10 Documentary Videos For Street Photography Fans

While not all these photographers are strictly street photographers, they are, I believe, photographers that street photography fans should be acquainted with and know by name. These photographers do all have one thing in common - they are great masters. Additionally, I have also selected documentaries which are good quality and appropriate length. Enjoy!

1) The Many Lives of William Klein

I've always been a fan of William Klein. His early New York gritty, black and white photographs are what opened the door to much of what we consider "street photography" today. Prior to Klein's trailblazing in this area things like blur, skewed crops, busy frames, and even soft focus were all rather unacceptable. Early editors called Klein's work "shit", which tells us all we need to know about photo critics. Klein's personality - like his photographs - is edgy and blunt. Enjoy this fantastic full-length documentary on one of the true legends of the street.

2) Imagine - The Colorful Mr. Eggleston

Who doesn't love Eggleston? William Eggleston, like most of the photographers featured here, is a pioneer when it comes championing a new style or approach in photography. Eggleston is know for introducing color to the world of art photography. Prior to his work, much of color photography was either commercial or personal. Additionally, Eggleston made the "banal" interesting; this is seen most famously in his photograph of the red ceiling.

3) Just Plain Love - Henri Cartier-Bresson

Cartier-Bresson needs no introduction I'm sure, especially if you've found this page. He is, to all intents, the father of street photography. Most noted for his concept of the "decisive moment", HCB believed that a great photograph is largely made by knowing exactly when to activate the shutter - by recognizing the precise fraction of a second when everything is aligned. Whether caught on film by chance or by decisiveness, indeed there is that special moment when a scene becomes a photograph.

4) 1981 - Joel Meyerowitz

Joel Meyerowitz is a fantastic photographer and a genuine old-fashioned gentlemen also. Working much of his early career at the epicenter of street photography - New York City - Meyerowitz roamed the sidewalks of Manhattan armed with a Leica. He too was an early proponent of color photography. More recently Meyerowitz has been doing a lot more deliberate work and all over the world with notable stuff coming from Italy. Joel Meyerowitz, now 77 years old, is still active and producing and publishing photography.

5) Visions and Images - Garry Winogrand

Garry Winogrand is a name often heard in street photography conversations. Winogrand was a machine gun photographer before there was such a thing. Now, in the digital age, more photographs than not simply aim their cameras and hold down the shutter button. Burst shooting is more common than blue jeans. But, imagine working this way on 35mm film? This was the case with Winogrand. At the time of his death Winogrand left over 10,000 rolls of undeveloped and or unprinted film. This is only the stuff that was yet unexplored!

6) Mark Cohen

Although somewhat lesser known, Mark Cohen is a true pioneer when it comes to street photography. His work has largely influenced much of my own. Perhaps best known for his "fragments" of people and things in a rather close-up perspective, Cohen has been at work for many decades and is still photographing in the hills of Pennsylvania. In fact, that is another thing he exemplifies greatly - the ability to make street photography in small towns and even rural settings.

7) Near Equal - Daido Moriyama

Moriyama is another living legend when it comes to street photography. With many decades of work behind him, Moriyama is still producing photographs in his signature style - snapshots from cheap cameras. Although Daido famously used the Ricoh GR 35mm series for many years, he has been more recently spotted with a compact digital Nikon. Moriyama's work is not all classically street - but there is no denying that he has influenced this genre tremendously. His work is gritty, high-contract and always monochrome. Moriyama might describe his work as a "life diary".

8) The World According to Martin Parr

Martin Parr has told me that he objects to being called a "street photographer", or, at least he doesn't feel that it aptly describes him or his work. Despite this, there is no denying that he has influenced a huge number of street photographers. He is highly emulated. His work is also fresh and unique in many ways, especially some of the early stuff. A wonderful man and a photographer per excellence. If you don't know his work, and many might not, especially in North America, look him up - you'll be glad you did.

