Playground Ricky Adam-1 - Red Bull Illume

Ricky Adam, Category finalist 2007: Playground
Category finalist 2007Playground
PhotographerRicky Adam
AthleteSteven Hamilton
LocationCologne, Germany
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Ricky Adam
CameraNikon
LensNikon fisheye
Shutter speedFast!
About the shot
I made it only as far as France; my car engine caught fire doing 90 mph on a motorway exiting Paris. I admit it was my fault. I was speeding, traveling much too fast for a car that age — an ’81 Ford Cortina. But I had no choice — that thing drove with a heavy pull to the right at anything under 85 mph.
I tore the plates off the smoking wreck and abandoned it, forcing me to hitchhike. Eventually, after hanging around for five-plus hours at a truck stop, I was picked up by the driver of a truck carrying frozen food bound for Slovakia. The first thing I noticed when I climbed into the cab was how small the driver was: He sat on a stack of cushions, and I noticed that the pedals in the cab were extended so his feet could reach them. Nonetheless, he was a cool guy, and the following four hours flew by while he entertained me with crazy stories involving him driving a truck all over mainland Europe for the past 15-plus years.
Later, I was dropped off in Cologne, Germany, where I spotted a guy jumping over a trolley on his bike, next to a coffee shop. I was delusional from lack of sleep and badly in need of a caffeine fix, but first I pulled out my trusty Nikon and took a single photo, then knocked back the strongest cup of coffee known to man. I’m going to miss that car.
Biography
I was born and raised in Northern Ireland and first discovered photography at the age of 16 after I took a few photos with a camera from my friend’s dad. I never had the money to buy a camera of my own until I turned 19. As soon as that happened, I was terminally hooked.
I was attracted to the immediacy of photography, I was always good at art and painted a bit at school, but found the painting process too slow. I've always been a collector of things: records, books, magazines – so taking photos is sort of an extension of this.
Being from a hardcore BMX/punk background myself, I began to shoot photographs of friends in the different scenes that I was involved with and made regular contributions to DIG BMX Magazine who are based in Belfast. The mag has a passion for stylistic BMX riding alongside a D.I.Y. punk ethic, so I could really tune into the magazine’s vision. These days, I’m the staff photographer, editor and janitor at their office in Belfast.
I'm lucky enough to be able to travel the world with fellow weirdos, documenting the many unique aspects of BMX life. What I’ve learned is that if you have a real passion for photography or anything else, follow your heart and believe in what you do. It’s 2010, let's keep the energy going. It's all about what's happening today, now.
John Clark, Category finalist 2007: Close Up
Category finalist 2007Close Up
PhotographerJohn Clark
AthleteJames Stewart
LocationHangtown, MX Racetrack, Sacramento, CA, USA
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John Clark
CameraCanon EOS-1D Mark II
Lens200 mm f/1.8 fixed
ISO100
F-stop7.1
Shutter speed1/500
White balanceCustom set on-site with white card
About the shot
This photo was shot during the first National Motocross round at Hangtown in Sacramento, CA, on May 21, 2006. James Stewart is one of the most talented and exciting racers in the world, and a favorite subject of mine. When I’m shooting motocross, I try to find the most interesting angles where the riders are in the most critical positions. This particular 180-degree corner had an enormously deep rut and was very muddy. James was one of the only riders who could attack this corner at speed, and was leaned over so far that he was dragging his handlebars on almost every lap. It’s hard to see how far over he’s leaning, since the shot is so close up, but the angle of the handlebar gives some indication of this.
My favorite angle to shoot from is as low as possible. I often try to find a hole or ditch to climb into and shoot from the ground. For this shot, I was as low as I could get, with my elbows in the mud, just off the track. It was a little tricky to get the right angle, where James was leaning over in the apex of the turn with a good, colorful background of flying mud and fans crowding the fence. I like the way his eyes look — so focused and determined. James is always looking ahead for the next obstacle (usually a rider he is about to lap) when he races, and this adds to the dramatic effect of the image. The green blur across his goggles is actually a reflection of the front fender on his Kawasaki KXF450.
One funny thing about this particular corner was that, during the entire weekend, I never saw anyone else shooting here. It was a very short section of the track, over a slight rise that, for some reason, did not register on anyone else’s radar. I shot different races here and have more good images from this corner than from any other spot on the track.
Biography
I grew up in California with a passion for photography. I built a darkroom when I was about 12, and my father’s Nikon F1 remains the most treasured sentimental object that I possess. In 1983 I began film studies at UC Santa Barbara, and my career in film production began before I graduated. After this I moved to Los Angeles, where I quickly found work with a special effects company. I was fortunate enough to be involved in two Academy Award®–winning movies (for visual effects), The Abyss and Total Recall. Other opportunities and my disinterest in the L.A. lifestyle led me to Northern California. I have always been an avid sportsman and love to surf, fish, snowboard, wakeboard, and ride motocross. While involved in racing motocross, I developed some custom parts, and I started a parts and accessories business, Hammerhead Designs.
For me, the next best thing to participating in the sports that I love is to photograph them. After injuries ended my motocross racing (and due to the need for Hammerhead advertising photos), I began shooting more national races, including Supercross, Motocross, Supermoto, and Superbike. I have had photos published in numerous publications and advertisements and am a contributing photographer for Racer X Illustrated and MXP.
Brian Bielmann, Category finalist 2007: Close Up
Category finalist 2007Close Up
PhotographerBrian Bielmann
AthleteAndy Irons
LocationTavarua, Fiji
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Brian Bielmann
CameraCanon EOS-1D Mark II
Lens15mm fisheye
ISO100
F-stop2.8
Shutter speed1/1000
White balanceDaylight
About the shot
I got in this crazy mood this summer, where all I wanted to do was shoot underwater. I was shooting surfers, photographers, girls, turtles, sharks, reefs… So, when I got some assignments to take portraits in Fiji, well…I shot them underwater. The contest had finished, and I was staying over a few extra days with Andy Irons. The waves were clean, but I couldn’t help myself — I grabbed the mask and snorkel and proceeded to shoot numerous photos of Andy surfing, from below the surface. It was as simple as, “Hey, Andy! Come here quick and let me get a portrait shot of you underwater!” That’s it!
Biography
I was born in New York in 1957 and started surfing in 1970 at the age of 13. in the last two years of high school, all I could think about was graduating and moving to Hawaii. In 1975 I did just that, and so at age 17 I was living in paradise. Since then I've never looked back. When I was 21 I decided that I would be a surf photographer, but it still took a near death collision with a reef to get me off my surfboard and behind the camera.
It has now been 30 years of surfing and photography for me, and what a long, strange trip it has been. Lots of crazy people, lots of exotic places. Not much money, but a fantastic life. I have been lucky enough to see – and in a small way be a part of – the evolution of the sport of surfing. i have seen surfing champions come and go and i have visited and photographed places that were once unknown and have seen them become world famous hot spots.
I have seen technology change the way a wave is ridden and I have watched the pictures I used to draw on my notebook of surfers riding giant waves become a reality. My goal is to try to keep taking the viewer to places they have not visited and to see things unlike anything they have seen before. I work for Transworld Surf in the USA and Volcom clothing, and contribute to most surfing publications outside of America.
I pray that I continue to see the beauty in what God has created and be able to continue to spread that beauty with my own vision. Thank God for this fantastic world.
Brian Nevins, Category finalist 2007: Close Up
Category finalist 2007Close Up
PhotographerBrian Nevins
AthleteBron Huessenstam
LocationLake Superior, MN, USA
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Brian Nevins
CameraCanon EOS ELAN 7
Lens35 mm
About the shot
This shot was taken on a last-minute decision trip to surf the Great Lakes — Joe Curren and Bron hopped onboard for the trip. We’d landed in -8? F weather with a foot of snow still accumulating, then waited all day for the ice shelf to break apart on the lake so the waves could come in. Finally, they did, and we surfed the best Great Lakes anyone’s ever seen. This shot was taken after four hours of surfing Lake Superior; the freshwater was freezing so quickly in the frigid air temps, we had to break off the ice forming on the back of the wetsuit as it froze.
Biography
Reaching my 20th year of shooting professionally I’ve had the privilege of telling the stories of athletes through countless adventures. What started as a freelance career in surfing has grown into endless moments of those who find the path less travelled a little more gratifying.
David Clifford, Category finalist 2007: Close Up
Category finalist 2007Close Up
PhotographerDavid Clifford
AthleteKarl Meltzer (ultra runner)
LocationSilverton, CO, USA
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David Clifford
CameraCanon EOS-5D and Canon EOS-D1 Mark II
LensCanon 16–35 mm and 24–70 mm (both L glass)
Focal length, digital24 mm
FlashProfoto Pro-7b and Chimera Large
About the shot
I wanted a close-up of Karl’s feet, and the lighting I set up was for portraits, so I dropped to the ground and plinked this shot off quickly. I was switching so fast between two cameras, two to three lenses, studio lighting, available lighting, ISOs, and a subject who just ran 100 miles — I was lucky to get 10 minutes with Karl! Oftentimes it’s not the shot you set out to get that makes the final edit, but rather what you instinctively grab that makes the grade.
Biography
I was first drawn to photography in the 80’s. My father had a subscription to American Photo, and I was always impressed with the photos that were in that magazine. I couldn’t imagine people actually made a living doing something so cool as taking amazing pictures. In 1989 I moved to Boston to attend Northeastern University as an architecture major. It was at NU that I decided to take Photo 101 as an elective. The photography department was put together by a talented and interesting professor, Neal Rantoul. Neal was an 8x10 master and an important mentor during my college years.

In 1991 I moved to Aspen, Colorado, to escape the confines of the city. It wasn’t long before I was working at the local camera shop, The Walnut House. The owner made me an offer I could not refuse. I spent close to a decade shooting mountain photo, weddings, events, sports, landscapes, and tourism, and assisting other professional photographers. Aspen is an amazing place to live and shoot, but there is such a great concentration of talented photographers that you need to hold your own or be left out all together. It is Aspen where I met some of the best photographers in the world.

In 2002 I parleyed my experience and knowledge into a position at Rock & Ice and Trail Runner Magazine as the director of photography. I spent four years giving as much as I received in return and made some great friends along the way.

My wife Rixt and I have a home in Carbondale, Colorado, and currently reside in Boston, Massachusetts.In January 2007, I will travel to India to shoot a story for National Geographic Adventurer.
Dawn Kish, Category finalist 2007: Close Up
Category finalist 2007Close Up
PhotographerDawn Kish
AthleteAdam Strong
LocationSedona, AZ, USA
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Dawn Kish
CameraCanon EOS-1V
FilmKodak T-Max 3200 black and white
About the shot
We waited for the right temperature for this boulder problem. The conditions were perfect, and Adam
sent it.
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Biography
I have over ten years of experience in freelance adventure and sport photography. From snowboarding to fly fishing, if it is outside I have probably photographed it. My life is full of activities such as snowboarding, climbing, mountain biking, and working as a river guide for the U.S.G.S. in the Grand Canyon.
I’m constantly travelling all over the globe. My passion is documenting “dirtbags” – rock climbing addicts living and playing in the dirt – and I recently returned from a European climbing road trip covering over twenty crags (and five thousand miles) in three months. My plans include road trippin' across the U.S. continent for more climbing shoots. In the winter of 2006/07, I’m off to Southeast Asia to capture more beauty. My lovely clients include National Geographic Adventure, Bike Mag, Sports Illustrated, Patagonia, and Teva.
