2010 was an incredible year for action sports photography and the Red Bull Illume category winners and finalists in particular. Their images went global within a night and are still gracing the pages of magazines and websites today.

In 2011, Red Bull Illume will catch up with the photographers to find out how their lives have changed and find out more about the person behind the lens.

This month, we interviewed Australian Stuart Gibson, winner of the Energy category about THAT image of Ryan Hipwood from Tasmania’s twisted, torture-chamber of a tube better known as Shipstern Bluff in October 2009.

Interestingly, the waves that day also gave Ryan a nomination at the Billabong XXL Big Wave Awards for the biggest wipe outs of the year and plenty of youtube attention. However, surfers live the highs and lows. Another video tells a different story from a later run – when Ryan cleared that beast of a wave, ending with him punching the air in celebration.

It was testament to Ryan Hipwood’s bravery and Stuart Gibson’s timing and positioning that such an incredible moment was captured on camera. No one talks about the wipe out much anymore, just THAT moment only a second before when Ryan dropped six feet back onto the wave.

Read on to find out more about the life of an award winning action sports photographer.

Q: What reception have you received since winning your category in Red Bull Illume?
It’s been good since winning the award. I’ve been getting countless emails about the image and orders for a print of it through my website www.stugibson.net.

Q: What difference has winning made to your photography career?
I wouldn’t say it’s made a drastic change in my career but people have definitely noticed the image and followed it back to me. It’s been gaining a lot of attention from my home to all around the world, so its good to get my name out there more and more! Plus I got sent to Ireland so that was the biggest plus ever haha!

Q: What’s the key ingredients to be an action sports photographer?
Equipment, light, angle, composition, subject, danger...the list goes on!

Q: What new photography equipment and techniques are you using or want to use more of?
I’ve bulked up on new lenses after getting half of my equipment stolen on my way back from Ireland. I use Canon DSLR equipment with Spl water housings. Everyone has their own opinion but these work best for me so I’ve stuck with them. Also, I’m focusing on remote flash a whole lot more.

Q: Some locations are over-shot, but your photo from Shipstern Bluff is becomming one of the iconic ones. Why is location key in surf photography?
Location for Surf Photography is everything! You can’t have a good surf photo without surf. There are so many people taking surf photos these days so finding a new spot is really rare, so that can be one of the best things about a surf photo sometimes. The location can make the image.

Q: That surf in that photo looks vicious, dangerous and amazing at the same time. What’s it like to work in waters like that?
There are so many variables with this type of photography. Not to mention the 15 ft wave that is about to land in your head, but you also have a surfer flying right at you. 95% of the time I’ll be using a 10mm fisheye and for the best water shots the surfer has to be right on top of you to get the angle – I’m talking milimetres away from your lens!

To control all of this while treading water, making sure your port on the water housing has no water drops on it, let alone expose the shot correctly, this can sometimes be a bit of a struggle, haha! But when it all works out, it makes the shot all worth while.

Q: Do you have to prepare yourself physically and mentally for the shoot?
I don’t think there is a major part of mental preperation for me unless I know the waves are going to be huge. Even still it’s just one of those things you get in and do rather then think too much about it. It’s something I do for fun that sometimes makes me some money.

Physically, I used to just surf a lot. But it seems the older I get, I’ve lost my sting to surf, I still chase it as hard as I can for photos, but I’m almost bored with surfing! Maybe that’s cause I only get to surf when it’s bad because I shoot when it’s good! So these days I do a lot of my own fitness work. A friend of mine just made me a weekly program that is nailing me, but you have to keep to it.

Q: What’s inspiring you right now as a photographer?
I’ll always have a love with images made in the water, and I’ve been shooting them as much as possible. But in my down time, I’ve been working on a lot of strobe work and getting right into portraiture. I’d love to strengthen this side of my photography rather than just be labeled a surf photographer – I cringe at that title to be honest!

Q: Is there such a thing as the perfect shot?
I hope there isn’t one, because my job would be over!

Q: What interesting shoots or projects do you have coming up?
Since the Red Bull Illume awards I shot in Fiji for 6 weeks. That place is so amazing – it’s got the best water clarity in the world! In 2011, I’ve been booked on a snow trip to Alaska. I’m seriously frothing about going on that trip!!!

Q: What advice would you give a photographer getting started in the "game"?

