Pro Photographer Showdown - Finalists Announced

J Dogg — Thu, 8 Mar 2007 23:57:16 -0500

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Whistler is gearing up for a clash of the titans, when five of the world’s best lifestyle and action sports photographers compete in the tenth annual Pro Photographer Showdown at the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival, April 18 2007...

Chosen from a stellar showing of international submissions, the finalists for the tenth annual Showdown, hailing from Norway, Colorado, California, and Vancouver BC, were announced today.

The five selected photographers will be flown to Whistler for a gala presentation on April 18, 2007, lured by the bright lights of the Festival, the industry’s preeminent celebration of action and lifestyle photography and a $10,000 prize purse.

At the Pro Photographer Showdown, the most dynamic moments in action sports are captured and mounted, trophy-style, for an appreciative 2000-strong crowd in a series of self-curated 9 minute multimedia presentations.

The “Best of Show” designation conferred at the renowned photography expose will see the winner join an alumni that includes Kevin Zacher, Eric Berger and Aaron Chang, who will judge the Showdown alongside Whistler’s “King of Light” Paul Morrison, and long-time host of the Pro Photographer Search, writer and creative mastermind Leslie Anthony.

“The early years of the Showdown were simply our best friends shooting skiing and snowboarding. Now it's morphed into an iconic and unique celebration of action sports - surf, skate, bike, AND snow," says Jack Turner, Commissioner of the Pro Photographer Showdown. "The night of the Showdown is all about the passion and commitment to the culture of action sports whether you're a photographer, an athlete, or someone lucky enough to have a ticket to the show."

Throughout its ten year history, the Pro Photographer Showdown has featured stunning photography from renowned surf photographers Aaron Chang, Jason Childs, Jeff Divine and Warren Bolster; skateboard gurus J. Grant Brittain and Jon Humphries; acclaimed mountain bike photographer Sterling Lorence; ski & snowboard legends Kevin Zacher, Eric Berger, Paul Morrison, Blake Jorgenson, Mark Gallup, Scott Markewitz, Dave Heath, Vianney Tisseau and Mattias Fredriksson, among others.

Tickets for the gala event are $20 and available online at www.whistler2007.com/2007/estore

The five finalists are..

Peter Taras – San Clemente based Taras comes by his boho-creative blood legitimately. His grandfather was a revolutionist photographer who fought the reds and was hung by Stalin. Having worked as Photo Editor for Transworld Surf Magazine since he was 24 means Taras spends more time in the editing suite than out shooting, and his brain is full of shot-lists still to be captured. Prior to his reign at Surf, he was the youngest photo editor Surfing Magazine had ever hired, and managed the mag’s photo agency. He’s been recognized as one of the West Coast’s best water photographers.

Endre Løvaas – This 36 year old Norwegian says he has no plans to quit his day job as Marketing Manager and Senior Photographer at Fri Flyt, Norway’s biggest ski and snowboard mag to focus solely on photography. “Shooting action sports is a small world with many photographers competing for a few pages of space, so you either have to be really dedicated or really talented.” He claims he’s neither, but just likes capturing the action with good friends. He’s shot with Matchstick Productions and produced images that have been published all over the world.

Nick Hamilton– He’s got the mongrel accent of a half Finnish, half British, half American guy, with multiple seasons in the French Alps under his belt. Currently photo editor at TransWorld SNOWboarding magazine, the 29 year old shutter-veteran edited British snowboard mag White Lines before moving to Cardiff, SoCal to take up his current role. There, he earned TransWord a Henry R Luce Cover of the Year special citation. And still can’t surf worth a damn.

Jeff Curtes – Boulder-based Curtes is the Principal Photographer for Burton Snowboards, and has been tripping around the world shooting for Burton since his big break in 1994. He has a degree in political science from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, a single credit in photojournalism from the Agricultural Journalism department and a stash of childhood memories of snowboarding with his brother Joe in the backwoods of the Wisconsin countryside.

