Behind the Scenes - Whitewater Kayaking
I first shot kayakers on this waterfall years ago but at the time just used natural light. We shot on a cloudy day, and at the time I was excited about the images, but looking back my excitement had faded and they weren’t super strong. They kayaking was still impressive, but the images were flat and weren’t anything special.
I had the idea towards the end of last summer to try and shoot the falls using a flash to create a more dynamic image that showcased the power of the water and the shape of the waterfall. At that time of year the water is to low to safely paddle so it needed to wait. I sat on the idea for the winter and waited until the spring when the water levels would be higher.
Trail Running
This image was shot as part of a personal project. I had the idea of wanting to shoot a top down image that really showed the body position of the runner through the shadow. This location is at a local park and a walking bridge passes over the gravel trail below. This was the perfect location as it allowed me to get above my athlete (Will Goneau) as he ran through. It took a few tries to get the exact body position with the shadow, but since we were working in a small space it was easy to have Will run through multiple times.
Rainy Day Soccer
From an early age, I played soccer. Starting with the leagues where all the kids chase the ball around the field, eventually moving on to indoor leagues and high school soccer. I was never the best but always had fun playing. After high school, I stopped playing, but I still enjoy kicking the ball around.
Winter 2020 Highlights
2020 was an interesting winter. In British Columbia, the season came late with hardly any snowfall in December and ended earlier than expected with restrictions being put in place. However, there was still plenty of time to get after it. I’ve put together this slideshow to share my snowboarding work from 2020. Some of the images made it to print in various magazines, others have been used online, and some haven’t been seen at all.
Behind the Scenes: Bear, Raven and a bit of Luck.
When shooting you can plan all you want, but sometimes everything comes down to luck. Getting this exact framing depends almost entirely on luck.
While in Tofino, we decided to take a day to hop on a boat and check out the shoreline from a different perspective. In doing so we came across a lot of wildlife ranging from bears to grey whales and orcas. Being on the water gave an unobstructed view, as I didn’t need to shoot through a thickly forested mountainside.
Mini Adventure - Triangulation
Not every adventure is some epic multi-day mountain ridge traverse, and I don’t think it always should be. This day was forecasted to be rainy and overcast, but we decided to get out regardless and just deal with the conditions. Not that I am in any way against hiking in the rain, it can sometimes just be harder to motivate.
Behind the Scenes: S-Curves
When I lived Utah, anytime I was going up into the mountains to adventure, or snowboard I would drive past this spot in Big Cottonwood Canyon. I had scoped this angle when checking out a climbing location and knew I wanted to make a photograph here. It was a matter of waiting for the ideal conditions.
Trail Running
Overall I live a generally active lifestyle, from getting out snowboarding, to hiking in the mountains, to even just biking around town. While not all overly physically demanding they keep me in decent shape. One thing I have always struggled with though is doing a regular exercise routine. This is fine in the middle of winter when I’m getting out nearly every day. But there are times when I find myself on the computer for days on end, editing photos, and realize I haven’t done anything physical. Normally this happens in the spring when I’m trying to finish up all my imagery from the winter, and in the fall when it starts getting rainy.
The Gaucho
Reputed to be brave, unruly and skilled horsemen the gaucho is a national symbol of Argentina, renowned in legends and folklore. However, the heyday of the gauchos has passed. But what does anybody do when their way of life starts to go the way of the dodo? They adapt, they change, they do what they can to remain relevant, and that is exactly what has happened at Mallin Alto.
Should We Give Away Locations Publicly?
Should we publicly tell people about locations that we love? Post about them online giving the exact directions and beta on where to park, how to get there, and exactly what to expect?
Photo Essay: Alpine Camping
Weather can be fickle, mosquitoes atrocious, but time in the mountains can still be cherished. As mentioned in a previous post I’ve made a personal goal to push my work outside of the snow world. I feel winter is where my focus and strengths have always been, but as this is only a small portion of the year I’m striving to expand my skills.
Exploring New Things
I have made it a personal goal to branch out and focus on shooting other activities. Some I have regularly participated in, and some which are entirely new to me.
Behind the Scenes | Armchair Glacier
A hike and photography at a trail near my house in Whistler. Behind the scenes of my thought process and my photography.
Behind the Scenes | A Calm Evening
A hike and photography at Joffre Lakes in Pemberton, BC on a sunny fall evening. Behind the scenes of my thought process and my photography.