Corey Rich, Category finalist 2007: Energy
Category finalist 2007Energy
PhotographerCorey Rich
AthleteChris Sharma
LocationWitness the Fitness (V15), AR, USA
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Corey Rich
CameraCANON EOS-3
LensCanon 70–200 mm f/2.8
FilmFuji Provia 100 ASA, pushed one stop
ISO100
F-stop2.8
Shutter speed1/250
FlashReflector
About the shot
Many of the hardest and most historical boulder problems and rock climbs in the world tend also to be the most aesthetic features on boulders and cliffs. Chris Sharma’s discovery of Witness the Fitness was certainly no exception to this rule. The challenge in shooting this image was dealing with the low light in the cave; I used a silver reflector to reflect daylight back into the cave. The inverted nature of the climb, the clean, dark background, and the energy and power required to pull the extremely long crux sequence, combined with Chris’s focus, make this a very special image. Today, Witness the Fitness is arguably one of the hardest boulder problems in the world.
Biography
Almost two decades ago, I planted both feet firmly in the world of falling snow, moving water and massive stone. As extreme sports entered the American mainstream, I was there to tell the stories of athletes like rock-climbing legend Chris Sharma, kayaking pioneer Eric Jackson and world-champion surfer Lisa Anderson.
Soon, editors at National Geographic Adventure, The New York Times Magazine and Sports Illustrated regularly turned to me to bring them startling, memorable images and unforgettable stories of those who pushed the limits.
As my career evolved, I dove into the world of filmmaking, and soon found myself combining my love of still photography with motion storytelling and small-footprint productions in some of the wildest locations on earth. Now, we continue to work with some of the biggest companies in the world, who regularly turn to us to help them craft their biggest advertising campaigns and corporate stories with that same extreme passion and authenticity that we find in adventure sports.
For any passionate person who loves what he does, the line between work and play is hazy indeed. When not on assignment, I'm at home in Lake Tahoe because no matter when I open my front door, I step out to three-feet of freshly fallen snow, miles of pristine trails, towering granite walls and countless adventures just waiting to become tomorrow’s stories.
Mark Gallup, Category finalist 2007: Energy
Category finalist 2007Energy
PhotographerMark Gallup
AthleteAndrea Binning
LocationKnight Inlet, British Columbia, Canada
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Mark Gallup
CameraCanon EOS-1D Mark II
LensCanon 70–200 mm f/2.8 zoom
Focal length, digital70 mm
ISO100
F-stop9.0
Shutter speed1/640
About the shot
We stationed ourselves on a 140-foot yacht at the end of British Columbia’s Knight Inlet. A very remote area, the inlet itself is one of the longest in Canada, reaching deep into the coastal range near B.C.’s tallest peak, Mt. Waddington. We knew the snow stability wasn’t great, but this crew of skiers had been waiting three weeks for a break in the weather.
The filmer and I hovered in the helicopter above Andrea as she dropped into the run. On her left was a series of cliffs, which she wanted to avoid by going down a small ridge, then dropping into a chute skier’s-right of the rocks. The slide broke loose on her first turn. She was immediately dragged into the middle of the biggest debris, heading straight for the cliffs! She picked up speed — the chute was amazingly steep — and fought against the flow. If she lost the battle, the outcome would be tragic! She hit the chute she wanted to ski at incredible speed; almost freefalling, all of her equipment exploded off. She cartwheeled down the mountain, and finally stopped. She came out of it with a blown knee. The crew pulled the plug on the trip, and we all went back to the yacht for some spring wakeboarding.
Additional notes: I’m a little embarrassed to say that, in all the excitement, the camera controls must have been bumped in the helicopter. I know that I started at a shutter speed of 1/1000, at F7.1, only seconds before I took the shot, but it worked out for everybody in the end. For a tripod, I used an A-Star B2. A little expensive, but so damn fun.
Biography
My specialization? Being in the right place at the right time. My home base is Calgary, Alberta, but I’ve covered every snowy corner of the globe in the past twenty years. It all started by shooting skiing on backcountry adventures. Seven Powder magazine covers early in my career launched a lifetime of photographing firsts: First photo crews to use cats, snowmobiles, and helis in British Columbia’s backcountry. First to document snowboarding and skiing in Valdez (Alaska), Nepal, Greenland, and Bella Coola. As senior photographer for Transworld Snowboarding magazine over sixteen years, I clocked endless global trips, countless images, and one badly abused liver!
The words I live by? Don’t take things too seriously. (Sometimes this gets me in trouble because I’ll crack a joke, usually at the wrong time.) But don’t lose the ability to laugh at yourself and see the humor in hard times. Also, I appreciate all the opportunities I have had and all the crazy places my camera has taken me. I’ll never take these for granted.
Category finalist 2007: Energy
Category finalist 2007Energy
Photographer
AthleteKelly Clark
Location2006 Olympic Winter Games, Bardonecchia, Italy
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CameraCanon EOS Digital Rebel XT
LensCanon Telephoto EF 70–200 mm f/2.8L IS USM
Focal length, digital200 mm
ISO100
F-stop2.8
About the shot
This image was taken from the spectator stands during the 2006 Olympic Winter Games in Torino, Italy. That day, I took about 200 pictures over the course of the competition. I had been taking pictures of the fans in the stands when, all of a sudden, the crowd around me went wild. I got curious and quickly turned around and snapped Kelly’s performance. It turned out that, luckily for me, I was surrounded by Kelly’s fans and family — it actually was pretty exciting capturing this moment surrounded by all that vibe and mayhem.
Thomas Stöckli, Category finalist 2007: Energy
Category finalist 2007Energy
PhotographerThomas Stöckli
AthleteReto Kestenholz
LocationSt. Christoph, Austria
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Thomas Stöckli
CameraCanon 20D
Lens70–200 mm f/4.0
ISO100
F-stop8.0
Shutter speed1/640
About the shot
Reto and I used to have the same girlfriend back in the day — not at the same time, of course. But even back then, we recognized that we’ve got the same eye for beauty! So, every time we shred together, we see pretty much the same windlips, gaps, and hips — it’s kinda fun. But he’s always way faster than I am — kinda not so fun! This time, though, I was sitting behind the camera anyway, so I am stoked for Reto to get a nice photo of him banging “my” windlip: “WUFF!” Can you hear it?
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Biography
I was born on august 11th, 1978, which is also Hulk Hogan’s birthday – but that’s about as far as the similarities between him and me go. In 1992 I found my big love: snowboarding. That was pretty much a life changing experience, however, somehow the worst snowboarder in the crew always gets the camera, and so my second love found me. On my birthday, one week after I bought my first real canon in 2001, I had an accident which took me off my board for nine very long months. At the time it was a nightmare, but to cut a long story short: I couldn’t be happier with how everything has turned out.
Since 2001 I have documented snowboarding everywhere from the Alps, the Rockies and the Andes. I am senior-photographer at Pleasure Magazine, and work with clients such as Red Bull, Vans, eleven and Snowboard Mag. Nowadays, I live in Zurich, Switzerland, and I am pretty much into portrait, fashion and action photography in general. But whenever it's good outside, I go and get the goods or shred snow as if I am a 15-year-old kid again.
I get inspired a lot during my assisting-work by city-trips; riding my bike through the city, watching magazines, movies, looking at people, thinking, nature, beautiful things, girls... everything!
Yorick Carroux, Category finalist 2007: Energy
Category finalist 2007Energy
PhotographerYorick Carroux
AthleteJamie Goldman
LocationLeogang, Austria
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Yorick Carroux
CameraCanon EOS 20D
Lens70–200 mm f/2.8
Focal length, digital127 mm
ISO200
F-stop4.5
Shutter speed1/1000
About the shot
After a long, overcast training day during the 26 Trix in Leogang, Austria, most of the riders had gone back to the hotel. As the sun set, the clouds cleared and created a stunning last light that mixed perfectly with the surrounding snow covered mountain range. Jamie Goldman, one of the remaining riders, stayed to launch some huge tricks. My plan was to incorporate the spectators, Jamie, and the high peaks all into the shot. Thanks, Jamie! And thanks to Tarek Rasouli for putting this awesome event together.
Biography
I spent my youth in the Engadin, Switzerland, where I discovered my love for mountain sports at an early age. Therefore, it goes without saying that I started to explore the high Alpine on my snowboard, and I also participated in mountain bike races during the early nineties. Photography and expeditions have taken me to Nepal, Iran, Africa, North America, and the Caucasus in Russia. In recent years, I have climbed and snowboarded down many 4,000-meter mountains in the Alps and Morocco, as well as the 5,600-meter Damavand in Iran.
After my photo design studies, I worked as an assistant in Frankfurt, Düsseldorf, and Hamburg. During this time, I became proficient in many fields of photography, including advertising, still-life, portraits, and fashion. In 1995 I decided to combine my love for mountaineering and extreme sports with professional photography. After seven years in Munich, I now work out of Whistler, B.C., using my photography talent for magazine spreads and advertising projects worldwide. Among my clients are high-profile, special-interest publications, as well as the renowned German magazine The Stern. My photographs have been featured in advertisements for companies such as Siemens Mobile, Jack Wolfskin, Adidas, GORE-TEX, Vaude, Die Bahn, Red Bull, Kona, US40, Norco, and Oakley.
Fred Mortagne, Category finalist 2007: Experimental
Category finalist 2007Experimental
PhotographerFred Mortagne
AthleteSteve Forstner
LocationLyon, France
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Fred Mortagne
CameraNikon FM2 geared up with a motor drive
LensNikon 85 mm
FilmKodak 400 Tri-X, pushed 1 stop
FilterYellow
About the shot
This place became a skateboard spot as a result of the evolution of skateboarding. It’s in my neighbourhood but I only noticed it recently, even though I’ve passed in front of it hundreds of times over the years.
The constant progression of skateboarding turns ordinary places into skate spots at certain times; some places can remain untouched for decades, while other places that were once hot spots go back to peaceful, ordinary use, abandoned by skateboarders.
This is Steve Forstner, balancing on his front wheels across the top of this random wall in Lyon, France, on an exceptionally nice, warm day in January 2006. Thanks to global warming, in a few years, skateboarders won’t necessarily have to live in California!
Biography
I’m a self-taught french director and photographer, with the focus of my work being mostly around skateboarding. My graphical and geometrical photography is almost exclusively shot in black and white, and focuses more on the aesthetics and style of the sport, rather than the performance, while also playing around a lot with architecture.
Spending so much time out in the streets, I keep a curious eye for other interesting things of life happening, and am always ready to capture those unique moments. My pictures are a feast of lines and angles, and my specific compositions – blending the skateboarders into their environment – make this skateboarding photography accessible to non-skateboarders.
This is the third time my work has been recognized by Red Bull Illume. In total I’ve had seven finalist images in the 2007 and 2010 contests. My first retrospective book was published in the fall of 2016.
James Holm, Category finalist 2007: Experimental
Category finalist 2007Experimental
PhotographerJames Holm
AthletesMartin Gustravsson, Jimmy Nordström
LocationGothenburg, Schweden
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James Holm
CameraCanon EOS-D1 Mark II
Lens16–35 mm f/2.8
ISO100
F-stop11.0
Shutter speed1/250
White balanceCloud
About the shot
This project started with a cover of the Swedish action sports magazine Transition. It’s a shot of skateboarder/graffiti artist Gorm Boberg doing a wallride on a wall that he had done a painting on. After that cover came out, he and I wanted to do something in a similar style, so when I heard that a local photo store was about to close its big rental studios, I asked them if I could do one last photo session before the building was torn down. (I knew the studio owners since I had done some shoots there before, one of them with the Swedish-built super sports car Koenigsegg). There were two big studios: one built like a big corner, and one super-big studio shaped like a half-egg.
When I invited Gorm and the skaters, everybody was super stoked to have the chance to be there. Over the weekend, we had a really nice time — Gorm painted the studio walls, and then the skaters and BMX riders rode the walls. The technique Gorm uses is spray stencils, and all the paintings were done exclusively to match the riders’ personalities. When the weekend was over, the whole building was demolished — I almost cried when I saw what they did to such a fantastic place. Unfortunately, there are no more photo studios like that in Sweden anymore.
Biography
I started my true photo career with skateboarding. My friend and I liked to take pictures of each other doing tricks. Before I knew it I was working with Swedish skateboard magazines. After a couple of years in art and photography schools, I established my firm, James Holm Fotograf.