Know the field of photography you're in, but don’t get stuck in it!
Take photos of everything! Shoot around the action, not only the action itself.
Taking the photo is only half the work.
Know the person you're shooting, build a relationship with them and the shots will flow naturally
Do it for fun!

www.stugibson.net

In the 2016 Image Quest alone, no less than five Czech photographers got their images in the Top 275. The country is a breeding ground for up and coming street sports athletes, with Prague’s famous marble plazas serving as a meeting point for hundreds of skateboarders, BMX riders and the photographers who come to document them. Here we bring you 7 of the best images by Czech photographers from Red Bull Illume history.

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates on the upcoming Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2019!

The project, fittingly named ‘Riding Thrones’, is the culmination of an entire year of location research to find backdrops reminiscent of the show's fictional location of Westeros. The popularity of the world-renowned series and the incredible untouched beauty of the Antrim coast in Northern Ireland made 4.30am starts an essential part of this ten-day shoot.

Speaking about his original Game of Thrones idea, Lorenz explains: “I was immediately inspired and knew I wanted to shoot there as well. When we arrived in Northern Ireland, I was blown away by how beautiful and untouched everything was. You get the weather of a whole year in one day.”

See all the photos below!

For more inspiration ahead of the Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2019, head over to our gallery to see all the top images from the previous editions of Red Bull Illume.

Images © Lorenz Holder / Red Bull Content Pool

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for regular updates on the upcoming Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2019!

Because the ever-growing world of image creation is a very different place to what it was three years ago, Red Bull Illume 2019 will be updating the format and scale of the competition. This commitment to innovation has led to the contest’s exponential growth over the years, with 2016 accumulating as many as 34,624 submissions from over 120 countries.

The first big change is the frequency of the event. For the past four editions, Red Bull Illume has taken place every three years. In light of the globally growing interest in photography, as well as the sheer number of talented photographers and stunning images that have emerged from the contest, the decision has been made to host the event every two years - starting with its fifth edition. These developments will bring about a new timeline for both the upcoming Image Quest in January 2019 and the resulting global exhibit tour. The first stages of Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2019 will kick off early next year with a few surprises and a wider range of categories, such as new technologies and digital trends.

As the changes are announced in the coming weeks, photographers and fans will get to learn more about the exciting new possibilities of the next contest. However, when it comes to the world’s greatest adventure and action sports photography, two things will stay the same; the beautiful images and the thrilling feats of human athleticism! Think you’ve got what it takes to be crowned the overall winner? Get out there, be creative and take your shot at the Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2019.

Don't miss out on the big announcements. Follow us on Facebook and Instagram!

Gallery: 7 Diving Images From Another World

Spending hours beneath the waves, dive photographers explore and document the stunning depths of the world's oceans. We have selected 7 of the most incredible diving images from Red Bull Illume. These photos show the gorgeous aesthetics of the underwater world that most will never see with their own eyes. Significantly, they also highlight the importance of interacting with marine life responsibly. This selection takes you from San Salvador Island in the Bahamas to the White Sea in the Arctic Circle, with many stops in between!

Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for some big announcements!

What are your basic stats?

I’m Sophie Zander, born in 1993 and raised in the suburbs of Stockholm, Sweden. I work full time in a warehouse but photography is one of my biggest interests, so sometimes I get photography work too.

How did you first get into photography?

I was pretty much born into photography. When I was a kid, my father and his best friend had a small studio and dark room just for fun. As I got older, my dad and I would go on trips each year, stopping every time he saw a photo opportunity. Instead of complaining and being a pain in the ass, I thought I would try take some photos too. My parents got me a small compact camera as a summer gift and later I got my dad’s old Canon 10D. I went from hanging around in the studio, to studying media in high school with a focus on photography. That’s how I got to where I am now.

What’s in your camera bag?

In my camera bag you’ll find two camera bodies and a bunch of lenses; 24-70mm 2.8, 70-200mm 2.8, 50mm 1.8 and sometimes I’ll steal my dad’s 16-35mm 2.8. I take batteries, memory cards, rain covers for the cameras, reusable hand warmers for both me, the surfers and other photographers. You might find some candy in there too.

Why surf photography?

