Night Powder Session – Bogus Basin

If a you’re a passionate skier/snowboarder that is a part of the 9-5 Monday – Friday workforce, chances are that you’ve found yourself cringing at the thought of mid-week snow storms. When your “sick days” have all been used up, pushing aside thoughts of deep turns with your friends can be everything but gut wrenching. Fortunately for you, Boise’s own Bogus Basin offers night skiing so that you can catch the leftovers without the weekend wait.

A few friends and I decided to take advantage of Bogus’s night chair rides to gain access to those coveted powder scraps. I brought along an off camera flash to set up  our own private lit night skiing experience. It was my first time shooting skiing with an off camera flash at night. I have to admit, this was much harder than I had anticipated. My hat goes off to the likes of Eric Seo and Mattias Fredriksson for their impressive ability to create awe-inspiring night-time shots.

Here’s my first attempt.

Blustery Storm

Winters in Boise can throw just about every weather pattern imaginable your way. One January day you could be holed up, hiding from the thick frigid haze of an inversion and the next you could be out chasing the little white ball around the golf course in 50* temps. It’s a diverse mix that you’ll either love or hate. From a photographic perspective, the multitude of winter weather fronts can offer an expansive mix of backdrops to shoot.

Last week I watched the warm saturated low pressure system move through California towards Idaho. Warmer blustery temperatures accompanying fast-moving clouds signaled arrival of this storm. The glowing reflection of downtown Boise’s city lights set the stage for another intriguing winter sky. Fascinated yet slightly unmotivated to move around, I opted to shoot a few photos from my front porch of this spectacle. I hope you enjoy.

First Urban Session of the Season: AJ Ogden & DEF-I-NATION

Snow in the treasure valley is often few and far between. Low elevation mixed with warm Chinook winds can make for rather mild winters in Boise. However, when the storms and temperature align just right to make that white stuff fall the local ski and snowboard talent takes full advantage of it.

Early this week was one such occasion where frigid temperatures and a sufficient accumulation of precipitation gave Boise’s DEF-I-NATION crew a chance to score some early season footage. I was fortunate enough to catch up with these guys in an attempt to snap some shots.

Urban setups are hit-or-miss scenarios. Countless things can go wrong from police to power. Yet, when everything comes together just right, the feeling hard to beat. This most recent session threw in a handful of variables including cleaning ladies, cops and crash landings. It was an intense night ending with only three drop-ins before a final ten foot fall to back and head on concrete put things to a close. AJ Ogden was that fateful rider who cleaned the ledge twice and eventually wound up in the hospital with a concussion and some gnarly bruising. That kid was tough as nails taking that beating and my hat goes off to him.

Here’s one shot that came out from the evenings events.

I’m looking forward to getting out with the DEF-I-NATION crew more this winter. Stay tuned.

Bodie Lee – “Go Chic Lightning” Music Video

I’m stoked to have some contribtution to Bodie Lee’s newest music video, “Go Chic Lightning”. The images in the video were pulled from a shoot we did back in late August. Check out the original images here.

Eagle Magazine Cover Shot – Nov/Dec Issue

I cannot say enough about networking these days. Over fifty percent of my business currently comes from referring clients. With the popularity of sites such as Linked-In, Twitter and Facebook, reaching a broader audience with minimal cost to the supplier has never been easier.

Last month, the publisher of Eagle Magazine, Tia Markland-Crabtree contacted me through a previous client requesting a studio shoot for their Nov/Dec issue. It was a gratifying feeling to know that my previous client was content and trusting enough to the extent of referring me to Eagle Magazine.

Tia came to the studio with a strong idea of the direction that she wanted to pursue. Models were fittingly chosen, props were brought and the over all layout was thoroughly thought through. It was a quick focused shoot that I was extremely appreciative to have been a part of. The best part of it all was when Tia informed me that this was to be the cover shot for their latest edition. Thanks Tia for bringing me on board for this!

Check out the latest issue on newstands throughout Eagle or browse the online version here.