My venture into working with snowboarding was small, but big in another way. At that time, skateboarding was heavily influenced by the punk scene, and I kind of got tired of the attitude of not caring about good weather and expenses when we were out traveling. That was something snowboarders knew about; when the sun is shining, you’re out there doing it! But eventually I got back to my roots in skateboarding. Another thing that I’ve always been into is lifestyle portraits. I like to come to a place I’ve never been to, try to find the best thing about it, and put the person in an interesting situation. After getting my driver’s license, my interest in cars became strong, and this has been another one of my prime subjects. I think my job is to always work with things I enjoy. So therefore I see myself as a photographer within the segment of action photos, cars, and lifestyle portraits.
John Gibson, Category finalist 2007: Experimental
Category finalist 2007Experimental
PhotographerJohn Gibson
AthleteJoe Schwartz
LocationSquamish, British Columbia, Canada
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John Gibson
CameraCanon EOS-1V
Lens17–35 mm f/28
FilmKodak T-Max 400
Focal length, 35 mmApproximately 28 mm
F-stop5.6
Shutter speed1/500
About the shot
Joe Schwartz is a good friend of mine, and he told me about a trail in Squamish, British Columbia, that had a massive log ride across a small creek. I drove out there to check it out and walked across the log, which was slippery and high above the ground. It’s something I would never ride, but Joe said it was no problem. He rode it a couple of times, and I knew we had the shot.
Biography
I’m from Alberta, Canada. In 1987 after graduating from a photography program in Edmonton at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology I moved to Calgary and began a nine-year career as a photographer at the Calgary Sun newspaper. In 1988 I landed an assignment shooting the Winter Olympics for the Canada Olympic Association.
After that I spent the next nine years shooting news and sports in the Calgary area. During that time I was also a wire service freelance photographer for Agence France Presse (AFP). When the sport of mountain biking began to take shape in the 80s a few mountain bike publications began to appear and my girlfriend handed me an early copy of Bike magazine and said, “you should get some photos like this”. After that I began to bring a camera on mountain bike rides.
During a holiday to California in 1994 I phoned David Reddick – photo editor at Bike magazine and asked him if he would look at my portfolio of cycling photos and after that he asked me to start contributing photos to the magazine. At that time very few photographers were taking pictures of mountain biking – it was still a very small sport. In 1995, I began to shoot photos for the Kona Mountain Bike Company as their full time photographer. In 1996 I started my own business and began to shoot the sport of mountain biking full time. Twenty years later I am still doing the same thing – taking photos of people riding their bikes. The world of photography has changed drastically in my lifetime but many things have remained exactly the same.
Santiago Arenas Monzón, Category finalist 2007: Experimental
Category finalist 2007Experimental
PhotographerSantiago Arenas Monzón
AthleteDaniel Lozano
LocationMóstoles skatepark, Madrid, Spain
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Santiago Arenas Monzón
CameraCanon EOS 350D
Lens18–55 mm
Focal length, digital18 mm
ISO100
F-stop6.3
Shutter speed1/200
About the shot
This picture was taken during a pool session in a skatepark in Móstoles, Madrid, with Daniel Lozano, among others. It was a local championship, with skaters from all over Madrid competing.
I was located just outside the pool, taking pictures of Daniel and his incredible performance that day, which was especially good.
Biography
I’m a 29-year-old amateur photographer based in Madrid, Spain. I specialize in snowboard and skateboard photography. I also snowboard and skateboard myself, usually skating in Madrid and snowboarding in the Pyrenees and occasionally the French Alps.
I studied photography for three years in high school and recently took a course on digital photography and Photoshop. Currently, I work as a gardener in Madrid. This is the first time that I have participated in a contest of photographs of this type. In the future, I would like to work in photography professionally.
Tim McKenna, Category finalist 2007: Experimental
Category finalist 2007Experimental
PhotographerTim McKenna
AthleteManoa Drollet
LocationTeahupo'o, Tahiti, French Plynesia
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Tim McKenna
CameraNikon D2X
LensNikon 10.5/2.8 G fisheye
HousingAquatech
DomeFisheye dome
Focal length, digital10.5 mm
Focal length, 35 mm15 mm
ISO100
F-stop5.6
About the shot
I had just received a new water housing for my digital camera, so on the first clean swell down at Teahupo’o [in Tahiti] I called my friend Manoa Drollet to test it out. The conditions were not exceptional for above-surface photography, but the clarity of the water and the glassy conditions made for some incredible underwater imagery. It was the first swell of the season, and we had the lineup to ourselves.
Manoa, who is always interested in the photography and filming side of things, was checking out the shots on the camera screen inside the housing as the session unfolded. I managed to get him amped on doing some duck dives or inventive moves whenever he passed by me, heading back out to the lineup. Near the end of the session, Manoa slotted into a deep tube right in front of me. In his flawless backhand style, he grabbed the rail and put his hand and body in the face of the wave to slow himself down in order to go even deeper. I had just enough time to dive under, reposition myself, and click off a few shots while he zoomed past. His hand came within a few centimeters of the camera, as if he was waving to me from the other side of the wall of water. Manoa was encapsulated yet again in his favourite wave. As is often the case, the session ended at the local snack bar over a big plate of fresh sashimi while checking out all the shots.
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Biography
I was born in Sydney but spent most of my youth near the beaches of southwest France. After heading back to Australia for university studies, I focused on surf photography, and in 1990 the European surf-wear company, Oxbow, took me on and triggered my interest in other extreme sports. I have since worked with many champions in sports ranging from surfing and windsurfing to motocross, snowboarding, and rock climbing. My best images have made the covers of leading magazines and illustrated books, while my landscape and fashion assignments have appeared in advertisements around the globe. I am currently publishing a fine art poster collection and a book.
Still a keen surfer and snowboarder and a rusty black belt (second Dan) in the martial art of Kendo, in quiet moments I sit down at a keyboard and improvise. However, although now based on the island of Tahiti with my wife and son, striving to capture the magic of Polynesian life, I still tour the world, dedicated to the nomadic life, searching for the myriad forms of light that make unforgettable images.
Brian Bielmann, Category finalist 2007: Illumination
Category finalist 2007Illumination
PhotographerBrian Bielmann
AthletesTim Jones, Hilton Dawe, friend
LocationTahiti, French Polynesia
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Brian Bielmann
CameraCanon EOS-D1 Mark II
Lens15mm fisheye
ISO100
F-stop2.8
Shutter speed1/640
White balanceAutomatic
About the shot
I made a conscious effort this day to get something different: I took out my mask and went underwater to shoot what no one else was paying attention to. It’s a whole different world below the surface; when I showed this photo to my sister, she said it looked like angry skies.
I had been trying to sit inside of where the waves were breaking and let the waves explode in front of me, and you have just enough room to squeak between the breaking wave and the reef. This one was a little bigger than I expected; I shot in front as the wave exploded, then continued to shoot as I turned the camera to the right and captured the other photographers as they dove to get under the same wave. I am just trying to make myself more aware of those tiny moments that happen in between the ones you are expecting.
Biography
I was born in New York in 1957 and started surfing in 1970 at the age of 13. in the last two years of high school, all I could think about was graduating and moving to Hawaii. In 1975 I did just that, and so at age 17 I was living in paradise. Since then I've never looked back. When I was 21 I decided that I would be a surf photographer, but it still took a near death collision with a reef to get me off my surfboard and behind the camera.
It has now been 30 years of surfing and photography for me, and what a long, strange trip it has been. Lots of crazy people, lots of exotic places. Not much money, but a fantastic life. I have been lucky enough to see – and in a small way be a part of – the evolution of the sport of surfing. i have seen surfing champions come and go and i have visited and photographed places that were once unknown and have seen them become world famous hot spots.
I have seen technology change the way a wave is ridden and I have watched the pictures I used to draw on my notebook of surfers riding giant waves become a reality. My goal is to try to keep taking the viewer to places they have not visited and to see things unlike anything they have seen before. I work for Transworld Surf in the USA and Volcom clothing, and contribute to most surfing publications outside of America.
I pray that I continue to see the beauty in what God has created and be able to continue to spread that beauty with my own vision. Thank God for this fantastic world.
George Steinmetz, Category finalist 2007: Illumination
Category finalist 2007Illumination
PhotographerGeorge Steinmetz
AthleteNeeld Messler
LocationMystery Hole, TN, USA
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George Steinmetz
CameraNikon 8008s
FilmFuji Velvia
FlashThe lens was left open between multiple flashes
About the shot
Recreational spelunkers are dropping down a 100-meter limestone pit that was eroded by a waterfall that pours from its top. I illuminated this photo by leaving the camera lens open while two climbers descended on different ropes, popping off flash bulbs at the sides of the cave on their way down.
Biography
I was born in Beverly Hills in 1957 and graduated from Stanford University with a degree in geophysics. I began my career in photography by hitchhiking through Africa for eighteen months. Since my first assignment for National Geographic Magazine in 1987, I have completed over twenty major essays for the magazine, including three covers.
In addition to National Geographic, my work also regularly appears in GEO, Time, Architectural Digest, Condé Nast Traveler, Fortune, and Stern. My expeditions to the Sahara and Gobi deserts were featured in National Geographic Explorer television programs in 1998 and 2002. I have won numerous awards for photography during my 25-year career, including two first prizes in science and technology in 1995 and 1998 from World Press Photo. I have also won awards and citations from Pictures of the Year, Overseas Press Club, and LIFE magazine's Alfred Eisenstaedt Awards.
My latest passion is photographing the world's deserts while piloting a motorized paraglider. This experimental aircraft provides me with a unique physical perspective over remote places that are inaccessible by conventional aircraft. When I’m not on assignment, I live in Glen Ridge, New Jersey, with my wife, Wall Street Journal editor Lisa Bannon, and our children Nell, John, and Nicholas.
Gian Paul Lozza, Category finalist 2007: Illumination
Category finalist 2007Illumination
PhotographerGian Paul Lozza
AthleteTravis Rice
LocationLaax, Switzerland
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Gian Paul Lozza
CameraCanon EOS-1Ds Mark II
LensCanon 16–35 mm f/2.8
ISO100
F-stop7.1
Shutter speed1/125
FlashBroncolor Grafit A4 and Profoto B2 with Pocket Wizard radio slaves
About the shot
I had the idea for this picture last summer. I sat together with Nicolas Mueller and we sketched out the plans; when winter began, I started building the acrylic cube. Nicolas called me and we set a shoot date for March; he said that Travis was coming with him. I arranged everything with Laax, the ski resort in Switzerland where we were to shoot, and built the feature with help from the Laax shapers, who did a great job. Nicolas and Travis arrived just as everything was being finished, and the session started.
At first it was really difficult to ride, but with time the riders got used to it, and more and more tricks came out. The whole night was just a dream — such a nice spot, alone on the mountain with a good crew, and we had a full moon. Thanks to Travis and Nicolas, Alex Schauwecker (my assistant), and Laax, without whom this photo wouldn’t have been possible.
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Biography
I’ve studied media and politics and am autodidact in photography, but I went through a lot of stages and worked a long time as an assistant for different photographers. My specializations are movement and portraits, including music artists as well as athletes. From my home base in Zürich/Zizers, I work for clients like Nike, Head, Burton, Zimtstern, Sony, and Opel. I publish contributions regularly in magazines such as Pleasure, Swiss Magazine, Lodown, Snowboard UK, Snowsurf, and Word, and one of my photos was chosen as the cover shot for Transworld Snowboarding’s 2006 Photo Annual. My work has been exhibited in galleries and museums in Munich and Zürich.
My recent book, Nature of Snowboarding, is my magnum opus, resulting from an intensive concentration on the theme of snowboarding over the past years. Instead of being full of high-gloss pictures, it provides an unusual view of snowboarding by focusing on the characters from different cultures and countries I have met on the scene. They all have one thing in common: a love for snowboarding. The book uncovers the nature of this sport — the life. You can read much more about the nature of snowboarding in these faces than in anything else published so far about the sport.