9) Mary Ellen Mark

I want to mention Mary Ellen Mark here for a few reason. One, she's a woman and we need more women represented in the genre. However, I don't simply mention her on this basis, her work stands on its own merit. Although not strictly, or more precisely, exclusively, a street photographer, Mark has put in her time on the street. The work is characterized by a gentleness that we often don't see in more contemporary street work. Mark connects with her subjects in a very intimate way and this always shows in her work.

10) Leaving Home, Coming Home - Robert Frank

Robert Frank is an unusual character. At age 90, he is still at work making and publishing photographs. He mostly uses a Fuji Instax camera now, but the point is that he is still tripping the shutter after all these years. He's more or less abandoned New York City and spends his time by the sea in a little place called Magog, Nova Scotia, Canada. Frank is a notorious recluse and rarely gave interviews. This particular full-length documentary is a rare opportunity to see into the life of this creative genius.

Michael Ernest Sweet is a Canadian educator, writer and photographer. His second full-length collection of street photography, Michael Sweet's Coney Island, was released from Brooklyn Arts Press in New York in 2015.

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Photographer focuses on wildlife: Andrew Smith showcases the marsh’s natural beauty

“Great Egret Fishing” by Andrew Smith

By The Times-Standard

POSTED: 06/05/15, 8:48 AM PDT | UPDATED: 2 DAYS AGO

# COMMENTS

“Male Wood Duck” by Andrew Smith

Wildlife and landscape photographs by Andrew Smith will be on display at the Arcata Marsh Interpretive Center throughout June.

“All photographs in my show were taken at the Arcata Marsh,” Smith said. “I am a self-taught photographer who has lived in Arcata for the last 24 years. I started with black-and-white film, finally entering the world of digital color photography about four years ago.”

Smith mainly photographs wildlife and nature, particularly birds.

“My goal is to showcase the natural beauty that surrounds us daily but usually goes unnoticed because it is either too small or happens too fast to be easily seen,” he said. “The Arcata Marsh is my favorite destination and field laboratory.”

Friends of the Arcata Marsh sponsors free monthly art/photography shows at the Interpretive Center, located at 569 South G St. The center is open to the public Tuesday through Sunday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Monday between 1 and 5 p.m. For more information, call 826-2359

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MIKEOSBORNPHOTO

Japanese retro

My deep-rooted interest in film photography has taken flight again. Two years have passed since a 1968 Soviet Zenit took its place in my camera family, but its mechanical bulk and a slight fear of its needs have left it resting gracefully in a drawer.

A visit to The Photographers Gallery here in London set this new phase in motion. Their shop sells beautifully reconditioned Olympus Trips, a classic of its era. A bit of sage advice from Zorki Photo and a trawl around eBay resulted in the purchase of a well looked after Olympus 35 EC for £32.

Unlike my hulking Zenit, this is a 35mm compact in every sense. Its electronic shutter is powered by a couple of small batteries. Essentially a point and shoot, all you need to determine is the focus, divided into five zones.

Click first image to view the gallery

I’ve already loaded my new baby with a roll of Fuji Superia 400 colour film, a much more stress-free task than with the Zenit. A couple of test shots made it feel as simple as it was intended at the cusp of the 1970s, although there’s no pleasing mechanical shutter release thunk.

The only worry is that I’ll become frustrated over the lack of control with this little Olympus, preferring to operate my Fuji in manual mode at all times. But I already see it as a camera I can easily pop in my pocket and revive the joy of shooting film with – seeking out different light and colours and not knowing your results until they arrive in the post.

