it can quickly turn a bluebird day into a cloudy, crap storm.

But there are a few things that we as photographers can do to help protect ourselves in our travels.

One useful trick to consider is to check fewer bags and bring them on board with your carry on luggage. TSA allows working photographers to bring 3 carry on bags to accommodate the massive amounts of gear we usually travel with. TSA has a link HERE that lays out the rules governing this loop-pole. It's a good idea to have a copy of this in your travel documents to show to the TSA agent that insists you're only allowed 2 bags. However, a quick note, some airlines may not allow three bags although TSA will.

Additionally, you may also encounter problems getting your batteries through security. In short, as long as the batteries are in your carry on bags, you're okay. For a quick summarization of what TSA will allow you, check HERE. Additionally, you can print out the guidelines for batteries by the TSA HERE.

Regardless of where you're going, it's a good idea to know what you're allowed to bring with you on airlines... and even better idea to have proof that you're allowed to. Chances are, most TSA agents do not know the ins and outs of traveling with camera gear. If you have any problems, show them these documents and ask to speak to a manager. Eventually, they will let you through with your gear... you may have to jump through a few hurdles along the way though.

Happy traveling!

Photo Feature in French Magazine: SkiPass.com

2009-12-22T12:10:00.000-08:00

I just got the link to the article a few hours ago and wanted to post it before I forget about it in all the madness of the holiday season. What am I talking about? I just got featured in the French online magazine, SkiPass.com

This is the second time that SkiPass has done a photo feature on my work, and I'm stoked that they continue to love my photos. The article that follows is a gallery of images from the past two winters with a brief insight into what went in to creating each image. Little stories, funny quirks or techniques that were employed in order to get the shot.

Click on HERE to check out the full article. But a warning... it is in Frech. So, if you're like me and weren't blessed with the ability to speak numerous languages, click HERE to cheat and read the google translated version.

Enjoy!

Skiing on Waves with Mike Douglas and Cody Townsend

2009-12-21T09:19:00.000-08:00

I just had this sent to me by my friend Cody Townsend. Cody is a professional skier for Salomon who I've shot with countless times over the years. One of the great things about Cody, is that not only is he an amazing skier and funnier than hell, but he's also very creative and always game for pushing the limits of what's possible or conceivable.

The video above is the collective brainchild of Cody and Mike Douglas. For the non-skiers out there, Mike is unofficially referred to as "the Godfather of freeskiing". He has done so much for the sport of skiing over the years and is largely responsible for the advent of twin tip skis as well as park and pipe skiing. I've never had the chance to shoot with Mike, although I've always enjoyed the times I've been able to hang out with him off the slopes. Hopefully one of these days I'll actually get the chance to work and shoot with him.

Anyways, I'm pretty certain these two are the first to ever attempt to ski on waves. The video is amazing!!! The skiing is still a little awkward at times in the video, but the early stages of anything are always a little awkward as things get refined. I'll be interested to see if anyone else starts to follow in their footsteps and begins to refine this feat as a legitimate sport.

Regardless of whether you're a skier or not, there's one line that Mike makes that I think can apply to us all. "If you never put yourself out there and try something new, then you never now what's possible". Great words for anyone to live by. If we're not willing to get out of our comfort zone and push our limits, then we'll never progress beyond the current norm.

Thanks Cody and Mike! I'm stoked that you guys are out there pushing the limits of the sport. You guys rock!!!

Strobox iPhone Ap

2009-12-09T09:20:00.000-08:00

I just heard about this from Strobist last night. (No, there's no connection to Strobist... just a coincidence.) The ap allows you to create lighting diagrams by placing various light sources in the field. A cute little drop down menu allows you to place models, soft boxes, umbrellas, strobes, etc... And when your diagram is complete, you have the ability to save or email your diagram.

Definitely a tech dork ap... but who am I kidding, I'm a bit of a dork, so I thought this was pretty cool. Beats drawing lighting diagrams on wadded up napkins or the back of my hand.

But to offer a critique of the ap, it could stand a few additional upgrades.

1.) The ability to scale the field of the diagram would be really nice. As it stands, the field is set at a certain size and does not allow the user to zoom out for larger scale scenarios.