Jody Morris – Before Jody Morris took up photography, Canadian skateboarders were rarely represented in the major magazines. Vancouver-bred Morris, who lives more out of a suitcase these days, changed that. He spent a 10 year stint as senior photographer for Transworld Skateboarding magazine, and has freelanced for almost every major skateboard magazine in the world, as well as Men’s Fitness, Transworld Snowboarding and shooting a host of skateboarding's most iconic and influential ad campaigns, such as DC Shoes, Etnies, Adio Footwear, Quicksilver, Nixon, World Industries, Dakine, and Tony Hawk Inc. These days he is the in-house photographer and media director for the newly revived Plan B skateboards.

Pro Photographer Profile - Mathew Scholl

J Dogg — Sun, 4 Feb 2007 14:38:30 -0500

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Mathew Scholl is a red head but I've actually never heard him raise his voice. Mostly he's just smiling and laughing while telling you one of his many random facts. I think that I can stump him though... Interview by Leif Zapf-Gilje
What's the average wing span of an African swallow tail?
I didn't know there was an "African swallow tail".

Yeah, I don't know either. I just made that up. OK I'll be more serious. Let's go through some Mathew Scholl factoids....

Born? Nelson BC 1972 (when and where)The last good book you read? Under The Banner Of Heaven by, Jon Krakauer
A favorite random fact? A liger is the offspring of a male lion and a female tiger. They can grow up to 1200 lbs. To fact check this, watch the movie Napoleon Dynamite.

All right enough of those...
Why are you pulling out the skis more than the snowboard these days?
I really Enjoy being challenged. I felt like I had to do really scary shit on a snowboard to be challenged. Learning to ski has allowed me to step back and take it easy. It has made Shredding a mellow powder slope, exciting again. I do not think one tool is better then the other though. I can have a great day on either one.
Does it make you feel different to be part American and living in Canada, or has Harper changed that?
Being a dual citizen is helpful. It means I do not have to lie at the boarder when I go to the States on photo assignments. I think Harper has made all Canadians feel like we are almost Americans.

Currently residing? Nelson BC

Top three reason for living there? Friends, Community, The life Style

First camera? Pentax K1000

First published photo? Cover of a small Canadian cycling magazine called Pedal

Favorite thing about photography? I love how it slows everything down. Everyone is in such a rush these days. To take photographs I have to slow down and look at the fine details. A ski run that might normally last 30 seconds, may last several hours if I'm shooting.

Do you think that you'll ever feel old?
I hope so. i like the idea of getting old. I hope to live a long and happy life. It will be a lot of fun to be 90 and sit on the porch listening to CBC. I wont be one of those people getting plastic surgery so that I look younger.

Why do you live in Nelson?
The people, the good times

Why do you take photos?
I do not know.......It just happened that way.

The digital question?
I do not see digital as a photograph. A photograph has a hard copy. Digital is simply an image. Just the same as painting in Adobe Illustrator is not the same as using brushes and a canvases. The Mona Lisa could never have been created on a computer. Ansel Adams' photographs will always be better then any digital image.
If you could somehow instantaneously transform your skill and knowledge of photography into skill and knowledge of something else...?
Yes, I would like to spell words like, instantaneously, without having to spell check them 4 times.

What are you dreaming about when you talk in your sleep?
Mostly, my past lives and weird shit like that.

How much velvia 50 did you buy when you found out they were replacing it with a 100 speed film?
I bought 150 rolls. For me, it is about a year supply. For some guys that is a week supply of film.

One piece of advice for up-and-coming photographers?
Take a B+W course.Learn to take a real photograph. Forget about the whole digital scene for a while.

The dumbest thing you ever did with a camera?
I had my camera fall out of my pack and break on some stairs. I taped the thing back together and used it for a couple more years. Duct tape is great shit.

Thank yous/ shout outs/ mission statements...?
I just want to thank you, Leif. Your the best...

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Pro Photographer Showdown - Finalists Announced

Pro Photographer Profile - Mathew Scholl