And yes, some shots may well eventually find their way onto that least analogue of mediums…

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Student photographers to exhibit their work

Young photographers focus on 100th anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park

By Kenneth JessenFor the Reporter-Herald

Posted:   04/28/2015 05:08:56 PM MDT

Stephanie Haberkon saw some large rocks in Rocky Mountain National Park pointing to the sky, and this attracted her to capture it on film. (Courtesy of Stephanie Haberkon)

Click photo to enlarge

Stephanie Haberkon (Courtesy of Rebecca Hennings)

 

Rebecca Hennings concentrated on composition and texture when she stood along the Bear Lake Road near a grove of aspen trees. (Courtesy of Rebecca Hennings)

Photographic instructor Bob Campagna had a record turnout of nearly 50 student photographers from five schools in the Thompson R2-J district.
He picked a theme for them — the 100th anniversary of Rocky Mountain National Park.
In October last year, vans were used to transport small groups of students into the park with stops at various locations. Their black-and-white, film-based work will appear May 13 at the Harrington Arts Academy, 575 N. Denver Ave. in Loveland, starting at 5:30 p.m.
Stephanie Haberkon, an eighth-grade student at Turner Middle School, saw some large rocks pointing to the sky and this attracted her to capture it on film. The sky was perfect and the sun provided just the right lighting.
Of the eight students on this trip, none of them took the same scenes.
Of her instructor Campagna, she said, "He showed us what was good and what to look for in a composition."
Haberkon is interested in going to college and possibly looking into interior design as a major. This was the second time she took a class in photography.
When she is on her own, she uses her smartphone to take images and likes close-ups of flowers.
Katie Runions goes to Lucile Erwin Middle School and is in the seventh grade.
Near Milner Pass, there was a large lake plus a few small ponds. She was attracted to a marshy area and viewed it like a miniature environment. Her shot was a close up while her fellow students spent their time taking landscape views.
Runions had been in the park before and commented that it was nice to view the scenery from a photographer's point of view rather than as just another visitor.
She hopes to continue taking classes in photography in high school. With college in mind, her interests are in the arts including music, sculpting and photography. She says, "I want something that allows me to express myself."
Rebecca Hennings goes to Bill Reed Middle School and is in the eighth grade.
Her group of students traveled up the Bear Lake Road. They pulled off near a grove of aspen trees.
It was October and the trees had lost some of their leaves. This caught her eye from the standpoint of composition, and what she liked was the stark black-and-white nature of the trees.
Using the rule of thirds, she framed her photograph with one tree close and the others forming a background. She printed many of her other images taken along the way but liked the composition of this one the best.
As for the use of film, Hennings says, "Digital is better in some ways, but film is really art and takes skill."
She plans to keep photography as a hobby and would like to go on to college to major in either graphic design or become a veterinarian.
This is her second class with Campagna and of him, she says, "He was really great and knows about photography. He is also an awesome person too and knows how to teach."

Katie Runions was attracted to a marshy area near Milner Pass and viewed it like a miniature environment. (Courtesy of Katie Runions)


Posted by DarrylT

Leica wants a lot of green for its powerful black and white camera

By Rod Lawton 

Leica's new rangefinder camera shoots only in black and white. No, we're not making this up

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Of all the crazy, backward-looking, self-indulgent ideas you could possibly think of, this surely has to be at the top of the list – you would think.
But the more you learn about the Leica Monochrom (Typ 246), the more you realise is that there's some sound reasoning behind a camera capable of shooting only in black and white. More on this shortly.
This is actually the second Leica Monochrom, not the first. They have the same name, but the new version has the all-important (Typ 246) suffix, and the newer camera has some important enhancements.
The old Monochrom had an 18-megapixel full-frame sensor, but the Typ 246 has a newer and better 24-megapixel sensor. Leica says it has improved performance too, with a faster 'Leica Maestro' processor and an expanded 2GB buffer capacity.
Leica says the new Monochrom (Typ 246) 'by far exceeds the standards of its predecessor. But that doesn't explain why anyone would buy a black and white only camera, so here goes...