It all started 10 years ago with what I thought was a lie. My dad told me it was possible to surf in Sweden and I said; “No you can’t, liar!”. However, he kept telling me it was true so I told him we had to go shoot some surfing the next time the forecast looked good. Turned out he wasn’t lying! I fell deeply in love with it and became obsessed with the weather forecasts so I wouldn’t miss the next session.

I honestly don’t know what the appeal is! If I lived somewhere warmer and more tropical I would understand, but I live in Sweden and it’s the complete opposite!

What are the challenges of shooting surfers in Sweden?

The surf is best during the fall and winter, but it’s the worst for photographers. When it rains, it rains horizontally into the lens because of the wind! It’s snowing, it’s windy, it’s stormy and it’s so cold that your fingers and toes hurt. You wear so many layers of clothing that you look like you’re going to hunt polar bears! I’ve often questioned myself why we do this to ourselves over and over again. Why do we go outside when there are storm warnings on the news?

I guess it’s a mix of things I love about it - and it gets better and better each time I go. The first time I went to the surf spot, I didn’t know a single person. Now I have an extra family which means a lot to me in so many ways; I’m forever thankful for everything they’ve done for me.

How did it feel to be a Red Bull Illume semi finalist?

It felt so surreal! I’ve been following Red Bull Illume since it all started and I’ve been amazed by every photo. Many of my favorite photographers have done really well in the competition; I never thought I’d stand a chance, but I guess I was wrong.

Talk us through your semi final photo…

My semi final photo was taken in Unstad, Lofoten Islands, Norway! I went there for the yearly father-daughter trip, my dad is more of a landscape photographer and I’m obviously into extreme sports. Norway has a great mix of both and it’s not too far away from where we live. Unfortunately, the sea decided to be flat the whole week and the day the photo was taken was the only day with some kind of waves, more like surf school kind of waves. I was slightly disappointed in both the weather and the waves. Parts of the mountains were covered by fog, then these three random surfers showed up. It looked really cool so I had to take a photo. When I saw the shot on the camera I was like; “this will be one of my Red Bull Illume photos”.

Are there any other adventure and action sports you like to shoot?

I’ve shot motocross and fmx a few times, once in a while I’ll end up in a skatepark. Last summer a few friends went wake surfing, me and my camera joined them and it was so much fun. If I had to choose one sport to shoot for the rest of my life it would be surfing for sure, but it’s fun to add variety.

What other things do you shoot?

Since I’m a music nerd I love to shoot concerts as well. I’ve also found out how fun it is to shoot portraits, simple portraits, nothing too fancy. When there’s no action sports or concerts there’s always different landscapes to explore, Mother Nature sure knows how to blow our minds.

What lessons has photography taught you?

Photography made me more confident, maybe not in life general, but it’s easier for me to make contact with strangers than it was before. If I have my camera with me and I see someone who will be a perfect model for my kind of portraits I will walk up to them and ask if I can take a photo. It’s almost as if I can hide behind my camera and skills.

Photography has also taught me that there’s no “next time”, the light, the composition, nothing will be the same next time. If you want that specific photo, you have pick up the camera and press the shutter button NOW! Not tomorrow or next month. One thing I know for sure is that it sucks to regret things like that. I guess it’s the same in real life too. I’m still kind of bad at it but I’m always trying to learn by mistakes and regrets!

Any upcoming photography projects?

There are a lot of things I’d like to shoot but I’m trying to focus on photos for Red Bull Illume 2019, it’s getting closer!

What are your plans for the future?

I try to not have too big plans because life never turns out the way you plan it. I’m just going to see what life has to offer and take it from there!

But I’d love to travel, both to new places and to revisit some old places.

Thanks to Sophie for this amazing interview! Check out more of her work on her website and on Instagram.

Gallery: 8 Surf Shots to Stoke Your Summer Sessions

The summer season has got the surfers amongst us dreaming of big swells, so here’s a tribute to some of the great surf photographers from the 2016 Image Quest. The nature of the sport means that surf photographers can wait for hours, days, even weeks for the perfect shot. Here we present 8 times that determination, skill and timing have come together before the lens to create epic moments that will last forever.

Feel inspired? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more adventure and action sports!

"I taped my camera on the rear pegs of my bike with a lot of gaffer tape and a radio trigger mounted on it. To operate my camera remotely, I took the trigger in my left hand to shoot at the right time."