Grant Gunderson, Category finalist 2007: Illumination
Category finalist 2007Illumination
PhotographerGrant Gunderson
AthleteJames Heim
LocationMt. Baker Ski Area backcountry, WA, USA
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Grant Gunderson
CameraCanon 1V HS
LensCanon 70–200 mm f/2.8L IS
FilmFuji Velvia
F-stop4.0
Shutter speed1/1000
About the shot
This particular cornice is a prominent feature of the Mt. Baker, WA backcountry and has been shot and published numerous times by several photographers. Seeking a new and unique angle on the well-known and often-published feature, I spotted an angle high on an opposing knob, knowing that the early afternoon light at the right time of year would provide for an optical illusion of sorts. After waiting nearly two years for the right combination of conditions, skier James Heim nailed this air on his first attempt.
Biography
One of the outdoor industry’s most published photographers, Grant founded The Ski Journal where he served as Photo Editor for over six years. In addition to curating his passion for the mountains, he has shot for every major snow sports, bike and outdoor publication worldwide including National Geographic Adventure, ESPN, Outside, Playboy, Skiing, Red Bulletin, Aka Skidor, and Kootenay Mountain Culture. He currently serves as a Senior Photographer for Powder Magazine and is Photo Emeritus of The Ski Journal. From Iceland to Patagonia, Grant routinely produces unique deep powder imagery and authentically documents the lifestyle and culture of mountain sports. Beyond his editorial work, Grant’s work is featured in ongoing marketing campaigns with top outdoor brands. He skis close to 200 days a year and when he is not on snow you can find him on his bike or trekking throughout North America and beyond.
Rami Hanafi, Category finalist 2007: Illumination
Category finalist 2007Illumination
PhotographerRami Hanafi
AthleteAntti Autti
LocationRuka, Finnland
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Rami Hanafi
CameraCanon EOS-1D Mark II
LensFisheye
Focal length, digital15 mm
ISO100
F-stop8.0
Shutter speed1/320
FlashWhite-balance flash, flashes with radio slaves
About the shot
Antti and I were finishing the long winter season in Ruka, in mid-April. It’s quite rare that the resorts in northern Finland still have enough snow to ride at that time of the year, but we were both super motivated to get some shots, so we decided to try. We stayed in one of our friend’s caravans for a week and rode the resorts almost all by ourselves. The weather is usually sunny in April, but it rained nearly the whole time. But that didn’t bother us — we did this log ride and a couple other jibs, and hit the big kicker.
For this shot, we built a small kicker in front of this old, dead tree. First, it looked like it wasn’t going to work, and Antti almost gave up, which is not normal for him. I started to shoot it from the ground, but I didn’t like how it looked; I went to look for a ladder and found one tall enough to climb up the tree, so I shot the photo looking down on Antti. When I got this shot, I told Antti he didn’t need to push it anymore if he didn’t want to, but he still wanted to try a couple more runs.
The next day, we had a great session on the kicker. It was the most fun and productive week of my whole season — and it ended up with a good party in Antti’s hometown of Rovaniemi.
Biography
Born in Finland in 1979, I developed my passion for photography as a young boy, observing street and nature photos my mother took in addition to her painting. While I never really knew how to hold a paintbrush the right way, a camera seemed to fit in my hand just fine!
My interest in photography led me to study photojournalism at the University of Tampere. Only a few years later, in 2006 when working at Aamulehti newspaper, I was awarded Young Photo Journalist of the Year in Finland.
My previous life as a snowboarder allowed me to live a dream life of travelling the world for the coming years, following some of the world’s best snowboarders of that time. Today, I still continue this journey for the sheer joy of it all.
I have a unique ‘documentary’ approach towards new challenges. Whether documenting or creating, I am always looking for true feelings and uncompromising images. My sense of moment and true devotion to the story have led to the publication of my images in numerous international magazines such as TWS, Outside, Snowboarder or Flag, and alongside the logos of such renowned clients as Nokia, Finnair, Flow and Billabong to name but a few.
If it wasn’t for my camera, I would love to work as a curator. Or I would be found simply enjoying a summer day on a boat with my wife and two children.
Alfredo Escobar, Category finalist 2007: Lifestyle
Category finalist 2007Lifestyle
PhotographerAlfredo Escobar
AthletesRamon Navarro, Cristian Merello, Marcos Monteiro, Patrick Dos Reis
LocationPunta de Lobos, Chile
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Alfredo Escobar
CameraNikon D200
LensFisheye 10.1
White balanceSun
ISO100
Shutter speed1/250sec
F-stop20
About the shot
This day was classic — four men were competing against one another in the final of the El Ceremonial de Punta de Lobos, one of the best surf contests in Chile. This moment was so emotional, because the waves were nearly seven meters — these people have guts to get out in conditions like this! It was a powerful moment for the surfers.
Biography
It was in the mid-'90s that I shut the doors of my surfboard shaping workshop to become a photographer and stay as close as possible to my lifetime passion: surfing. In the early days of my studies in Santiago, Chile, I started exploring not only my assigned homework, but different board sports to which I was connected by my longtime interest in surfing. With this in mind, I teamed up with three friends and gave birth to the only three-board (skate, snow, surf) magazine in Chile, taking care of most of the photographic work in its beginning.
After a few years of seeing how a growing market needed a specific surfing publication, I created Marejada, which is now recognized as one of Latin America’s finest surfing magazines. I also started getting published in different magazines around the world. Parallel to this, I started working with major brands related to sports beyond the board industry, and I also began traveling to expand my horizons.
"Naturally talented and extremely devoted, Alfredo is responsible for a great deal of what surfing is today in Chile, showing it out to the world, along with capturing the finest athletes and their lifestyles in a spectacular, innovative, and very unique way." – photographer Cristian Saavedra
Danny Zapalac, Category finalist 2007: Lifestyle
Category finalist 2007Lifestyle
PhotographerDanny Zapalac
AthletesColin Langlois, Travis Rice, and filmers Gabe Langlois and Kurt Morgan
LocationSapporo, Japan
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Danny Zapalac
CameraHasselblad 503CW
Lens50 mm hand-held
FilmIllford HP5 Black and White film
F-stop4.0
Shutter speed8
About the shot
Five flights and 20 hours later, I find myself barely keeping the eyelids open. I really couldn’t understand what was going on around me. All I wanted to do was doze off, but everyone had already passed out. We vowed to one another that there would always be one person awake, keeping an eye on the goods. That person was me, as I snoozed and didn’t snooze first.
My head was bobbing back and forth when the crowd from a plane that had arrived stampeded out of the tunnel. Similar to herds of sheep on the farm, everyone was following one another in perfect motion. The unfolding scene ignited my passion to click the shutter. Pop. Pop. A few shots went by before anyone knew what had happened.
Even I didn’t remember taking that one until we edited all the goodies on the light table. A great start to 21 days of two feet of fresh powder each morning. Hokkaido, Japan, is magical.
Biography
For the past six years, I have found myself traveling the world, compiling a unique library of lifestyle, reportage, and action photography. In the winter of 2004/05, I relocated from Long Beach, California, to a small Wyoming town of 300 called Wilson to document the making of The Community Project snowboard film. While I was there, I met ski bunny Lyndsey Wirth at a diner they call “Dirty Norieta’s.” Ever since that quaint morning, we have been hitched.
Now back based in Long Beach with frequent business trips to New York, I bring this worldly experience and insight to all of my advertising and editorial projects. My work has appeared in a wide variety of domestic and international magazines, as well as on the covers of many slicks. In November 2006, my exhibit Body Language: A Celebration of Women was showcased at the Wooster Arts Space in SoHo, New York.
Desré Pickers, Category finalist 2007: Lifestyle
Category finalist 2007Lifestyle
PhotographerDesré Pickers
AthletesSteve Fisher, Sam Drevo, Dale Jardine
LocationVictoria Falls, Zambia, Africa
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Desré Pickers
CameraCanon EOS 20D
Lens28–105 mm
Focal length, digital105 mm
ISO200
F-stop5.6
Shutter speed1/500
White balanceOutdoor
About the shot
To capture this feat, multiple camera angles were needed. For the film crew (and myself) to avoid aviation authorities and fly below the 1,500-foot minimum flight limit, the paddlers had to set off across the crocodile- and hippo-infested waters above the falls before sunrise. The paddlers approached the edge of the mile-wide, 350-foot-high falls to scout the rapids below. This moment was captured from a helicopter circling 500 feet above the falls, battling with mist and wind blowing up from the narrow canyon. Challenges included extreme air turbulence and constantly having to wipe water from the spray off of the lens. I had initially planned to shoot wide at 15 mm, but a last-second in-air lens change in these conditions rewarded me with this shot.
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Biography
I was born in 1977 in Durban, South Africa, and I have spent five years shooting professionally in the outdoor industry. Specializing in whitewater and kayaking, I have worked as the photographer on many film and photo projects, including Red Bull Recon, the “Focused” series and other projects for Matchstick Productions, and various filming projects for Scott Lindgren Productions. My photos have been published in GQ, Surfing, Men’s Journal, Outside, and many kayak industry magazines and catalogs. I was a finalist in the Vail Mountain Games Photo Competition in 2005 and won the People’s Choice Award at the same competition in 2004.
Since 2000, I have been world traveling — I now spend summer based in North America and my other summer based in Africa (mainly Uganda and South Africa). I believe that if you want to get an image that no one else can get or has thought of, you need to be willing to do what no one else is willing to do; even if it means hanging off the back of a jetski, swimming down rapids, or balancing on the top of Victoria Falls. The harder you work for an image, the more rewarding the result will be. Following this advice as best as I can has given me my favorite shots.
Espen Lystad, Category finalist 2007: Lifestyle
Category finalist 2007Lifestyle
PhotographerEspen Lystad
AthletesTravis Parker, Andrew Crawford
LocationZakopane, Poland
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Espen Lystad
CameraHasselblad 501 CM
LensCarl Zeiss 4/120 CFI
FilmKodak Tri-X 400
F-stop5.6
Shutter speed1/500
FilterOrange
About the shot
In December 2004, I was shooting a story in Eastern Europe with Travis Parker, Andrew Crawford, and filmer Jake Price. The snow conditions were terrible — there was hardly any snow at all — and, at one point, we ended up in Zakopane, Poland.
We were looking for things to jib right next to the road when we saw this old local lady sitting at a bus station. Travis and Andrew sat down and started talking to her, but language barriers made it impossible for them to understand each other.
I asked the woman if I could take a photo, and she made a gesture that meant yes. Even if she didn’t understand English, she got so excited after the first photo that she turned to Andrew and gave him a big kiss on his cheek. That’s when I caught the moment in this photo.
Biography
As a photographer, I’m self-taught. I picked up my first SLR camera in 1993 and started shooting photos inspired by all those great photographers from Magnum. In 1998 I moved on to start shooting snowboarding, and I turned professional the same year. My photo philosophy is “less is more,” and my favorite way of making photos is with film and natural light. My areas of specialization in addition to snowboarding are documentary, lifestyle, portrait, and travel.
I am senior photographer for Snowboarder Magazine and team photographer for Head Snowboards. I submit to snowboard magazines worldwide, and my photos have made the covers of fine publications like Snowboarder Magazine, Transworld Snowboarding, Onboard, Pleasure, Snowplanet, Document Snowboard, Playboard, Fri Flyt, Freerun, Droppi, Deska Snowboarding, Snowboard Italy, and Board Russia. My work has also appeared in magazines like Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone, Lodown, and Reload. I’ve contributed to international ads for a number of snowboard companies, as well as Arnette, Oakley, Dragon, Volcom, Billabong, Quiksilver, DVS, Westbeach, Airwalk, Sole Technology, Sweet, and Nokia, among others.