The black and white back-story

In the days of film, you made a stark choice when you popped open the back of the camera to slot in a film cassette – black and white or colour? Once you'd decided, there was no going back until you'd used up the film and it was time to put in another.
If you wanted to shoot colour too, you'd take a second camera loaded with colour film. Even today, many pros use two cameras – though not to change 'films', of course, but so that they don't have to keep taking one lens off to use another.
The fact is, there are some extremely good technical reasons for using a mono-only sensor. Colour sensors have to use a coloured filter array, so that for every four pixels, two are sensitive to green, one to red and one to blue. To get full-colour data for each pixel, the processor has to use interpolation to calculate the 'missing' data and this produces digital artefacts and a small loss in resolution.
Leica's mono-only sensor has no colour filter array and needs no interpolation. Each pixel yields 'proper' data. What's more, because there's no colour filter array, there's no need to use a low-pass filter to prevent moiré effects, so the Monochrom's sensor has better pixel-level detail.

The M Monochrom's unique sensor design bypasses the limitations of regular colour sensors for black and white photography.

Leica is also going to launch a set of black and white 'contrast' filters for the Monochrom in August 2015, and this highlights a third technical advantage of the mono-only sensor – you get much better results with black and white filters because the each pixel is capturing brightness values alone, not specific colours. You can get the same tonal effects using Channel Mixer tools on the colour images from regular sensors, but this means leaning more heavily on individual colour channels, and this introduces more noise, artefacts and edge effects. If you replicate a 'red' filter with a regular sensor, effectively only one pixel in four is used for creating the image.

More details

Leica M-series cameras use a manual rangefinder focusing system and a direct-vision (not through-the-lens) viewfinder. It's a traditional design that still has many fans. The body is made from high-strength magnesium alloy and top and bottom plates are machined from solid brass. Round the back, the 3-inch 921,600-dot LCD display has a scratch-resistant and 'almost unbreakable' glass cover.
You can focus using the viewfinder/rangefinder mechanism or use Live View. Here, you can zoom in up to 10x magnification to check the focus, but the Leica Monochrom also offers a Focus Peaking display, where object outlines 'snap' into sharp focus with exaggerated outlines.
Continuing the mono theme, the Monochrom comes with a selection of in-camera toning effects including sepia, cold and selenium toning – and it comes with a licence for Adobe Lightroom.
Leica has not yet revealed pricing, but the previous version is currently on sale body-only for around £4500/US$7000.

Posted by: DarrylT

Fstoppers Interviews Professional Action Photographer Dave Lehl

 

 

by Sam Merkel

a day ago

1 Comment

If you aren’t familiar with the work of Dave Lehl, it’s about time that you change that. Dave is not only one of the top photographers in the snowboard industry, but he consistently creates work that transcends genres and has landed him gigs shooting for a list of clients that includes the likes of Red Bull, Nike, and Lamborghini. He has been published in nearly every major snowboard magazine including the covers of Pleasure Mag and Transworld Japan’s photo annuals.

 

Dave’s relationship with Fstoppers goes back almost five years to one of the first Fstoppers Originals, “How to Shoot Snowboard Photography” where he shared his in-depth knowledge of photography and snowboarding. I recently caught up with Dave to continue that conversation as well as discuss a range of topics including iconic images, education, making it in a growing industry, and what he’s been up to recently. Whether you prefer photographing toddlers or triple corks, you’ll be able to take something away from Dave’s world class career. Triple corks are overrated anyway.

Bjorn Leines gapping to frontside boardslide back in '08 - photo by Dave Lehl

What was your first introduction to photography, and how did that eventually combine with your love of snowboarding?