2.) The field is set in a 2 dimensional view, and doesn't allow you to adjust the height and angle of light sources. A 3D option would be a nice addition.

3.) The ap does not allow you to make notes on a diagram, preventing you from inserting crucial data like light settings and exposure.

4.) The ap is set up for studio shooters, not location photographers. There is no sun on the drop down menu of lighting sources. If the user could edit the light sources themselves, it might make for an easy fix.

That's all I've got. I suggest checking it out... it's free! Here's a direct link to the ap store.

Newly Branded

2009-12-08T13:42:00.000-08:00

I just picked up the newly re-designed business cards last night (pictured above).

After re-branding Ian Coble Photography this past Fall, I finally completed the last phase of the re-brand with the new business cards and supporting collateral yesterday. The people at Girlie Press, Custom Offset Printing in Seattle did a great job. I'd highly recommend them to anyone looking for offset print work.

Beyond the new cards, I also just completed a limited edition, small print run photo book. Super impressed with the quality of iPhotos Photo Book selection. Great value for the quality of the product they're producing.

That's it... just a little shout out to show off the new work. Enjoy!

Demi Moore W Magazine Cover Retouching

2009-12-07T10:54:00.000-08:00

Now I may not be a high fashion photographer, but I still thought this was funny and worth posting a comment on.

I'm not going to go into all the hollywood drama or get into the arguments of what Demi Moore said, vs W Magazine's response vs the photographers (Mert Alas and Marcus Piggot) perspective. But let's look at the photos and I'll let you decide.

At left is the W Magazine cover image with layout. I'm

not a digital retouching expert, but look at her left hip (right side of the cover) where her hand hits her side. Pretty sure that if this photo was un-altered, the she's missing a chunk of her hip.

Other's are saying that Moore's body was completely retouched/ replaced with that of model Anja Rubik's (shown below).

Me, I'm guessing that it's some combination of both. You decide.

Pricing Photography

2009-12-02T09:56:00.000-08:00

It's a subject I spend countless hours fretting over... how much do you charge for your work as a photographer? It can be one of the most challenging aspects of my job and is definitely one of the biggest frustrations at times.

To be perfectly honest, photography is an incredibly expensive commodity. Why you may ask? For a slew of reasons. If you've ever been to a camera or computer store, have you noticed the price tags? There's nothing in there for under $1000. Start adding up all the items that a

photographer needs just to be able to take and process photos (computer, software, cameras, lenses, lighting gear, etc...) and you're looking at an astronomical figure. Then factor in the photographers cost of doing business (CODB). That's your rent for your office, internet, phone, car, gas, insurance, health care, website... etc.

Not only does a photographer have to cover the cost of their equipment, and their CODB, but they also have to make a living on top of that. If you're not a photographer or a business owner, consider this: take your annual income from your job and then double it. That's roughly the amount of money a photographer will have to earn in order to take home the same amount of money that you do. Starting to understand why photos are expensive?

Unfortunately the photo industry is full of people driving the cost of photos down. Many new photographers just starting their career or looking to get a toe hold in the industry often end up being the very ones driving the value of photography straight into the ground. Photographers like this are collectively referred to as "low ballers". In an attempt to undercut competition, the low baller will devalue their work in hopes that the cheaper price tag

will lure art buyers away from the higher priced, experienced photographers. I've even heard of such photographers giving full unlimited rights to their work for FREE, in the hopes that the exposure will help out their portfolio. You heard right... giving work away for nothing. Sounds crazy? Don't believe me? Trust me, it happens all the time.

One might ask, what's wrong with a new photographer charging less for their work? They're new so shouldn't they charge less than an established professional? The use of their photos by a commercial client is great exposure and that's worth a lot isn't it? How about "any work is better than no work at all isn't it"? The answer to every one of these questions is NO! Here's why.

Photography, like any other product, had a fair market price. By charging less than that fair market price, one is short changing themselves and the entire photo industry in a race to the bottom. In photography, like in life, there are no shortcuts.

Rather than explaining it myself, I'll redirect you to a great read on the subject by photography consultant Leslie Burns-Dell'Acqua. Click here to see her article on Low Balling.