Napoleon E. Gutierrez, Category finalist 2007: Lifestyle
Category finalist 2007Lifestyle
PhotographerNapoleon E. Gutierrez
AthletesLuis Armando and skate crew, locals
LocationLas Tablas, Panama City, Panama
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Napoleon E. Gutierrez
CameraNikon F5
LensLente 80–200 mm, 2.8 AF
ISOISO 200
F-stop3.5
Shutter speed1/350
About the shot
On one of my trips to the outskirts of the city, with a group of skateboard buddies and my photo equipment, we got to know this talented young skateboarder in one of the cities we visited. While hanging out with our new friends in Las Tablas, they told me about a field with an abandoned, rusted-out tube lying in it. There, a local, Luis Armando, impressed us with this 360 flip. We all admired him, and I decided to take this picture from ground level. In this moment, I felt like a National Geographic correspondent doing a documentary on a wild animal in its natural environment.
Biography
I live in beautiful Panama City and work as a graphic designer for a clothing company called Saks Free Zone. I also work as a photograph correspondent for a Central American skateboard publication, Blastmagazine, which is based in Costa Rica, and I’ve contributed photos to the Argentinean magazine Instinto”.
My specialization is action photography, but I have created portraits, photographed the rock ‘n’ roll scene, and documented many cultural events. I am also an illustrator, both in digital and hand-drawn formats.
Daniel Kudernatsch, Category finalist 2007: New Creativity
Category finalist 2007New Creativity
PhotographerDaniel Kudernatsch
AthleteBernd Mandlberger
LocationLoser, Austria
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Daniel Kudernatsch
CameraCanon EOS 20D
LensSigma 80–200 mm f/2.8
Focal length, digital200 mm
F-stop8.0
Shutter speed1/800
White balanceManual
FilterUV filter
About the shot
“The Loser” is one of the secret spots in Austria, and Bernd Mandlberger, Flo Mausser, Seppi Dabringer (filmer), and I had built a kicker there for a shoot. At the end of the session, I saw this gully at the bottom of the landing. I told Bernd that he should do a turn around the gully. Bernd is a rider with a lot of experience, so he knew what to do. It’s always the rider and you who create a great picture together. Thanks, Bernd.
Biography
My specialization is snowboarding. I love the sport and that’s why I started shooting it. My home base is Vienna in the summer and the mountain village of Schladming in the winter. I have no professional background and am autodidact, or self-taught. I work with snowboard mags and the snowboard biz all around the world, and I am still stoked if one of my pictures gets published.
Being out in the mountains with your friends and working with them is the best job I can imagine!
Derek Frankowski, Category finalist 2007: New Creativity
Category finalist 2007New Creativity
PhotographerDerek Frankowski
AthleteMike Hopkins
LocationRossland, BC, Canada
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Derek Frankowski
CameraNikon F5
Lens16 mm fisheye
FilmKodak Portra 400UC (processed normal)
F-stop5.6
Shutter speed1/1000
About the shot
We tried to shoot this location a few times, but each time we tried, the weather didn’t come together like we needed. The fall is the most epic time to shoot around Rossland, and finally, on about our third attempt, the fog hung around long enough for us to session the area. We shot from five or six angles and when I got the film back, it was this shot, where I got the camera as close to the action as I could with a 16 mm fisheye, that gave the viewer the best peek into what it’s like to get air on a mountain bike. Minutes after this image was taken, the sun burned the fog off and the shoot was done.
Biography
I mostly find inspiration from light. I’ve never been that attracted to flash or contrived set-up type photos. Not that I don’t find them intriguing, but I’m more interested in working with natural light and reacting to real life situations.
When I was young, I used to look at national geographic Magazine, wonder how the photos were made and ask myself: who are these lucky people that get to go and experience these cool things? That fueled a passion that fortunately turned into a job around 1998 when I began to work with Bike Magazine. To accommodate my newfound direction, I moved to British Columbia, Canada. Finding my way to the mountains after growing up in the prairies, I found a place that fits me and my lifestyle, which now includes life with my young family.
My photography took a turn four years ago when I began to co-create the film life Cycles. Merging my experience in photography and my business partners’ background in film, we set out to create a different kind of action sports film. The future of photography meshing with cinematography is an interesting merge of mediums and I hope to explore the balance of the two more.
Jimmy Wilson, Category finalist 2007: New Creativity
Category finalist 2007New Creativity
PhotographerJimmy Wilson
AthleteAlek Parker
LocationMentawai Islands, Indonesia
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Jimmy Wilson
CameraCanon EOS-1D Mark II N
LensCanon 70–200 mm f/2.8
Focal length, digital200 mm
ISO100
F-stop5.6
Shutter speed1/125
About the shot
On a boat trip in Indonesia last June, our captain brought us to a relatively unknown surf break. When we pulled up, we saw perfect waves breaking like a machine down the reef, with no other people in sight. I was shooting from a dinghy in the channel and had brought my remote flash and water housing with me, knowing that, later, this would be the perfect time and place to light up the surfers with an off-camera flash, creating a studio lighting–style surf photo. I had my friend swim out with it and directed him to where I wanted the flash.
At that point, it was pretty much in Mother Nature and the surfer’s hands to make something happen. It was just my job to push the trigger at the right moment and hope for the best. Luckily, Alek Parker launched this air in the perfect place for the flash to light him and part of his board up, while the early evening ambient light created a copper tint in the background. Like any good photo, certain elements have to come together perfectly for it to come out right. I feel fortunate that I ended up with this image.
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Biography
I was 15 when I broke my ankle skateboarding and picked up a camera. Things kinda just took off from there and somehow I've managed to score a job where I'm literally living a dream… or at the very least watching it from courtside seats. Sure I still pull plenty hours in the Surfing Magazine office so it's not all boat trips and plush hotels, but I could count the days on one hand that I've actually dreaded going to "work", and those must have all been because of hangovers!
Surfing is still my favorite thing in the world to do, followed by traveling with friends, capturing moments with a camera, and newly, snowboarding. My main goals are to have as much fun as possible, laugh at all the hilarious situations, continue to stay psyched on life by living like a little kid, and be an honest and genuinely good human.
Go Jaguars!
Marco Toniolo, Category finalist 2007: New Creativity
Category finalist 2007New Creativity
PhotographerMarco Toniolo
AthleteRoman Rohrmoser
LocationLake Garda, Italy
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Marco Toniolo
CameraCanon EOS-D1 Mark II
Lens16–35 mm f/2.8
Focal length, digital16 mm
ISO200
F-stop9.0
Shutter speed1/1000
About the shot
Lake Garda, Italy, is one of my favourite playgrounds. You can do a lot of sports there: mountain biking, wind surfing, climbing, and skiing. I know nearly every spot there, like the old house in this photo — it’s blocked off by an iron fence with lots of warning signs because it will come crashing down sooner or later. Roman and I wanted a shot of him jumping, with the lake in the background, so we climbed over the fence. Roman went upstairs to the balcony, and I got in on the ground floor. It was very dark — my eyes took some time to adjust from the bright snow and sunshine outside. The floor I was walking on was falling apart — there was a huge hole in the middle of the room. I walked very carefully to a broken window; the shutters were closed and frozen, so I had to kick them open through the sharp edges of the window. When the light came in, I saw the ice on the broken window. It looked like a scene from a horror movie, and I was convinced the floor would crash under my weight while I was taking the photo. Roman’s jump was perfect, and we had the shot on the first try.
Biography
I was born in Italy in 1972 and graduated in economics in December 1996. One month later, I moved to Münich and worked there until 2002 as an accountant. My passion for the mountains took me away from the office and threw me in the mountain biking/skiing/snowboarding battlefield where I work with some of the best riders, searching for the most dramatic scenery for photo shoots. My clients have included Bike Magazine, Skiing, Magura, Fusion Bikes, Canyon Bikes, and Amplid.
What I do doesn’t feel like work. It’s always fun, even taking photos at -20° Celsius in deep powder snow or carrying my mountain bike over a 5,000-meter Himalayan pass. Obviously, you don’t get a salary at the end of the month, but if this is the price for freedom, I am glad I can pay it. Being international is part of my life: my wife is from Sweden, my father from Belgium, my mother from Italy, my newborn son Axel a European who has to manage three languages in his family. I live close to Münich in a 350-year old farmhouse in a small village not far from the mountains. I speak Italian, German, and English fluently, and I write for many magazines in addition to providing photographs.
Mattias Fredriksson, Category finalist 2007: New Creativity
Category finalist 2007New Creativity
PhotographerMattias Fredriksson
AthleteHenrik Windstedt
LocationPark City, UT, USA
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Mattias Fredriksson
CameraNikon F5
Lens17–35 mm
FilmKodak Tri-X 200, pushed to 400
Focal length, 35 mm30 mm
About the shot
This shot was taken during a film shoot with the ski-movie company Teddybear Crisis while we were in Utah, filming for their self-titled (and so far only) movie. It was in February 2005. We had been working hard in the Wasatch backcountry for several days and had really good conditions, so we were almost happy when the weather turned shitty one morning. We slept in and decided to hit up the park at Park City. When we arrived at the parking lot in the afternoon, around 2 p.m., there wasn’t much time left — I almost left my camera backpack in the truck. I’m glad I didn’t, because a few hours later I had this photograph in the can.
This photo was taken from the slow chairlift that serves the public park in Park City and goes above parts of it down low. The first time I went up with the lift, I knew I wanted to create this photo. It took a few tries, but it worked out exactly as I wanted. Thanks to Henrik Windstedt (the rider in the shot), T.J. Schiller, Niklas Karlström, and Ashley Battersby for their effort this day. This photo became the cover shot for Powder Magazine in October 2005 — my first cover with that fine publication, which I’m very happy for.
Biography
After living in Riksgränsen, Sweden, for two seasons as a ski bum, I started my career in print journalism with Vertikal Magazine, eventually landing in Åre as editor of Sweden’s national ski magazine, Åka Skidor. But the meetings and the long hours in the office started to wear on me. So I hit the reboot button. I grabbed my camera, went into the mountains, and started taking photos. Over the next few years I got heavy into the whole action-sport scene. That’s where the bulk of my work is today: living out of a big, gear-filled bag, traveling the world to shoot awesome athletes, trying to keep my points up so I can eat free cake in the Gold Club lounge. I have been a pro photographer since 2000.
Today my work regularly appears in photo-driven, industry-leading magazines like Powder. I also contribute to a host of other magazines around the world like Bike (U.S.), SBC Skier (Canada), Fluid (France), and Skiing: the next level (Germany). My humble services as a photographer and photo editor are also contracted out by Åre-based Peak Performance magazine, Transition (Sweden), and Magasin Åre (Sweden).
And even though I’m a Swede and I can’t play hockey to save my life, I was invited to Canada in 2003 to be a presenter at the World Ski and Snowboard Festival’s internationally renowned Pro Photographer’s Showdown. I like tight-fitting clothes, electro, house, and heavy metal music, and women who like to rub my scalp as if it were a magic ball.
Alberto Guglielmi, Category finalist 2007: Playground
Category finalist 2007Playground
PhotographerAlberto Guglielmi
AthleteSimone Vannucci
LocationMauritius
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Alberto Guglielmi
CameraNikon D200
Lens70–200 mm VR and 1.4 TC
Focal length, digital185 mm with the TeleConverter (approx. 270 mm in 35 mm equivalent)
ISO320
F-stop5.6
Shutter speed1/500
About the shot
I was on assignment for RRD International, shooting their 2007 catalog. We were on the beautiful peninsula of Le Morne, on the island of Mauritius in the Indian Ocean. We had already planned to shoot from the helicopter for the catalog, as the colors of the lagoon are unbelievable there.
We decided for a third hour of helicopter flying time, dedicated purely to capturing wave-riding shots between kite and windsurfing. I told the athletes to wait for me on the upwind side of the reef until they saw me, then to come down surfing the most beautiful wave of the island.
I discovered at the helicopter briefing that they had changed the pilot, and he did not want to fly lower than 500 feet. I knew it was too high to shoot the riders, but there was no way to convince him otherwise; we almost bailed the heli-day. I decided finally to go with my eye for art, without considering the riders. I positioned the pilot to get me the frames I wanted: the surfers, the reef, and the lines of the waves.