I suppose that my introduction to photography was in high school. I was on the yearbook staff and had a little Chinon camera that my folks had given me. More than anything it was an excuse to get out of class and dick around with my friends off campus. When I got to college I pursued a journalism degree but was constantly enrolling in fine arts classes as electives. Most were photography based but I did a lot with film, video, and metal sculpture. In my journalism classes I'd struggle to turn in quality work and only get B's and C's, whereas in my fine arts classes, nearly everything I turned in got an A. For some reason I didn't think that art could generate a legitimate living so I stuck with the journalism. About a month before I was set to graduate with my journalism degree I had a freak out moment and realized, "what am I doing? I HATE writing!" Luckily I'd amassed enough fine arts credits that I only needed another two semesters to graduate with two degrees, one in Journalism and one in Fine Arts.
After college I started shooting model tests and assisting pro shooters around the Denver area and eventually hatched plans to move to New York to shoot fashion. Before moving to New York I naively thought that I'd stop off in Summit County, Colorado, for a season and shoot some snowboarding to make some money to fund the move. Snowboarding was my LIFE throughout high school and college and since I knew it inside and out, I thought that I could capture it well. Over the course of that season I made a bunch of friends and shot with everybody that would get out there with me. Towards the end of the season I met Kurt Hoy, the then editor of Transworld Snowboarding Magazine, and he asked me to send in some shots. I guess he liked what he saw because he asked me if I could shoot some photos for their upcoming Resort Guide. I busted my hump to get as many photos as I could for the guide and when it finally came out the next summer, they ended up running something like 40 of them!  After that I was hooked. It was brats on boards instead of babes on beaches from there on out.

Slightly outside of the "Brats on Boards" spectrum, Lehl is found shooting flat track racing

Do you think that your education in the arts helped your career as a photographer? A lot of people comment that they consider a degree in fine arts to be useless in the real world; but I feel like those people are forgetting the opportunities and access to resources that are available while going to college. Has your journalism education ever come in handy?

Yes, I'm a huge advocate for continued education!  A lot of people comment that they consider a degree in fine arts to be useless in the real world; but I feel like those people are forgetting the opportunities and access to resources that are available while going to college. Although I didn't get the greatest technical photography education, I can't stress college enough because it teaches you critical thinking which you'll carry with you the rest of your days. I also think that completing a degree at an arts college like Rhode Island School of Design, the Brooks Academy, or one of the many Art Institutes gives you a massive advantage. Moreover, I think that anyone who's wanting to be serious with photography NEEDS to assist!! Like I said, I didn't receive the greatest technical advice in school but I learned EVERYTHING I know from assisting more experienced photographers. Get on the phone and try to work for as many different types of photographers as possible. And don't expect it to be glamorous. I've mopped zillions of square feet of photo studios and cleaned up the nastiest bathrooms in the business and was grateful for the experience. With the not so fun parts comes the great parts too. Just get out there and be eager and willing to work for and learn from every photographer that you can.
On a side note, and I'm sure this one might lose me some fans, but it's a huge pet peeve of mine with photographers boast about being 'self taught' as if they've overcome some terrible disease or something.  If you are, that's great, I'm truly happy for you, but don't bring it up every chance you get because it's insulting to those who actually took it seriously enough to pay good money to go to school to learn it correctly, or who put in the countless hours assisting other pros.

Always on the grind, Spencer Semien puts down a back tail on this ledge accompanied by a bit of fire. Photo by Davel Lehl

  

Do you have any advice for people looking to assist or get work in general? Your client list is nearly a mile long and filled with heavy hitters both within and outside of the snowboard industry such as Burton, Capita, Red Bull, Nike, and even Lamborghini, showing that you've been able to appeal to a wide range of companies and individuals.