Additionally, if you're a photographer that's just getting started and are trying to determine your CODB, check out this link. The National Press Photographers Association's (NPPA) has a neat little tool designed to help calculate your cost of doing business.

You may ask, why am I offering up this post? It's not to gripe about competition or the increasing trend of photographers undercutting their peers. I offer this up for several reasons:

1.) to help new photographers out there that are struggling with pricing. I personally got to where I am today through the help and guidance of other photographers that were kind enough to offer advice and answer my questions. As such I feel I owe it to the industry to give a little back given all it's provided to me.

And 2.) to hopefully educate anyone out there (that's taken the time to read this) so that they too can understand why photography is priced the way it is.

Oh yeah, if you've gotten this far in the post, I thought you might need a little laugh by now. After all, not everything has to be super serious :)

Inaugural Issue of Ski Washington Magazine

2009-11-18T15:04:00.000-08:00

I just got this in my mailbox yesterday afternoon, the inaugural issue of Ski Washington Magazine. I'm really stoked to have landed the cover image for the first issue. This shot of Chad Wertz at Mt Baker has been one of my favorite shots for years. It just makes me want to grab my skis and head to the mountains.

Beyond having the honor of snagging the cover of the magazine, I'm also honored that the people at Ski Washington wanted to profile me as one of the "biggest names in the business". It's always an honor to have your work appreciated, and even more of an honor when someone wants to highlight your career and contribution to the industry.

If you'd like to read the article or if you'd like to look through the entire magazine, follow the link here to see an online version of the mag.

I'd like to give a big thanks to Karen Stebbins at Ski Washington for making all of this happen and to Crai Bower for writing the incredible article. Also, a huge thanks to all the athletes that I shot with. Chad Wertz, Kip Garre, Laura Ogden and Scott Rinkenberger... you guys RULE!!! Thanks for working with me.

The First Day Back on Snow Since Last Winter

2009-11-16T14:30:00.000-08:00

I just spent this past weekend up in the Cascade Mountains of Washington... a place that feels much like my home away from home. I say this because for a large portion of my life, I've spent the bulk of my existence in the mountains, more specifically in the mountains during winter.

When I first started my career in photography it was focused solely on skiing. I spent all of my time behind the lens, traveling around the world in pursuit of exotic mountains and deep snow.

However, in time as I've grown my career, and expanded it to other styles and subject matters I'm not able to spend my every waking day on snow. And although I may not shoot skiing as much as I had in the past, there's still a large part of who I am that's tied up in skiing and being in the mountains. It's where my roots are and it's where I feel truly comfortable and at home.

So when the weather here in Seattle recently started to shift to the grey, and gloomy overcast that the Northwest is so famous for, most everyone around me fell into their winter depression. I on the other hand lit up inside. Soon I would be back up in the mountains again... knee deep in snow, freezing my ass off and smiling.

Friday morning came and I had spent the night before much like a child on Christmas Eve does... trying to fall asleep as quickly as possible so that morning would come and the rewards of the day would be upon me. I rose early, started the coffee maker, grabbed my ski gear, loaded the car and prepared myself for the two hour drive to Crystal Mountain.

I usually don't do well waiting for anything, and the idea of sitting still for two hours is usually murder for me. But there's always been something calming to me about driving to the mountains. It's a time to reflect, to listen to good music, to drink coffee, to catch up with friends and to enjoy a slow start to your day. Most days, I'm bombarded the very moment I wake up with work, emails and the chores of daily living. But on this day (and every other day I spend in the mountains) I get to enjoy the start of the day at a snails pace... and I love it.

In an attempt to preserve the first day of the winter I tried to cut back on the amount of work that was involved, and instead tried to focus on the pure enjoyment of skiing. This was not going to be one of my big "ad days" where I capture that perfect moment that lands on the cover of a resort brochure or on the product hang tag of a new pair of skis. No, today was about trying to remember what keeps me coming back to the mountains every winter year after year after year.

So, with this in mind, I stashed my camera pack for the bulk of the day and instead chose to ski for the pure pleasure of it. The only camera I took with me was the one on my iPhone and the shots I've included on this post are from that.