I came back with a throbbing headache from an hour of looking through a 400 mm lens from a moving helicopter. I was so happy when I saw the images — the clients and athletes were speechless.
Biography
I have been taking pictures since childhood, with the camera next to me and sharing in every adventure and passion of my life. I was a professional windsurfer and snowboarder before graduating with a degree in economics and undertaking a successful career in management consulting in Rome, London, and New York. After seven years in the “serious” business world, and while being a vice-president for a famous branding and design firm in New York City, I decided I was finally ready to leave the tie in the closet and go back to my roots. With many pictures in my portfolio already, transitioning to professional photography was an easy step. I started with a portrait exhibition in New York, and currently I’m a Nikon Pro with more than twelve magazine covers worldwide.
I am just simply in love with photography. My specialization is lifestyle and portraits, combined with a great love and passion for extreme sports, which I shoot whenever possible. I live between upstate New York (where I have my own photo studio and spend most of the year) and Italy (my home in the summer months), and I travel the world for assignments. My clients include Lavazza USA, RRD International, Montecristo, RealBeDifferent, and Plastik.
Pasi Salminen, Category finalist 2007: Playground
Category finalist 2007Playground
PhotographerPasi Salminen
AthletePirkka Pollari
LocationHarjavalta, Finnland
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Pasi Salminen
CameraCanon EOS 5D
LensCanon 70–200 mm 2.8L
Focal length, digital105 mm
ISO125
F-stop4.5
Shutter speed1/800
About the shot
This spot is very well known in Finland. I was there for the first time about 10 years ago; the place was very rough, but nice. About five years ago, the electric company repaired that concrete, which made the spot a little easier to skate, and cleaner looking.
When I shot this photo, I was there with Pirkka and the Perus crew. I asked all the other skaters to stand back so that I could shoot Pirkka, and told him how I wanted the shot to look. Pirkka was stoked about my idea and started to try the trick. He tried about 10 times, and then he made it.
Biography
I got started in photography by shooting skateboarding. For the first eight years I shot skateboarding in my hometown of Ulvila, Finland. After I finished school I moved to Helsinki to get a job. For three years, I was an IT specialist - you know, coding programs and being a real nerd. From that nerd job I got enough money to buy some nice camera equipment and almost immediately started to shoot snowboarding.
Three years was enough to be a nerd so I started working with a skate and snowboard distributor in Finland. With that job I got more time to shoot. After shooting two to three years almost full time, I decided to take charge and became a full-time photographer.
In the winter, I make my living from shooting snowboarding and the rest of the year I shoot stuff for corporate communications, events, products, people, and anything else to get money to live.
I take my job seriously. When it comes to photos, I am a perfectionist. I’ll sometimes use six to eight flashes to fill light where I want that light to be. From looking at my photos, you can easily see that I like to play with flashes.
Vitek Ludvik, Category finalist 2007: Playground
Category finalist 2007Playground
PhotographerVitek Ludvik
AthleteTommy Brunner
LocationHaines, AK, USA
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Vitek Ludvik
CameraCanon EOS-3
Lens70–200 mm f/2.8
FilmFuji 100
Focal length, 35 mm200 mm
F-stop8.0
Shutter speed1/800
About the shot
On the second day of this trip, I was with Martin and Tommy. We were supposed to ride the same U-shaped valley as the day before, but it was all tracked out. We circled around the peak and flew to Tomahawk, a huge mountain with a face full of snow and big crevasses across the foot where the snow meets the glacier. I would get a nice view of a turn or two from the hillside, but it wasn’t possible to see the mountain, which was really beautiful. I decided to stay in the helicopter; the pilot and guide removed the door, and we hung out of it commando style.
Tommy went first and Martin second. These were the best rides of the whole trip — no others would be so impressive.
Biography
I was born on May 23, 1973, in the Czech Republic. I got started in photography at age 10 with a camera that was a gift from my grandfather. At 14, I started rock climbing and always had a camera around my neck. After I finished technical engineering school, I left for a surfing trip to Hawaii where I discovered the magic of landscape photography.
I got seriously into photography on a trip to Mt. McKinley in 1996. My work was first published in 1997 and in the same year, I founded Sharp Pictures, a multimedia agency specializing in the international sport industry. Since then, I have been working as a freelance photographer. I shoot catalogs and ads for clients such as Rip Curl, Quiksilver, Fomei, Tamron, and Sensor. I also make and collaborate on movies, including Goosneck and Real Night in Prague (mountain biking) and Just One Day (snowboarding). A trip to photo-shoot and film life and backcountry snowboarding in forgotten Eastern European countries such as Bulgaria and Romania resulted in another movie as well as stories and photos in magazines. In 2002, I attended the Vancouver Film School and although I still live in the Czech Republic, Whistler is my second home.
Wojtek Antonow, Category finalist 2007: Playground
Category finalist 2007Playground
PhotographerWojtek Antonow
AthletePontus Alv
LocationPowisle train station, Warsaw, Poland
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Wojtek Antonow
CameraCanon EOS 5
LensTokina 80–210 mm f/2.8
FilmIlford 400 forced to 1600
Focal length, 35 mm80 mm
ISO1600
F-stop5.0
Shutter speed1/500
About the shot
Pontus Alv is a Swedish skateboarder with Polish roots. When he was in Poland, he was looking for some different places to skate — and he found some. This photo was taken of him on the roof of the Powisle train station in Warsaw — typical Polish 70-foot architecture. Pontus was so happy with this roof, and so was I with this shot. This spot has never been skated before.
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Biography
In 1998, I started to work for the Polish magazine Slizg (music, skateboarding, graffiti, etc.). At first, I was a journalist, but then I started to take an interest in photography. I was shooting music events and some portraits, and finally I started to work with skateboarders as I had always been fascinated by skateboarding. I spent a lot of time on my board, but — to be honest — I wasn't very talented.
At the moment, I'm based in Warsaw and am focused on sport photography. Skateboarding, snowboarding, and freeskiing are my favorite subjects. I really love what I'm doing: working with friends, meeting new people, traveling and visiting new spots and new places, trying to "catch the moments" with my camera, and learning everyday. Sometimes it's not easy to make a living from it, but the most important thing is that it gives me so much satisfaction. I would like to thank all my friends and all the athletes I have worked with since without them, I couldn't do what I'm doing – lots of love!
David Blažek, Category finalist 2007: Sequence
Category finalist 2007Sequence
PhotographerDavid Blažek
AthletePavel Bruzek
LocationLes Alpes, France
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David Blažek
CameraCanon EOS-1D Mark II
LensCanon 15 mm fisheye
ISO200
F-stop8.0
Shutter speed1/3000
White balanceDaylight
About the shot
This photo was taken during the shoot for an upcoming “Snowboarding for Beginners” book. We finished the main shoot on time and, beers in hand, started talking about something special we could do in the resort. We got the idea for an air-to-fakie, shot from a stepladder, and decided to try it the next morning.
The halfpipe was super icy that day, and I didn’t get a chance to dig a hole to secure the stepladder. I just put some snow around it, hoping the rider wouldn’t hit me. The session was super fun, and we got the right result after only a few attempts, including two great single shots as well.
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Biography
I was born in 1979 in Prague in the Czech Republic. Around 1996, during my secondary school studies, I fell in love with the skateboard. My first photography endeavors started with shooting skateboard friends from my crew. That was the beginning of a period of hard work: spending my nights behind a bar as a bartender and making big investments in photography equipment.
Today, I work on a freelance basis, with a specialization in snowboarding, skateboarding, bikes, and product shots. I still make my home in Prague, but I’m living outside for more than 200 days each year. I am the main photographer for the Czech publication Free Magazine and for Freeride.cz Internet magazine. Other European publications that have used my photography include Boardlife, Docky, Snowboard MDS, Snow, Pleasure, Kingpin, and Playboard. I am also working as the primary photographer for a Czech company called Horsefeathers, doing action shots and product catalogs. Additional clients have included Burton, Red Bull, Fanatic, Vehicle, Funstorm, Santa Cruz, and Aeon.
John Gibson, Category finalist 2007: Sequence
Category finalist 2007Sequence
PhotographerJohn Gibson
AthleteRobbie Bourdon
LocationIlhabela, Brazil
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John Gibson
CameraCanon EOS-1D Mark II
Lens15 mm f/2.8
ISO100
F-stop6.3
Shutter speed1/1000
White balanceAutomatic
About the shot
We traveled to Brazil in February 2006 for our annual Kona Clump team trip and headed straight to the coast and São Sebastião Island. Robbie, along with teammates Carlin Dunne and Dave Watson, found this big rock and built a ladder going up the rock so he could ride across it, then launch off the other side. Team Manager Richard Cox held me by my belt so I was able to lean over and get this photo from another rock.
Biography
I’m from Alberta, Canada. In 1987 after graduating from a photography program in Edmonton at the Northern Alberta Institute of Technology I moved to Calgary and began a nine-year career as a photographer at the Calgary Sun newspaper. In 1988 I landed an assignment shooting the Winter Olympics for the Canada Olympic Association.
After that I spent the next nine years shooting news and sports in the Calgary area. During that time I was also a wire service freelance photographer for Agence France Presse (AFP). When the sport of mountain biking began to take shape in the 80s a few mountain bike publications began to appear and my girlfriend handed me an early copy of Bike magazine and said, “you should get some photos like this”. After that I began to bring a camera on mountain bike rides.
During a holiday to California in 1994 I phoned David Reddick – photo editor at Bike magazine and asked him if he would look at my portfolio of cycling photos and after that he asked me to start contributing photos to the magazine. At that time very few photographers were taking pictures of mountain biking – it was still a very small sport. In 1995, I began to shoot photos for the Kona Mountain Bike Company as their full time photographer. In 1996 I started my own business and began to shoot the sport of mountain biking full time. Twenty years later I am still doing the same thing – taking photos of people riding their bikes. The world of photography has changed drastically in my lifetime but many things have remained exactly the same.
Florian Grill, Category finalist 2007: Sequence
Category finalist 2007Sequence
PhotographerFlorian Grill
AthleteBjörn "Bommel" Mager
LocationSkatepark Bielefeld, Germany
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Florian Grill
CameraCanon 20D
Lens45 mm zoom
F-stop8.0
Shutter speed1/500
Digital processAfter shooting with a basic photo with balance, I went onto my Mac, controlled the skin color and contrasts, and cut the seven images into pieces. After spending hours in front of the display, building the sequence, I am really happy to see a balanced and printed photo now.
About the shot
This photo was taken on a late afternoon in June, in my hometown. We had been having a great jam session with our friends all weekend; each time Bommel launched the ramp, he got higher and more extreme. The spectators went crazy, and the whole atmosphere was breathtaking. So I moved closer to the crowd, looked for the best place to be more a part of the audience as a photographer, and this is the result. In the evening, we had a great barbecue and a lot of fun. Thanks again to Bommel, an amazing rider and great guy.
Biography
I was born in Konstanz, Germany, in 1979, and I grew up between the Alps and a large lake. Any spare time was filled with the search for new adventures in the mountains or on the water. After attending the Rudolf Steiner School in Wahlwies and serving an apprenticeship as a carpenter, I moved to Bielefeld in 2004 to study photography, media, and art.
My main focus lies in lifestyle photography in connection with action and fashion images. With the establishment of the floriangrill.com Studio in Hamburg in 2007, I will further develop this concept in the high-end area with — among other equipment — the Hasselblad H3D camera system. So far I have shot action photos for Etnies, Eastern Bikes, TSG/Titus, Twenty Inch Magazine, and Ride BMX Magazine UK, among others, and I won the Schlueschen-Stiftung award for sport photography in both 2005 and 2006. In the future, I wish to be able to continue to cooperate with such great people and to pursue my passion of photography.