First off, if your school has an internship program, definitely sign up for that. That's how I initially got into the world of assisting.
Otherwise, I'd say to get online and look up all the photographers in your area and see who is doing work that you admire and shoot them an email. Personally I'd start off with a little flattery and let them know that you like their work and then follow up that you're a photographer/student/whatever and that you're checking to see if they ever need an assistant. If you've never assisted before you're probably going to have to work for free for the first few shoots until you have the skills to really be of service. Assisting is all about anticipating what the photographer is going to need before they ask you for it, so pay attention! If they shoot with a lot of different lenses, always have the bag near and be ready to hand them a new one.
Pay attention to how many frames there are left on a card and have a fresh one in hand before they ask for it. If you're shooting outdoors pay attention to the changing lighting scenarios and let them know if the conditions are about to change. Be ready for coffee runs. If you're working for a studio photographer be ready to mop the floors.
Like I said earlier, I've mopped more floors than I care to remember and I did it every time with enthusiasm and a smile. Your attitude is what is going to get you called back. You could be the most technologically adept assistant ever, but if you're a drag to be around and think you're above even pulling weeds in the parking lot of the studio, you're not going to keep getting hired. And I don't mean to sound like every job you'll be doing is total crap, but you have to take the bad with the good. And work around too Don't put all your eggs in one basket with one photographer. Call them all! Even if your main focus is outdoor photography, assist studio shooters because you're going to learn lighting techniques that you can then use out in nature. Overall I'd say be proactive, eager, and up for anything.
As far as getting work as a shooter, I'm still figuring it out myself. I just finished my new site, printed out two new portfolios, and am having leave­-behind booklets printed which I'm planning on showing in person to agencies and directly to potential clients. Maybe I'm wrong but I feel like in this digital age of informal mass email blasts, a personal connection is more important than ever. That's why I'm planning on meeting with as many potential clients in person as possible. But as far as getting work..... I mean, obviously having strong work is most important. That's a given. What I'm TRYING to figure out right now is the marketing side. I'm not one of those guys on social media constantly going "Hey everybody, look at me!!!" Updating my blog is torture. I hate talking about myself, but it's a necessary evil when it comes to marketing. I guess I'm trying to find the perfect balance of talking about my work life but not gloating about it. As far as the jobs I've got in the past, I feel like a lot of them have been because of personal relationships and word of mouth. My site was down for over two years so I wasn't able to reach out to clients like I wanted to, so I relied on clients I'd already worked for passing my name on to other clients.

Shooting trackside as a Ferrari races off into the sunset. Photo by Dave Lehl

You mentioned earlier that an important part of shooting snowboarding is being immersed in the culture. There's a ton of work that goes into shooting snowboarding that most people have no clue about. 

Oh man, yeah, understanding the sports you're shooting is CRUCIAL! I see examples all the time where a very talented fashion photographer, or even a sports shooter who doesn't understand action sports try to shoot skateboarding or snowboarding and the results are just embarrassing for everyone. Just completely cringe worthy. I mean, look at the photos that came from the latest olympics. Yeah there were some snowboard specific shooters there covering the games for Transworld or Snowboarder who got some awesome shots, but the majority of shots I saw were just missed grab, guy in the sky, butt shots. It's no wonder guys like Bob Costas don't take it seriously, the photos make it look like a joke. My advice is that if you're going to jump into shooting action sports, do your homework first. Buy a bunch of magazines and really study the shots in there. Look at how they're composed. In most action photos there's an unwritten rule that you need to see the takeoff point and landing point in the photo which creates context. That way it tells a bit of a story of what's happening; you see where they athlete came from, you see them in the optimal spot, and then you can see where they're going to land I'm telling you right now that unless you have a takeoff and a landing in a shot, it will probably NEVER get run in a magazine. Of course there are always exceptions, but they're rare.

Do you have a story where you had to go above and beyond to get a shot?

