Patagonia Catalog

An honor and lifelong dream for me to find my work included in the Summer 2011 Patagonia catalog. Jane, Suz, Jenning, and Andrew at Patagonia have made their seasonal mailer something everyone looks forward to no matter what aspect of nature or sport they are into.

Through their hard work sourcing imagery, stories and the pertinent environmental issues of the hour, their edit and resulting catalogs are much more than a consumer purchasing resource. It is a uplifting and positive look at what drives the passion behind Patagonia and the reason they exist.


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Australian Dano See smacks a September lip on the Central Oregon Coast. The first winter swell of the season had everyone scrambling as clean wind and massive waves rolled into the south jetty of Newport.

Taking a break between kite sessions I saw a helicopter buzz over the beach. A couple phone calls later I found myself strapping in to a cockpit with an old timer named Wally who was absent mindedly preparing to pilot our toy of a helicopter out over the pacific ocean in winds gusting over 40 mph.

I've flown in helicopters in Valdez and the Alps persuing mountains, but never hanging out with my feet on the skid shooting friends smack double overhead swell. Still wet and salty from my session in the waves, the change of perspective from being to seeing rider and kite in motion- working together, has never before been more evident.

This shot is representative of an epiphany. There is so much more at work than just the body, board, wave relationship in kiting. A true kiter moves the kite as an extension of them self. The wave a canvas... a perfect moment shared with the elements of nature.

Behind the Shot: Ruben Lenten

The latest issue of IKitesurf Magazine features Dutch superstar Ruben Lenten and his struggle to overcome injury. Many of the images come from our work together in the Gorge this summer- which wasn't much. I figure in 5 days together we shot on the water for maybe an hour and a half.


My stoke in creating images comes a great deal from the subject themselves. For years it was easy to accomplish with Ruben.

2008 and Ruben feelin' it.

Unfortunately he has been in a tough place the last several years and as a result, it's become a challenge for me as well.

If an athlete is injured and isn't in the moment what can a photographer do? The answer is very little- especially with Ruben. There is no cajoling, or coaxing possible with pain. Ruben has intense pressure from sponsors to produce insane imagery. Compound that with injury... and you have a major formula for frustration. Especially for Ruben... all he wants to give is 100%... um make that 200% (check out 1:13 here.)


Behind the scenes my 5 days with Ruben were spent in a controlled chaos... from dawn to dusk I'm getting hourly weather reports, texts from marketing directors and company owners asking what's happening. I'm managing videographers, jet skis, a 40 foot boat, a helicopter and the logistics of keeping multiple vehicles all together and ready to go on a moments notice. While keeping the vibe upbeat and pressure low.


Sometimes what's best is to not push the button, to not make the call. To put the phone down and say it's not worth it. Let's forget about the helicopter, jet skis, the monster boat. Forget about kiteboarding... it's not the most important thing in the world.

Concern for your friends' well being and happiness is. Cause if kiting isn't fun, then why do it.

In the end with the time we did shoot we accomplished exactly what was needed. More importantly we were able to enjoy the time and leave enriched by the challenge.

Ruben psyches up

boom


soul session

German Kiteboarding Mag

Cameron Dietrich shuv-it on the AirRush fun box in the latest German Kiteboarding issue.


Cameron had rolled into Hood River with his wakeskate and was super stoked about doing some shuv-its on the AirRush fun box. The rail was pretty dry and sticky and he definitely took a couple gnarly wipeouts his first passes. Once the rail was greased up with water (maybe alittle blood?) the session was on and Cameron crushed it.

Aaron Hadlow- 5 time World Champion

Some out takes from 2 weeks with Aaron last summer.

Ruben B-Roll

Been going through my archives to do a website update (the first in 2 years). Came across several shots of Ruben Lenten from last summer. Been sitting on my hard-drive totally forgotten.

It's really crazy how much work I have that hasn't been seen. I get so busy working that once a shoot is in the can and delivered to a client I move on to the next project. I will definitely start posting up some of the out takes here.