Alex Schelbert, Category finalist 2007: Sequence
Category finalist 2007Sequence
PhotographerAlex Schelbert
AthleteOrlando Duque
LocationMostar, Bosnia-Herzegovina
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Alex Schelbert
CameraCanon EOS-1D Mark II
Lens15 mm fisheye
Focal length, digital15 mm
ISO100
F-stop4.0
Shutter speed1/1600
White balanceAuto
Additional notesThis shot was taken at eight frames per second. In the beginning I planned to take just four of the eight to show the action, but, as Orlando’s speed increased during his fall, in the end I chose to work with all eight frames. The photo was stitched together as a sequence.
About the shot
At the official reopening of the Mostar, Bosnia, bridge Stari Most (“Old Bridge” in English), Orlando — a world champion in cliff diving several times over — made this amazing jump, which I captured in sequence to show the full range of motion. The original bridge was destroyed in the Yugoslavian war several years ago, but local cliff divers jumped down the stones of the old bridge even during the war. After the bridge was rebuilt, the celebration in the city of Mostar attracted thousands of people to watch the famous bridge jumping again.
Biography
I am based in Munich, Germany, and though my portfolio includes many types of photography, I specialize in extreme sport events, shooting only digital with Canon! I started with snowboard photography in 1995, and I also worked as editor for Modern Sport Magazine and Piranha Magazine. In 1999 I took part in the first ever Red Bull Photochallenge in Cortina d’Ampezzo, shooting a mountain bike race that was held in an ice channel for bobsleighs.
In the following years I’ve especially liked shooting freestyle motocross, Red Bull Air Race events, and Red Bull Crashed Ice (ice cross downhill), as well as mountain bike downhill and freeride or BMX (especially miniramp and flatland). My favorite events each year are the Red Bull X-Fighters in Madrid’s Las Ventas bullring and the Battle of the Year — the World Championships in breakdancing! I’ve shot for Red Bull, Adidas, Braun, Duracell, Sony, Samsung, the Fiat Freestyle Team, and, of course, a lot of magazines. I believe that you should enjoy every day of your life!
Wade McKoy, Category finalist 2007: Sequence
Category finalist 2007Sequence
PhotographerWade McKoy
AthleteJamie Pierre
LocationGrand Targhee, WY, USA
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Wade McKoy
Camera OneCanon EOS-1D Mark IIN; Camera Two
LensCamera One
FilmFujichrome Provia 100
Focal length, digitalCamera One
ISOCamera One
F-stopCamera One
Shutter speedCamera One
White balanceAutomatic, adjusted to 6250K to match reality
ProcessFor this world-record ski jump, I used two cameras
About the shot
As always, my shooting schedule revolves around the weather and the athlete’s plans. When Jamie called and told me he was going to do this 250-foot jump that we’d been scoping for several years, I started imagining the scene. I knew there would be other photographers shooting it — one with the film crew, and one who was traveling with Jamie. That’s a good thing on something of this nature, a superhuman feat. The more angles and the more captures, the better for the athlete. But too many is not so good for the photographers.
It’s a good thing it was a “closed set” (or what amounted to that — the crew showed up on site before anyone else was around), because even so, there were five photographers shooting it, which is a few too many for the photographers’ sake. But there were at least four angles on this thing; luckily for me, the one I picked that day is the same one most photo editors also picked. My shot has been published by 14 magazines all over the world, including the Guinness Book of World Records. Jamie’s leap, and my pictures of it, really made an impression.
Biography
At 55, I have spent half my life photographing and writing about skiing and ski mountaineering. It’s been my pleasure and good fortune to travel the world’s mountains — including four of its tallest peaks — with friends intent on capturing the adventure of ski-touring, alpine climbing, and ski descent. Just one of the many gratifications such journeys provide is working with the indigenous peoples of remote locales, in the process learning something of their culture and becoming their friends.
My photos and articles from Jackson Hole, Alaska, South America, Europe, Africa, Asia, and Antarctica have appeared in numerous national and international publications, including Powder, Backcountry, Men’s Journal, ESPN, Fall Line, Fluid, Powder Hound, and FreeSkier. I shoot commercial assignments and stock for clients such as Cloudveil, Patagonia, The North Face, and Marmot. I am co-owner of Focus Productions, Inc. (focusproductions.com) with another longtime Jackson Hole photographer, Bob Woodall, and publish three annual visitors’ guides: Jackson Hole Skier, Mountain Country, and the Jackson Hole Dining Guide. In the winter of 2006/07, I will shoot a ski adventure in Kashmir.
Brian Bielmann, Category finalist 2007: Spirit
Category finalist 2007Spirit
PhotographerBrian Bielmann
AthleteBrian Pacheco
LocationPipeline Beach, HI, USA
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Brian Bielmann
CameraCanon EOS-D1 Mark II
Lens600 mm
ISO100
F-stop4.0
Shutter speed1/640
White balanceAutomatic
About the shot
This was during the final heat of the Pipeline trials, and Brian Pacheco needed this wave to win the heat. I can’t remember why he didn’t catch it, but as he pulled back, the frustration was obvious in his body language. It makes me think of the TV show from when I was young, called “Wide World of Sports,” and the phrase “the agony of defeat.”
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Biography
I was born in New York in 1957 and started surfing in 1970 at the age of 13. in the last two years of high school, all I could think about was graduating and moving to Hawaii. In 1975 I did just that, and so at age 17 I was living in paradise. Since then I've never looked back. When I was 21 I decided that I would be a surf photographer, but it still took a near death collision with a reef to get me off my surfboard and behind the camera.
It has now been 30 years of surfing and photography for me, and what a long, strange trip it has been. Lots of crazy people, lots of exotic places. Not much money, but a fantastic life. I have been lucky enough to see – and in a small way be a part of – the evolution of the sport of surfing. i have seen surfing champions come and go and i have visited and photographed places that were once unknown and have seen them become world famous hot spots.
I have seen technology change the way a wave is ridden and I have watched the pictures I used to draw on my notebook of surfers riding giant waves become a reality. My goal is to try to keep taking the viewer to places they have not visited and to see things unlike anything they have seen before. I work for Transworld Surf in the USA and Volcom clothing, and contribute to most surfing publications outside of America.
I pray that I continue to see the beauty in what God has created and be able to continue to spread that beauty with my own vision. Thank God for this fantastic world.
Klaus Fengler, Category finalist 2007: Spirit
Category finalist 2007Spirit
PhotographerKlaus Fengler
AthletesWill Gadd, Ines Pappert
LocationRoute "Mach 3/M9", Kandersteg, Breitwangflue, Switzerland
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Klaus Fengler
CameraCanon EOS-1D Mark II and Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II
Lens15–400 mm
About the shot
Each January, Black Diamond organizes an ice climbing festival in Kandersteg, in the Bernese Overland of Switzerland. Ines Pappert had phoned me to let me know that she was planning to climb the Breitwangflue with Will Gadd, who would be attending the festival this year. I was immediately hooked. I called Will in advance to arrange a shoot — I had taken photos of him before, on a short visit to Canada.
It wasn’t until we were sitting in the little train that climbed Breitwangflue that Ines told me that she and Will wanted to repeat the climb of Mach 3, a route climbed for the first time ever by Robert Jasper.
Ines and Will were taking turns lead-climbing for three rope lengths until they reached the crux (the most difficult section of the climb). I followed them ascending a fixed rope. On his second try, Will managed to climb this severely overhanging section. He then hooked in a fixed rope in just the right position to allow me to take some shots of him and Ines in this exposed section.
Biography
I was born in 1963 and raised in Lower Saxony, Germany and now live in Berchtesgaden. I started photography when I was young because my father was an amateur photographer and he passed on his enthusiasm to my two brothers and I.
At 17, I started to sport climb. Then I studied mechanical engineering in Konstanz before working for 12 years with the company Siemens in standard engineering. But photography was always more than just a hobby for me and it was only natural that I should combine my two hobbies, climbing and photography.
After I had meet Stefan Glowacz personally in 2000, I went on regular climbing expeditions in different countries of the earth. In 2003, I decided to go freelance as a photographer. Since then I’ve been self-employed with a focus on outdoor expeditions, landscape and reportage.
Damiano Levati, Category finalist 2007: Spirit
Category finalist 2007Spirit
PhotographerDamiano Levati
AthleteJacopo Bufacchi
LocationMont Blanc, Courmayeur, Italy
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Damiano Levati
CameraCanon EOS-1D Mark II
LensCanon EF-L 100–400 mm 4.5/5.6 IS
Focal length, digital365 mm
ISO100
F-stop5.6
Shutter speed1/3200
About the shot
This is one of the most distinctive images I’ve ever taken. When shooting freeskiing, I usually agree with the skier on where and how to do the turn, then set the camera and give the skier the OK.
When I took this photo, the conditions were perfect. It was the first heavy snowfall of the year, and there was wonderful winter light. At the beginning, we were fearful for the avalanche risk. The Courmayeur, Italy, side of Mont Blanc is steep and presents all the dangers of big-mountain skiing, such as crevasses and huge cliffs, but, after a few runs, we found that the conditions were safe enough, so we decided to take some photos. It was difficult to choose where to shoot, since everywhere was nice, so I told Jacopo just to ski wherever he wanted. I took lots of photos of that run, but, at the time, no one noticed what had happened at this moment. In the evening, happy and tired from the long day, we sat in front of the computer and got a big surprise: In a couple of frames, a bird, scared by Jacopo, had flown into the shot.
I agree that I was lucky, but this image is also a result of three years spent looking for powder and skiing in every condition, with a heavy backpack. In the end, it is always a matter of being at the right place at the right time. This picture is not just a good image — it also shows my idea of freeskiing, which is in some ways different from the one seen in videos and commercials. For me, freeriding is a different approach to sports, a life based on feelings and experiences. It is also a different way to relate to nature and the mountains: not a battle, but a way to enjoy every aspect of being part of it.
Biography
In my university years I started taking pictures of my passions: skiing, biking, and climbing. Then I had to make a decision. On one side I had my master’s degree in electronic engineering with a specialization in artificial intelligence, and on the other I had my camera, my skis, and my bike. Obviously, I chose the second.
My idea of photography is linked to the idea of shooting in action. I like to be part of what I’m shooting, both mentally and physically. This means being ready for the action, and I train to improve my skills and strength. From the beginning, I had the idea that having a camera didn’t make me a photographer. So I’ve been exploring every aspect of photography. Photography is not just a way of earning money or proving to be a good technician. With my small skiers lost in oceans of snow, I try to show that there is a different way to relate with nature. For me, this is the first step in my personal evolution. Thanks to photography, I’m travelling the world and meeting a lot of people. Every new experience enriches me and makes me want to find a new story to be told using only one word: click.
Frode Sandbech, Category finalist 2007: Spirit
Category finalist 2007Spirit
PhotographerFrode Sandbech
AthleteMartin Sandberg
LocationRoldal, Norway
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Frode Sandbech
CameraCanon EOS 20D
ISO100
F-stop7.1
Shutter speed1/1000
ProcessMade black and white and given a little contrast
About the shot
This was shot in Roldal, the ski area in Norway that gets the most snow every year. It’s also a place with really unstable weather, but if you’re lucky it can be pretty good. On this trip, there were two riders plus me as the photographer. Most of the hotels were booked up, so we ended up in a small summer cabin with no insulation. It was located close to a Viking graveyard — cold and spooky, perfect for creepy stories. Martin — the athlete in the photo — didn’t like the stories too much, because he believes in ghosts.
We found a good spot on the mountain for a nice step-up, which we ended up building for two days. At the end of day two, as the sun was setting, Martin walked along the ridge of the landing while we were still down at the jump. All of a sudden, it got really windy, and a lot of snow started blowing around Martin. As the sun got low, Martin created a shadow in the snow that was lit up by the sun. It was like this for about two minutes before the wind just stopped again. It was beautiful to watch, and kind of made Martin’s belief in ghosts something to think about.