I can't really think of one specific shot because I feel like you always have to go above and beyond, every single day, especially with snowboard photography. I think most folks think we're just dicking around at ski areas from 10­ to 3 and then getting apres drinks in the lodge at 4. Nothing could be further from the truth. Shooting at resorts is actually pretty rare. I'd say that 80% of the time we're either 20 miles in the backcountry, or in the streets at 3 in the morning dodging cops. There have been times that a group of us spent 10 hours building one single jump, and the whole time you're building it you're still not even sure that you're going to get a good shot.
Actually I suppose one of my latest shoots was a pretty good analogy of going above and beyond. I was working on my light trail series and had an idea for a shot involving a snowboarder doing a handplant over this huge stump in the backcountry that I knew about.
I started out by reaching out to a few of my favorite riders to see if they would be interested. It was early May and everyone was really burned out from breaking themselves all season and didn't want to drive out to Colorado for one last shot. Then I reached out to the magazines to see if they knew of any riders that might be down, and all those guys were too tired as well. By this time it was late May and all of the snow in Colorado was almost gone. Finally I turned to Nike to see if he had any riders that might be interested. Within about 20 minutes I got a call from Sage Kotsenburg (future Olympic Gold medalist) and he was hyped! I'd met Sage briefly in France a couple years earlier, but I didn't really know him that well, but he was so genuinely excited and positive that I immediately knew he was the perfect guy for the shot. Within 2 days he was on the road from Salt Lake City to Summit County Colorado. I knew the build was going to be a big one so I rounded up a couple friends from Denver to help build, Chad Otterstrom, a pro rider from Breckenridge, to do the snowmobile tow ins, and filmer Andy Orley to capture it on video. I hadn't been up on Vail Pass in a week or two and as soon as we all met in the parking lot, I was in a bit of shock as to how little snow there was. Chad and I were the only two guys with snowmobiles so we had to shuttle everyone up to the zone. Unfortunately, so much snow had melted that we had to drive our sleds over a couple miles of dirt and rocks before we even got to the snow, and then go another couple more miles to get to the stump. Snow is crucial to keeping your engine cool so I was convinced that I was about to blow my engine, but I couldn't give up so I had to just keep pushing it. After about 3 round trips we finally had everyone at the spot and started the build. I let Sage decide how far back and how big to build the jump since he's they guy who would be hitting it and he knows better than anyone how he wants it. So as soon as he had his trajectory figured out we started building the jump. It ended up being about 4 feet wide and 7 feet tall, and took us right up until sunset to get it built. Since it took longer than expected, Sage knew that he needed to step up real quick because the optimal light was approaching fast and we only had about a 20 minute window to get it. Sage sent a couple straight airs over it and a spin and then he started getting inverted. He actually started nailing the trick pretty quickly but since he was zipping over me so fast, I was having a super hard time timing it when his hand was actually touching the stump At that point I started to freak out a little, because if I couldn't nail the timing within the next few tries, the shoot would be a waste of time and he'd have driven out for nothing! Luckily within the next few tries he nailed the trick and I nailed the timing and we got the shot. As soon as I got it he said "Man, I'm so stoked you got it because my legs are just destroyed right now and I don't think I could have done it another time!" Then it took 3 or 4 more trips down in pitch darkness on the sled to get everybody back to the parking lot. And the shot went on to be the cover of the Photo Annual for Transworld Japan!

Do you think that constantly putting in that work has bettered you as a photographer outside of the snowboard industry as well?

I definitely feel like the run­-and­-gun schedule that we keep has definitely made me a better photographer. In an urban situation whether you're shooting snowboarding, skateboarding, or BMX, you've most likely got a very limited time frame to get the shot before the cops arrive and start handing out tickets. That means that when I get there, I've got to immediately start formulating exactly where I'm going to place my flashes and shoot from. And in modern day urban shooting, you've got to practically set up an entire photo studio with main lights, fills, and rims. Usually I'm out there at 2 in the morning with completely frozen hands, running around setting up strobes, trying to get all of my Pocket Wizards to sync, and helping set up the spot all while keeping an eye out for cops who can confiscate your gear if they feel like throwing their weight around. So yeah, when I've got a studio shoot with an assistant, craft services, and an art director to eliminate the guess work, it's like a vacation.

 

America's Golden Boy, Sage Kotsenberg, boosts a hefty hand plant over the remains of an evergreen in the Colorado backcountry. Photo by Dave Lehl

Your light trail series is one of my favorite projects and seems to have brought you a lot of attention both within and outside of the snowboard industry. Could you give a little insight as to how you captured those images? Are you planning on continuing the series or do you have any future projects that you're currently planning?

