New Slingshot Ad Campaign

Take a 30 minute boat ride with Key West resident Sean Reyngoudt and he’ll take you to the end of the world. The place is called the Great White Heron National Wildlife Reserve and it’s a kiter’s dream- clear blue water, white sandy beaches, steady winds and butter smooth water.

Home to over 250 different species of birds (and a few nesting turtles),you’d be pressed to find another human amongst the 200,000 acres of open water and islands.

Known locally as “the Backcountry,” the Slingshot Crew of Youri Zoon, Mira Kwon, Alex Bloechinger, Adam Uyemura, Neil Hutchenson, Hamish MacDonald and Matt Sexton spent a couple days exploring the area, kiting deserted beaches, laughing, sipping rum while looking for the shadowy lurk of nurse sharks.

On our final day I found myself hanging from a helicopter, viewing Youri Zoon doing some island hopping of his own.

The perspective of such an amazing place from above and Youri a part of it in synergistic play was an amazing experience. Nature in harmony. It’s truly the kind of session that dreams are made of.

All of the photography for the new Slingshot ad campaign promoting the new rpm kite came from this shoot. An incredible experience.

La Perouse Maui Surf Session

Just came off 2 weeks in Maui where I planned to do quite a bit of kiteboard photography. We had a helicopter on standby to shoot Sky Solbach who was up from Margaret River in Australia. As the gods would have it the wind didn't blow but the swell kept rolling. 

Here's a clip of our crew down on the south side on one of the most unfriendly spots I'd ever seen. Razer sharp lava rock everywhere. Sweet to roll up and see two graves at the put in spot as well. 

Buffalo Field Campaign

Just spent several days in Montana with people dedicated to protecting the last herd of wild buffalo. An amazing experince I will not soon forget. A total emotional roller coaster.

These buffalo are being hazed for no legitimate reason beyond an ancient and failed wildlife management policy driven by the cattle industry and it's cowboy mentality.

At least one newborn bison broke it's leg and most certainly died as a result of this days harassment by helicopter, horse, atv and truck. it is quite common for pregnate bison to prematurely give birth during these frequent hazings.

Over 1600 bison were killed during 06/07. estimates put the current wild buffalo population to fewer than 3,500. The cost to run this managment fiasco? $2.8 million tax dollars per year.

I rarely get angery. this made my blood boil. See the day's video here.

Learn more go here , an incredible group of people I look forward to working with again in the future.

TREWth Documented

Some random moments from my recent travel with the Trew boys. These guys got alot of mountain soul- ski, board or tele it doesn't matter.  

We climbed Mt Owen near Crested Butte in the Irwin backcountry as well as Alta, Snowbird and the Wolverine Cirque. It was a whirlwind spring tour.

Previous entry with bloody details here.

Man down

Have been in Utah and Colorado shooting the past week for a really cool new clothing company- Trew . Talk about living the dream these guys have been traveling the west in a 35 foot RV hitting every worthy ski area in north america. Their product is bomber and mission simple... it's about having fun no matter what you're using on the hill- ski, tele or snowboard.

Anyways more updates on the lines we slayed to come (and yes I did say slay). The mountains however were not going to give it up easy. On Mt Baldy in Little Cottenwood, the Wasatch lady wanted some blood herself- and it was mine she was after.

Silly dead punji treebranch to the face- 4 stitches later and all was good. I never had a black eye before and was stoked to score one.

Sometimes a photo isn't really worth anything unless it pains you to make it.  Thanks lady Wasatch.

The future is now

I had a college professor in the late 80's who inspired me to choose the path of psychology. He was a wise hippy at a conservative university in the NW. I specifically recall a moment when he reached in my brain and turned on the light switch- it was in a course titled "Life and Uncertainty." In it he drove home the point that everything we once knew and took as steadfast were soon to become replaced- over and over at an ever increasing pace.

This was pretty revolutionary at the time. I mean no one had cell phones.  The computer science intro course was programming in DOS. People were still using typewriters. Hell people were talking about an revolutionary sound called Grunge.

I can go off at this point in several directions (besides the fact I am now old). However my cup's out of coffee so I'll make it brief. 

I think the video below breaks down my proffessor's theory pretty clearly (interesting where Proffessor Brian Baird is now). 

I also believe that this frantic pace will precipitate an evolution of the human spirit. Let it simply be said that we are all connected, the soup is still cooking-we're not done yet.  

There's more here but better saved for another day.

Saucer Boy- RIP

Pretty bummed about this. Shane McConkey was someone I really admired. Not just for his abilities as a big mountain skier, BASE skier, nor ski innovator. But for his ability to make fun of himself and a hyped industry in general. Shane always knew it was all about fun.

Been thinking what to say about the recent loss, perhaps best to leave it to Micah Abrams in his tribute.

To see Shane in action please check out this.

Mt Bailey Snowcat

I was just was down in southern Oregon near Crater Lake to shoot a travel piece with Otis Rubottom for Travel Oregon magazine. Totally a fantastic experience I would recommend it to anyone. The Diamond Lake Lodge is a total throwback and is authentically Oregonian. We had nonstop snowfall for three days with high winds... setting the stage for some pretty sketchy conditions. The guides did a fantastic job in finding us the safe goods- thanks go to Oz, Todd and Ross!

I have never had the opportunity to see an avalanche slide from below up close. An eerie experience to hear and feel it coming before I knew what it was. Granted a glade of trees kept us separate and safe I don't care to get any closer ever. The blast of powder in the runout was triple overhead.

Photographer Profile

Core Kiteboarding Magazine just came out today, they are featuring my work in their photographer profile section. I'm totally enjoying the snow right now but I am looking forward to getting back in the water to kite and shoot.

check it here>>
CORE

Long time no see

Been down in Vail recently for a reunion/bachelor party. Planned to get in some shooting with ARMADA team riders Willis Brown and Forrest Cole as well but rain squashed that idea. Still managed to have a rad time with an amazing group of amigos- searching out the stashes of pow among the higher elevation trees.

After 7 days of debauchery I flew over to Utah to meet my lady to ski Snowbasin. Unfortunately that was dust on crust. Boilerplate actually, the rains had hit there too. Wasting one of the best snowfalls of the season.

Ah that's the way it goes sometimes. Still an amazing trip- the mountains are totally my favorite place to be, no matter what the conditions.