As the Winner of Red Bull Illume's 2016 Public Choice Award Anthony Favennec is already a well-known name in the world of adventure and action sports photography, especially for two-wheel sports. We decided to catch up with Anthony and find out a little more about the man behind the lens.

Please tell us a bit about your background and how you got into photography?

My interest in photography started with my family, my father especially, and grew when I started riding BMX at 14. As a teenager, I spent a lot of time riding and traveling with my friends to find riding spots along the Atlantic coast of France. I was lucky enough to share both of these passions with my friends, and as they became better at riding BMX, my photography evolved as well. This lead to my work being published in a magazine for the first time when I was 16. At 21, I graduated from photography school, and after working in a few studios, I decided to pursue filmmaking and photography as an independent.

What kind of photography do you like and what is your particular style/ preferences in shooting?

I really appreciate pictures of car advertising, it’s a really technical style of "action" photography. But I also like fashion communications, there are fabulous photographers like David Lachapelle, Gregory Crewdson…

I’m not sure if I have a particular style. I like to shoot whatever I feel like shooting but as natural as possible. I'm in my element when I shoot sports, especially biking and motorsports. I try to remain close to my BMX origins, partly because it offers endless opportunities to be creative, but also because this sport is the starting point of my passion for capturing life on film.

What was it like to win Red Bull Illume's Public Choice Award?

It’s a really great to win the Red Bull Illume’s Public Choice Award. I have to admit I thought I had no chance. Some pictures are just so fabulous in the contest that my picture is almost "flat" compared to them in my opinion, but obviously not to the public. I have to thank everyone who voted for me.

How did you produce this shot?

Haha I'm not sure if I should reveal the way I took this picture, it was so rock&roll. I taped my camera on the rear pegs of my bike with a lot of gaffer tape and a radio trigger mounted on it. To operate my camera remotely, I took the trigger in my left hand to shoot at the right time. I had set up my camera, a Canon EOS 40D with a Sigma 10mm f2,8 on 1/20 to get that nice curved motion blur of the street. I’m really in love with that kind of light – the springtime evenings have the best warm lights.

Was this a planned shot or more of a "nice surprise"?

I was looking to improve a black and white photo I took few years ago with the same setup. That was during the only sunny day of winter 2015 in Brittany; the kind of day that allows you to ride your BMX without the need for an indoor skatepark. But I have to admit than I looked at all the pictures of the last Red Bull Illume Image Quests to see what works and what doesn't, so I decided to use the same color, light, and the same way to work with the sunset.

Why BMX? Is it a particular passion?

This is for me a big part of my life, I have been taking bmx pictures since I was 14 and I have been riding for 14 years now, so I try to capture the identity of what bmx looks like for me because this is where everything started.

What other sports do you shoot?

I'm shooting a lot of Motorsports now, since I'm working in the car industry I have the chance to be in a totally different environment. I really enjoy shooting fmx too, one of my best friends is a really good fmx rider so we can meet and try to organize shoots. I really would like to shoot more water sport like surfing.

What other projects are you working on now?

In extreme sports I have many ideas of images, some easy, others really hard to create in organization/place/light but I’ll try to do all I can to make it happen. And I already have pictures to share with you for the next Red Bull Illume Image Quest.

Feel inspired? Follow us on Facebook and Instagram for more adventure and action sports!

The top 275 photos competed once again. The difference? The fans decided who won. The Public Choice Award was a great chance for followers of Red Bull Illume to pick their favorite shots from the top 275 images.

It’s with great excitement that we can announce the official winner of the Public Choice Award for the Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2016. A huge congratulations goes out to Anthony Favennec! There was fierce competition for the number one spot and some stunning images in the running. However, as the polls came to a close last Friday on June 15, it was Anthony’s photo that came out on top.

The photo is an exceptional play on a natural, backlit composition and was captured, as the photographer describes, “on the only sunny day of winter 2015 in Brittany; the kind of day that allows you to ride your BMX without the need for an indoor skatepark. I taped my camera on the rear pegs of my bike with a lot of gaffer tape”. (Read the full story here)

Want to win the world`s greatest adventure and action sports photography contest? For a chance to take part and claim victory, stay tuned at redbullillume.com for the next edition in 2019.

Be sure to head over to our Gallery if you want to see the Top 275 images from the Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2016 and learn more about how the shots were created.

Red Bull Illume winner interviews: Stuart Gibson

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