I was working in Utah with Brett Rheeder and Anthill Films as he built his segment for the film 'Return to Earth'. Brett had built this amazing quarter pipe onto a rock sitting out on the desert floor. After witnessing and shooting this in various natural lighting scenarios and compositions, I started to envision an opportunity to light it from above with the strobe on a drone. I really liked the simplicity of this composition with the three rocks together and thought we could help truly give it an otherworldly feel and help bring shape to the scene with some cascading lightfall from above. At twilight one evening, with help from drone pilot Colin Jones, we slowly feathered the drone into the right position till the light was just right and Brett was maxing out off this rock.
Sterling Lorence

About the shot

Biography
I grew up on Vancouver's North Shore and continue to live here with my wife and two daughters. Mountain biking in the moody forests of the North Shore inspired me to become a photographer and I have been lucky to call it my career for more than twenty years. I feel fortunate to have been able to shoot the evolution of freeride mountain biking alongside some of the sport's greatest athletes, for the most progressive brands, in locations all over the planet. My motivation as a photographer is similar to that of why I chose to ride. The trails that exist on our planet will take you to incredible places with breath-taking scenery and striking light. They will take a lifetime to discover, session, and photograph. I find photography at an incredible place these days, for the digital evolution has made it more accessible and successful for more people. Furthermore, action sports are blossoming across the world and as a result, we are seeing such incredibly progressive accomplishments in the photographic arts and it leaves me constantly inspired and stoked to keep trying out new techniques and ideas.