Who's That- Eric Reinstra

Reposted from SBC Kiteboard Magazine
words and photos by Lance Koudele

The golden dreadlocks are unmistakable. They mingle amongst the local tribes as one who belongs... the sandbar of Hood River, Lanes at Maui, the slicks of Hatteras, peaks of the Sierras. If it’s kite, surf, snowboard or wake it doesn’t matter. People respect the laid-back, determined focus and distinct style that follows the traveler named Eric Rienstra.

When talking with Eric there is a distinct Rasta ethos surrounding him that could easily fool you into thinking he is just another beach slacker. As a confessed couch surfer and ramen lover it isn’t until you see him in motion on the water do you see his complete commitment to the moment and the quest of perfection of it that defines who he is.

I’ve seen Eric kite late into the evening amongst impossibly light wind, everyone else had come in, yet he stays and waits. Hungry for the opportune gust to work in just one more pass. There exists a thirst in Eric to become better, a fire within to improve each session.

Growing up in Tahoe, Eric started kiting on Sherman Island soon after Corey Roeseler pulled the reel off the kiteski. Eric’s initial stoke was the freedom that kiting provided, to this day it’s the trick progression of the wakestyle movement. “I want wakeboarders to see that kiters can do all they do, and much more,” he says.

Keeping diversity fresh in his bag of board skills, Eric has chosen to return this winter to his snowboarding roots up at Northstar in Tahoe. Fine-tuning his rail steeze much like Dylan Thompson in Utah, Eric is aware that the payoff will come when the kites come out in the spring as he travels to Baja and Maui. The eventual goal he says is an invitation to compete in the Triple-S in Hatteras.

Eric keenly understands the relationship between cause and effect having studied history and philosophy. “By focusing on the past can you make informed decisions at the present to bring about a more favorable future,” he says.

With this kind of irie thinking and hard work there is no doubt Eric will achieve whatever goals he chooses in life.

Outer Keys

Another shot relating to yesterday's post published in the latest Kiteboarding Magazine. Even though we did this shoot back in October I just got to fly the new RPM kite myself this weekend for the first time. Amazing power and stability. Selling my quiver of REV's to update now. So totally stoked.

It's amazing how far kite design has come. Each year the improvements dramatic- 7 years ago when I began kiting each session started with butterflies of uncertainty, not sure how it would end. Would you dump your kite and have to self rescue in front of an oncoming barge, get dragged 20 yards underwater while your kite death spiraled above... even perhaps just loose the kite entirely due to the bar or line snapping? I think those early days really made all kiteboarders a family- having to deal with the consequences and unknowns of a dangerous sport in it's infancy. Everyone really respected one another. I think that as much as the adrenaline rush that kept me coming back day after day, smack-down after beat-down.

Kiting has certainly become alot easier but hell you won't see me complaining. I'm too busy wondering how this whole thing will end up. Like the early years and the uncertainty to a session finish, there is a wonder in me to see how far it goes, where people individually take it. The progression to me really is the driving force now. Progression in style both from the riders perspective, and the photography. 

Coffee's gone time to wrap it up. Peace.

Interview with Pro Kiter Dylan Thompsan

Thompson does what he wants, when he wants. It would be easy to dismiss the kid sporting the steezy tall tee and mint New Era cap as just another punk, but the kid is legit. His style comes from the simple fact that he does things for himself and for no one else. That may sound selfish, but it really isn’t. It’s about a personal code that answers to his own inspiration. It doesn’t turn on and off at the request or demand of others. It’s about measuring himself and his actions to the essence of his being.

The first time I saw and shot Thompson was when I poached a late-afternoon photo session taking place at the Sandbar in 2003. I didn’t know it at the time, but the photographer was a guy named Stephen Whitesell. It was apparent why Thompson was the subject of his focus. Even to my untrained eyes, his style was unique. His kiting was ahead of the curve. Never satisfied with the current status of kiting, Thompson has looked toward the future, progressing the sport and inspiring others while crossing influences from snowboarding to skateboarding.

He carries himself on and off the water with a quiet presence. His voice is soft and his words are few, coming only after they are validated against the intrinsic judge within.

read the rest of the interview  here>>