How does it feel to have four images selected with one a category winner?
Oh man it was awesome and will be so forever. Red Bull Illume is documenting the progression of action sports photography and so to be part of this with a winning shot in the New Creativity category with a shot that I made specifically for Illume? It's just great!
What really went down in Chicago?
What an event! With extreme sports, it sometimes happens that you stay in nice hotels and locations, but to be in that city downtown in a hyper classy fancy hotel, wow. The Winner Award Ceremony was really another experience! It was surreal and the photos displayed at night on those white panels in an area of towering buildings was priceless!
One funny thing is that I missed the group shot with all the winners on stage as I was already drinking beers and celebrating! They didn't realize I was missing because having Dean Treml and Lorenz holder winning more than a category messed up the counting!
How was it to win the New Creativity category?
I'll remember it for a while I think! I was hanging with Christof Kalt, one of the judges and a big fan of my photo. I didn't know which one was the finalist or if there was more than one. I was hoping for the windshield but I didn't know and Christof kept the secret until the end so I really had no idea.
Then when the New Creativity category was presented and I saw the shot on the screen which had made top 5 I said to him: ‘Man I'm happy already that that shot made top five and three others were in the Top 275. I felt I had accomplished something good already. But then, in a matter of seconds they said, ‘And the winner is…’ and my shot was displayed on the screen. It’s like when you dive into the water – that moment when all the sounds around you change and all your senses adapt to the new environment. I put the beer on the table and ran to the stage. The stage panic almost got me for one second in front of the mic but I was too stoked for panicking!
Can you describe some of the challenges of getting the shot?
The big question was, is the windshield gonna crack, is Aaron going to smash it at first try and do we have to go home with no shot. It was in preparation for over a year and the first similar attempt we did ended with Aaron under broken glass. Read the full story on how Ale got the shot here.
Was it good to hang with other photographers?
Again, I wish I had the time to meet them all! It was great to put together faces and shots. Big respect for everyone. I hope to see them again somewhere.
What did you think of the other images?
All the winning shots were just winning big time and in the selection of the Top 275 there are some gems. There are shots that go beyond the action by capturing the essence of the sport. And the progression of photography together with the sports is just amazing.
Red Bull Illume has done a great job with this contest because it's so interesting to see the shots from 2007 and see how different they were back then. And I remember some of the shots that ten years ago were outstanding, they seem to be just more normal now! I believe because they were the first, they opened the vision for others to develop the ideas with new technology and fresh ideas. Red Bull Illume is documenting this evolution and it's awesome.
What is your favourite shot in the contest?
Probably mine – just kidding.. ahahah! I definitely love Dean Treml enhance category winner, so powerful. It seems to me something like a 2001 space odyssey stage or some 70s sci-fi futuristic comic or illustration. Jody MacDonald lifestyle was also so good.
What’s coming up in your calendar?
I have a couple of assignments in southern France and a three week shoot on the west coast. I always force myself to think of new stuff and find new locations around the world. I'll be also doing a cool project with some badass extreme sports movie production company. That is something I would love to work on more in the future.
Where do you think the next challenges in action sports photography are?
It's hard to predict. With new technology growing so quickly, still photography could even became irrelevant and obsolete in five years. Hopefully that won't be the case but the challenge is to keep up with the sport, with the technology we have and the progression that photography is having.
With everyone being a photographer now, should pro photographers be worried?
I think we have the chance to still use the most powerful equipment available plus we have a trained eye that is supposed to give an advantage. I believe quality and professionalism pays in the long term. As my buddy the freeride legend Darren Berrecloth loved to say: ‘innovate or die’.