Alta, Jackson, Whistler, Revelstoke, Alaska, Japan, Austria, Italy, Chile... the list of places I've "worked" begins there, and continues. For me, "working" happens to be skiing in front of cameras, which is a lot more involved than you might think. So, when I get to work from home in Aspen, Colorado, I'm stoked.
Don't get me wrong: I love each place I've been and am fortunate for my time spent there. But there is just nothing like being on your home turf, or should I say POW! There is a sort of home-mountain advantage that comes with playing the film and photography game at home. You know where everything is, you know when the light is going to hit and where, you have your pulse on the weather, you have secrets, you can be more creative and your mind isn't dealing with the logistics of traveling.
This winter I got to spend a good deal of time filming for the national ad campaign with Aspen Snowmass. I got to sleep in my own bed, ski with all of my friends and when the time was right I basically had my own cinematographer and worthy partner all to myself. And what a year we had.
There are perks to filming with Aspen Skiing Company, who runs the lifts and might let you get on them early if you play your cards right. There's something about being on the hill before anyone else. Patrol is still working their routes, the lifties are just starting to get the lifts fired up, people are groggy but it's cold, quiet and beautiful. One time in particular...
I've probably skied the Highland Bowl 100 times in my life, but never had I ever been up there for a sunrise. A few days before the Broncos won the Super Bowl, I was invited to a sunrise shoot at the top of Highland Bowl. That meant meeting at the bottom of Highlands, ready to go at 5:30am. In the dark. In the cold. And loading into the back of an open cabin of a snowcat. There is something about the way a snowcat skates through the snow, especially when conditions are crisp, that wafts up a good deal of fine, crystalized snow. I was happy to find myself cheeked next to my good friend Katrina, and even more happy when the cat driver tossed back a few wool blankets for the crew to huddle beneath as we took the 45-minute slither up to the top of Highland Ridge. On the ride we got to see the stars fade and the sky start to turn that mango chutney color that I love so much.
"I've probably skied the Highland Bowl 100 times in my life, but never had I ever been up there for a sunrise. A few days before the Broncos won the Super Bowl, I was invited to a sunrise shoot at the top of Highland Bowl...
...On the ride we got to see the stars fade and the sky start to turn that mango chutney color that I love so much."