They're not images of skiers descending obscenely steep, cliff ridden faces. It's not the images I've built my career on of skiers neck deep in shimmering powder either. These photos are the images that speak to me about the soul of skiing. They're the moments beyond the sport that speak to the calmness and serenity that you experience when you're out in nature (no I'm not a hippy, I promise).

So, the point to all my rambling in the preceding paragraphs is this... this post is meant to share some of the reasons why I ski. It's been a way for me to get back in touch with the very reasons I first fell in love with skiing and photography. To go back to capturing the simple moments, without a big fancy camera or lighting equipment or world famous athletes. And instead, focus on the simplistic things around us that make us happy.

Freeskier Magazine Contributor Bio

2009-10-28T10:40:00.000-07:00

This little "shout out" from Freeskier Magazine ran about a month ago, but I wanted to upload it to the blog before I forget.

It's nothing super special, but it's always an honor when any of the magazines I work with want to call extra attention to me and my work.

It's an even bigger honor to share the page with one of my long time idols, the late Shane McConkey. I wish I could have had the opportunity to shoot with Shane, but I'm glad if nothing else, I got to share a few minutes with him over a cup of coffee at Squaw Valley two years ago. Thanks Shane, for being you, for all that you did for the sport of skiing and for the impact you had on my life and so many others. You will be missed.

Anyways, I apologize for getting off track for a moment. I want to give a big thanks to Shay Williams, the photo editor at Freeskier, for putting this together and for calling me "one of skiing's hardest working photographers"... what can I say, I'm flattered. Now I guess I should get back to work so I can keep that reputation.

Ski Union Feature Article

2009-10-28T10:07:00.000-07:00

I was recently asked by the European magazine Ski Union to write a feature article about a trip I took last winter with Matchstick Productions to Northern British Columbia. You heard correctly... I got asked to write something... whooohooo!!! This is the first article that I've ever had published where I got to both write and shoot the entire piece. I'm stoked to have had the opportunity to test out my writing skills again, seeing as the last time I formally sat down and wrote anything, other than a grocery list, was my senior thesis in Anthropology some 8 years ago.

At any rate, I'm stoked that I was given the chance to test my creative writing skills again and I'm really happy with how the piece turned out. Thanks to Pally Learmond and Jamie Cameron at Ski Union for the opportunity. And a huge thanks to James Heim, Ingrid Backstrom, Hugo Harrison and the guys at MSP. It's always a pleasure to work with that crew.

Hope you all enjoy.

Click here to view the article.

If This Guy Can Dunk: Photo Shoot

2009-10-16T14:39:00.001-07:00

I just recently met up with my friend Jason King and did a shoot with him to promote his new website and personal project www.ifthisguycandunk.com/. Jason is about to turn 30 and in an attempt to cling to his his youth, he is learning how to dunk a basketball. If you haven't yet had a chance to check out his website, I highly recommend grabbing a comfortable chair and clicking through his video journals. They're funnier than hell, well edited and have a killer soundtrack.

Anyways, all pimping of someone else's work aside, below is a link to a short behind the scenes video we shot during our shoot. This isn't a technical "how to" lighting seminar, it's just a little teaser to show what went into making the shots. Enjoy!

Nikon World Magazine: Cover and Feature Article

2009-10-15T17:25:00.000-07:00

This is a bit old, but I just realized that it wasn't on the blog... and it should be. Sorry if you've already seen this, and it's old news to you. But to the rest, enjoy!

First Post: Images from last years Warren Miller Shoot

2009-10-13T14:16:00.000-07:00

This is my first post to the blog, so bare with me a little bit on this one... I'm still learning how this whole "internet/ world wide web" thing works.

Regardless of my technology shortcomings, below is a link to some of the images I shot for Warren Miller Entertainment this past March at Crystal Mountain, Washington. The images are part of their marketing collateral for their upcoming movie "Dynasty".

I was honored to shoot for Warren Miller this past year. I'd grown up watching Warren Miller movies from an early age. I can remember going to the annual shows with my parents and getting stoked about the impending winter after watching people fall clumsily off of chair lifts. On top of that, I was getting to shoot on my home turf of Crystal Mountain.

Follow the link and it will take you to the Warren Miller Entertainment media gallery where you can see photos from the shoot.

Enjoy!
Dynasty Sneak Peak Photo Album #6 2009