Sweet, I'm stoked you like the light trails! When I shot the first one I did it just for a portfolio piece and was thinking that it would be a little too 'out there' for the snowboard magazines. However, I ran into Nick Hamilton (Editor in Chief, Transworld Snowboarding) at the Burton US Open and showed it to him on my phone and he loved it. He ended up offering me a spot in the photo annual and a small budget if I wanted to create more. The Sage one I did specifically for the cover but they ended up going with another shot. Luckily Transworld Japan liked it enough to put it on their Photo Annual cover!
I'm still not wanting to fully divulge how I did it but I will say that it did involve a pretty fair amount of post processing. I don't have any specific images planned that have to do with the light trails, but I'm still trying to figure out a way to incorporate them into skateboarding, running, or cycling. I DO have another big concept that I'm working on right now but I don't want to let it leak the idea just yet because I don't want someone to do it first! Sorry to be such a buzzkill on the specifics!!

The life of a skateboarder involves more meetings than you'd think. Andy Orley en route to a meeting with the pavement as Casey Capper cruises on ahead. Photo by Dave Lehl

Haha, no problem at all! I completely understand. That's awesome how everything worked out and congratulations on the Japan cover. For all of the gearheads out there, what are you carrying around these days? What's your bag like when you go out on a street mission vs. hopping on your sled and heading out into the backcountry?

Actually I take the exact same things with me into the backcountry and the street. In my bag I've got two Canon bodies, a 1d Mk III and a 5d Mk II. For lenses I've got a Canon 70­-200, a Canon 24­-70, and a sigma 15mm fisheye. And then I've got three Pocket Wizard TT5's. Pretty basic stuff. I'm really not a big gear head. For flashes I've got a Elinchrom Ranger with an AS head that I usually use for my main light, and a Lumedyne setup with two heads that I usually use for rim lights. When you're out on the snowmobile and have it all strapped down on the back you just have to go pretty slow otherwise you'll jiggle everything to pieces. Usually in urban situations you can park fairly close to the spot so it's not too bad carting it all to the feature.

Seth Wescott getting pitted. Photo by Dave Lehl

The snowboard industry is much smaller than a lot of people would think, do you ever regret not entering the fashion industry or a similar photography world with higher earning potential?

Not really I learned early on that fashion just wasn't my thing. No matter how hard I tried, it didn't come naturally to me. Movement and action seem to just make sense to me. I know it's a niche market and sports shooters aren't quite as acclaimed as other types of shooters, but I'm okay with it because it syncs with my lifestyle and it makes me happy!

 

Andy Orley ripping on two wheels. Photo by Dave Lehl

In the end, that's really what it's all about. Outside of photography and snowboarding, what do you like to do in your free time?

I have what I call 'creative ADD' so it's hard for me to ever sit down. I always have multiple projects going on. I love welding, woodworking, and working on my house. I've done a total remodel on my own house as well as a couple of flips and kitchen and bathroom remodels for friends. I also love rebuilding motorcycles. My first build actually made it onto the holy grail of bike sites, bikeexif. (http://www.bikeexif.com/1978-honda-cb550) Next on deck I've got a 1979 Kawasaki KZ650. Also I do a lot of road biking and skateboarding. I just turned 40 this week and my goal for the year is to learn 360 flips.

Dave's 1978 Honda cb550 that was featured on bikeexif. Photo by Dave Lehl

 

Any career or general life advice you'd like to sign off with? Thank you's or shootouts? 

I don't know if I have any deep, life changing bits of knowledge to drop unfortunately. I'm just trying to figure it out like everybody else, you know? I guess in regards to photography I'd say to not focus so much on the technical side of things, but to really focus on coming up with an image that's worth looking at.
I'd really like to say thank you to everyone that's taken a chance to have me create imagery for them over the years. Also a big shout out to Zeal Optics for inviting me to be a part of their prestigious ambassador program and to Mindshift Gear for hooking me up with amazing photo bags!

 

Joe Suta and a man known only as "The Wizard" Photo by Dave Lehl