Biography
Sandbech traded in his electric guitar for an old Pentax camera in 1994. In 2001 he sold his first photo, then in 2004 had an international breakthrough landing the cover of Transworld Snowboarding Photo Annual. He has now had more then 50 magazine covers; enjoyed worldwide travels with top athletes and international photo campaigns for various companies. Won the WSSF contest in 2014, both the people's choice award and the judged contest. And had his first solo exhibition ‘Turning Point’ in November 2018, with great success.
In my photography, I try to balance creativity with clean graphical lines.
I usually strive to find a simple composition that brings out the rider, tells a story and makes you dream. This way I aim to create photos that are aesthetic and comfortable for the eye, and at the same time true to the riders personal styles. I also try to push myself and my photography by adding unpredictable components or working out concepts and new ideas. I am still dedicated to learning and am always looking for new ways to develop my skills, as there are always ways to improve both technically and creatively in photography.
Jacques Marais, Category finalist 2007: Spirit
Category finalist 2007Spirit
PhotographerJacques Marais
AthleteJustin Hawkins
LocationElsie's Peak, Cape Town, South Africa
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Jacques Marais
CameraCanon EOS-1N
LensCanon 17–40 mm
FilmKodak 100VS transparency
Focal length, 35 mm17 mm
ISO100
F-stop5.6
Shutter speed1/250
FlashCanon Speedlite 550 fill-in flash
FilterPolarizer
About the shot
This image was part of a shoot I did with the South African Red Bull athletes. Justin Hawkins, one of the world’s top boulderers, and I hiked onto Elsje Peak, a sandstone cliff overlooking False Bay, which is very close to where I live.
I wanted to isolate Justin against the sky, and found a narrow ledge onto which I could scramble. This gave me a close-up vantage point with a dramatic view of the sea, sky, and cliff. It looks more hectic than it really is, as the relative safety of the ledge is just out of the frame.
Justin trailed some climbing chalk from his hand while swinging away from the cliff, adding even more drama to the shot. Frame, fire, fill-in flash, and that’s about it.
Biography
I am based in Cape Town, South Africa and specialize in any human-powered outdoor action. I first studied electronic engineering, but became bored and subsequently got involved in photography. My key clients include Red Bull, Land Rover and the majority of premium travel and adventure magazines in South Africa.
I have authored and photographed several books on mountain biking, adventure racing and trekking, and I am currently working on a guide to adrenaline destinations around the globe. I am also a contributing editor to BICYCLING Magazine. I spend a lot of time behind the lens and keyboard, and I’ve lost count of my accumulated frequent flyer miles. My free time is spent on the beautiful Cape Peninsula, kicking back with my family, paddling my sea kayak or bombing trails on a free-ride bike. My motto is to go find the action, even if it means following the athletes from dawn to dusk.
Fred Mortagne, Category finalist 2007: Wings
Category finalist 2007Wings
PhotographerFred Mortagne
AthleteAndrew Brophy
LocationGeneva, Switzerland
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Fred Mortagne
CameraNikon FM2 geared up with a motor drive
LensNikon 35 mm
FilmKodak 400 Tri-X, pushed 1 stop
FilterYellow
About the shot
As usual, this picture was taken during a skateboard session I had intended to shoot on video. It was during a Cliché skateboard tour called The Gipsy Tour, for which we had absolutely no set plan — apart from going with the feeling, sleeping out every night, and having only 10 euros a day for food. It was definitely the best skateboard tour I’ve been on.
This session wasn’t exceptional. Looking for a good filming angle, I ended up finding one that would be interesting only for something photographic. I told the guys I was going to take a five-minute break to shoot a photo and asked Andrew Brophy, who wasn’t skating, to do this 360° flip trick because I knew he had the best style of all while performing that trick. I was looking for something very stylish. It worked out perfectly, just the way I visualized it. It’s always a good feeling when this happens.
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Biography
I’m a self-taught french director and photographer, with the focus of my work being mostly around skateboarding. My graphical and geometrical photography is almost exclusively shot in black and white, and focuses more on the aesthetics and style of the sport, rather than the performance, while also playing around a lot with architecture.
Spending so much time out in the streets, I keep a curious eye for other interesting things of life happening, and am always ready to capture those unique moments. My pictures are a feast of lines and angles, and my specific compositions – blending the skateboarders into their environment – make this skateboarding photography accessible to non-skateboarders.
This is the third time my work has been recognized by Red Bull Illume. In total I’ve had seven finalist images in the 2007 and 2010 contests. My first retrospective book was published in the fall of 2016.
Thilo Brunner, Category finalist 2007: Wings
Category finalist 2007Wings
PhotographerThilo Brunner
AthleteMax Biedermann, Team Vuelta
LocationJungfraujoch, Switzerland
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Thilo Brunner
CameraCanon EOS-1Ds
Focal length, digital200 mm
ISO100
F-stop8.0
Shutter speed1/250
About the shot
Max Biedermann, Thomas, and I were looking up toward the peak of Switzerland’s Jungfraujoch — the “Top of Europe” at 3,454 meters — from the Kleine Scheidegg railway mid-station. Some clouds were rising, and we were discussing whether to go further up the mountain or fly down from here. We decided to try to fly from the summit; after an hour-and-a-half train ride, we were on top of the Jungfraujoch. Once there, I asked a lift attendant where the starting point for paragliders was. “Paragliders?” he asked me. “Nobody’s ever started from here that I can remember,” he said. “Are we the first ones ever to start from here?” I thought. “No way — let’s go!” We left the crowds behind us on the viewing platform, walked across the nearby ice field, waited for the right wind, and took off.
Biography
I am based in Munich, which is perfect for my kind of work. The highest mountains are close, and the media and businesses I work with are not far from my office. I started my career as a journalist for different fun-sport media outlets. It was while I was working on an article about Niels-Peter Jensen, a mountain bike athlete, that I started to take pictures to make the story complete. For me, it was more interesting to be outside, working with light and right next to the action as opposed to sitting in front of the computer the whole day.
To get more knowledge about photography, I started volunteering for a fashion and portrait photographer. Using light to shape the things I was trying to capture became more and more important to me. Light and shadow, two extremes in life and photography, are part of my work — I believe less light is more interesting. Today, I shoot images for both advertisements and editorial spreads. I’ve never tried to compete in an international photo contest like Red Bull Illume before. It’s a great experience to have your picture chosen from hundreds of similar ones.
Fred Mortagne, Category finalist 2007: Wings
Category finalist 2007Wings
PhotographerFred Mortagne
AthleteKevin "Spanky" Long
LocationPhoenix, AZ, USA
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Fred Mortagne
CameraNikon FM2 geared up with a motor drive
LensNikon 35 mm
FilmKodak 400 Tri-X, pushed 1 stop
F-stopUnrecorded
Shutter speedUnrecorded
FilterYellow
About the shot
This photo was shot in Phoenix, AZ, during the warm-up before a skateboard session in this irrigation ditch. I spotted the puddle and asked one of the skaters to do a simple but stylish trick. I was there to shoot video, not photographs, so we got this picture done quickly, before the “real” business started. It wasn’t a very successful session — we didn’t really film anything interesting — but I walked away very happy because I knew this would make a very good photograph. It saved the day.
Biography
I’m a self-taught french director and photographer, with the focus of my work being mostly around skateboarding. My graphical and geometrical photography is almost exclusively shot in black and white, and focuses more on the aesthetics and style of the sport, rather than the performance, while also playing around a lot with architecture.
Spending so much time out in the streets, I keep a curious eye for other interesting things of life happening, and am always ready to capture those unique moments. My pictures are a feast of lines and angles, and my specific compositions – blending the skateboarders into their environment – make this skateboarding photography accessible to non-skateboarders.
This is the third time my work has been recognized by Red Bull Illume. In total I’ve had seven finalist images in the 2007 and 2010 contests. My first retrospective book was published in the fall of 2016.
Ray Demski, Category finalist 2007: Wings
Category finalist 2007Wings
PhotographerRay Demski
AthleteVasil Tasevski
LocationCarnon Plage, France
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Ray Demski
CameraNikon D200
LensNikon 17–55 mm f/2.8 DX
Focal length, digital17 mm
Focal length, 35 mm-
ISO160
F-stop5.6
Shutter speed1/250
Flash2 Nikon SB-600 speedlights, 2 Nikon SB-800 speedlights remotely triggered by built-in flash using Nikon CLS
About the shot
It was a day off for me, and my first day at the beach for the year. For equipment, I was going lightweight — I brought only a Nikon D200 body with 17/55 2.8 lens and polarizing filter, as well as four small Nikon speedlights. Everything went into one small bag with my towel and shorts.
About an hour before sundown, a large bank of clouds started moving in — perfect for photos! We got to work, visualising the lighting effect I wanted. I set my four flashes in the sand, pointed where Vasil would fly; I took some shots to get the light dialed, and then we got started. I asked Vasil to do a backflip — perfect! I got a beautiful shot of him tucked in a ball, midway through flipping, at the perfect moment, with him covering the sun. I decided to try a different shot, so I had him flip at a different angle, with his legs fully extended. I nailed this photo, “Gravity Experiments,” on the first try. We shot a few more frames before calling it quits and pulling out the power kites for some flying time.
Biography
Growing up in the mountains of western Canada, the outdoors have always felt like home.
Thanks to my crazy adventurous parents, even by the age of four I had been to a long list of far-flung places.
At fourteen I moved with my family onto a sailboat, none of us having a clue about sailing. Together we spent almost seven years sailing around the globe, exploration was my education.
During the sailing voyage I picked up a camera and began photographing the people and places along the way - I’ve been addicted ever since.
Going pro in 2007, as a lifelong athlete and explorer, I gravitated to action and adventure photography.
These days I split my time between commercial work and expeditions to intense places with amazing people.
When not shooting I get outside and enjoy the sports I love.
Since 2013 I call Munich, Germany home, but most days I can be found on the move.
Thomas Ulrich, Category finalist 2007: Wings
Category finalist 2007Wings
PhotographerThomas Ulrich
AthletesMike Robinson, Dave Major
LocationPilz, Eiger, Switzerland
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Thomas Ulrich
CameraNikon F5
LensNikon Nikkor 16 mm f/2.8 fisheye
FilmFuji Sensia 100 ASA
About the shot
In the 1980s, I passed close by this tower which stands on the west ridge of the Eiger in the Bernese Oberland of Switzerland. I was in a helicopter and saw the Pilz (“mushroom”) tower from the heli window. With me was a friend of mine, Xavier Bongard, a climber and BASE jumper. We discussed what we saw and decided to go take a closer look at this tower; Xavier wanted to know whether it was possible to jump down from it. A few years later, I was on the Pilz to take this shot of Ueli Gegenschatz and Hannes Arch BASE jumping from the strange tower. The pictures I took were seen around the world, and in a very short time, the Pilz became famous within the small but well-informed global BASE jump community as one of the most attractive BASE jump locations.
Biography
I was born on November 16,1967 in Interlaken, Bernese Oberland, Switzerland, where I still live with my Norwegian wife, Åsta, and our three girls. Besides my professional training to become a carpenter and a mountain guide, I started early with extreme climbing. In 1988, I traveled for the first time to Patagonia; subsequently, I added six more expeditions to this place, doing important climbs but also completing the first successful traverse of the Southern Patagonian inland ice (together with Norwegian explorer Børge Ousland) in 2003.
I have published three stories in National Geographic magazine, beginning with an article about the first winter ascent of the “Ferrari” route on Cerro Torre that I did with friends in 1999. I started my career path toward becoming a world-famous adventure photographer as an autodidact – I was self-taught. Today my pictures are published in magazines such as Animan, LIFE, and Sports Illustrated, and I work for several commercial clients in the outdoor market. In addition, I work as a cameraman and filmmaker and have won several prizes for my movies. In 2006, my attempt to cross the Arctic solo and unsupported failed; nevertheless, I go on planning the next expeditions, bound to my credo: “Follow your heart!”