Today we are starting a new feature called “Photographer Insight”, where you get a behind the scenes look at some of the best ski and snowboard photographers. A lot goes into getting a good shot that most people don’t see. That’s where we come in. Hope you enjoy.

Jordan Ingmire is the first photographer we will featuring in this ongoing feature. Jordan is a snowboard photographer based in the Northwest and enjoys shooting anything exciting and out of the box. He spends the majority of his winter at Stevens pass and the surrounding area. He’s spent the last handful of years employed by the resort working evenings and shooting during the day. Jordan started out shooting with just his close friends but as his talents have progressed it is not uncommon for him to be found working with heavy hitters like Kurt Jenson, Manuel Diaz (evo team rider) and Will Jackways.

www.jordaningmire.com

Stevens Pass Ad- Manuel Diaz

Sponsors- Nitro, Von Zipper, Billabong, Stevens Pass, evo

I came upon this zone a few years back. It was a perfect day and looking down the line it was too good to be true. I couldn’t back down from the opportunity in front of me. I proceeded to straight line the pillows with ease but prepared my legs for impact as the last pillow appeared to be flat at best. On impact the last pillow bucked me and i went flying through the air for about 30 feet. I landed deep in the soft snow lying on my back giggling to myself about how intense the last moment had been. This was abruptly interrupted by a river of slough that luckily passed right over me. Since then I have taken a few riders to this line for a chance to photograph it. I have yet to find a rider who was ‘into’ this line? After studying this line for a few years I started to notice all the opportunity it offered in the surrounding terrain. I set out with rider Manuel Diaz and friends to get my shot on this line. The hike out was sunny but once everyone was in position the light vanished and fog came and went. Manuel was restless on the line and decided he was going to go despite my requests to wait for the light. He successfully navigated the pillows and I got what I thought was a mediocre shot. I examined the image more and more and over time it began to grow on me. Apparently I wasn’t the only one who liked this photograph. The image can be seen featured as an advertisement for Stevens Pass ski resort in the current issue of Frequency The Snowboard Journal issue 8.2. I am looking forward to shooting this again but with two riders dropping tandem pillow lines!

Camera- D300s

Lens- 80-200

Snowboarder Magazine- J.P. Audisio

Sponsors- Ride, Oakley, Pow, Stevens Pass

These were the best conditions I have ever shot in. All the pieces were in position and this was a perfect example of a saying proved true time and time again, ‘work hard and you will be rewarded’. This photograph was taken on Rooster Comb a backcountry zone at Stevens Pass. Rooster is my favorite location at Stevens for shooting. The terrain there is extremely photogenic. However, there are some challenges involved and this zone is only good to go on occasion. The conditions have to be right, you need pow, manageable avy danger, riders capable of performing on that sort of terrain, be prepared for a long steep walk and finally you need a rare sunny day. One of the only major storm cycles of the season had just passed and the forecast called for sun. I made some calls and arranged for myself and a few riders to meet at the resort a few hours before the lifts began to spin. The marketing crew at Stevens was kind enough to make sure we got to where we needed to go and we began the hike at the base of Rooster at 8:00am. The snow was very deep and the hike was grueling. I hate to say it but I’m not sure we would have made it without the Chileans breaking trail. We got to the top and the spines looked magnificent in the morning light. There are two prominent peaks on Rooster often referred to as the first and second comb, the first being much gnarlier then the second (better for photographs). Unfortunately the avalanche danger was too high do to all the snow the night before and the riders opted out of the 2nd comb and spent the majority of the shoot on the next peak. This image was the first shot of the morning. We decided on what trick to do and where, then Audisio climbed to the top of the feature while I searched for my angle. I had shot this feature before but this time I had a goofy footed rider. This allowed me to shoot from the the opposite side (avoiding butt shot) opening the door for this angle looking across the spines. Audi stomped the indy no problem and we carried on to have an amazing morning bagging quite a few shots! This photograph is featured in the current issue of Snowboarder Magazine November 2010.

Camera-D300s

Lens-60mm

Wild Card Films- Joe Bosler

Sponsors- Arbor, Pow, 686, Hoven, SPSS, Stevens Pass

I teamed up with the Wild Card crew and set out to shoot this rail in a very interesting location. The shoot took place early in the season when snow was scarce in the Northwest thanks to the unfriendly El Nino weather pattern. Everyone was motivated and we spent two days shooting at this spot. The rail needed to be leveled which was a quick fix hammering wedges into each support. Once the jump, rail, and in-run were dialed the riders began to session the rail. There was no stair consequence but there was real danger of smashing into large concrete pillars if the rider was to come off the rail anywhere but on the pathway. I was fortunate to have two days of shooting here and needed them both due to the wide variety of available angles. I studied my images carefully after day one and decided on exactly what shot I would like to get for day two. On the second day Bosler nailed the trick and I had my shot. There were two other challenges present on this shoot, another photographer and a filmer. Coming from a small resort this is often the case and I find in the end it can be helpful. When another photographer is present only one of you gets to use the ‘go to’ angle (the most obvious banger shot), leaving the other guy to search out a more creative solution. This can be a lot of work but in the end always leads to interesting results. As for the filmer I did my best to work around him but in order to get what I had envisioned it was impossible. I don’t feel this shot was compromised with the filmer in the foreground, we all work together and Scott was sure to ware dark clothing and stay as low as possible. Joe Bosler and Andy Bergen-Sperry both got tricks on the rail that day.

Camera- D300s

Lens- 80-200

1 off camera strobe triggered by pocket wizards

Classic Stevens Pass Shot- Ryan Mclaughlin

Sponsors- Electric, Salomon, Bonfire, Celtek, Neff, Skull Candy, Stevens Pass

This feature has been getting love from the locals for years. It can be seen in old sound straight videos such as THE TEMPLE (a cult classic) as well as WILD CARD‘s recently released ‘The Saturday Night Ride‘ www.wildcardmovies.com. Features like this appeal to riders and filmers alike, its big, requires no build and is always untracked! This shot was taken in March and is definitely my favorite photo from this location. Prior I had been shooting looking up at the drop from below or from either side and getting good results. Eventually I started to really appreciate the angle from the riders perspective looking straight down the line. One of my favorite parts of snowboarding is rolling up on sick untracked terrain and taking a moment to enjoy the beauty and the excitement before dropping in! To get the angle I wanted I took advantage of a large dead stump right on top of the drop, hammering in some 2×4 pieces for a make shift ladder. It was far from sturdy but did the trick in the end. This shot was taken in late afternoon which provided the perfect natural light. Ryan is being hit by light coming from directly behind which really highlights the subject and draws your eye to the rider first. I wanted to take this shot with my 11-16mm lens but due to my neglect it was fogged from the inside out, so I resorted to using my 10.5mm fisheye. I kept the ladder in the shot to help the viewer understand the image. Ryan pulled off a flawless tail grab first try and we bombed to the lift to go clock in for work.

This same angle is featured in the opener of the ‘Saturday Night Ride‘ with rider Manuel Diaz pillowing the drop.

Camera- D300s

Lens- 10.5mm fisheye

Throughout the season Jordan will be checking in with us and sending us photos from his travels and photo shoots, so be sure to check back often for more or Jordan’s shots and other shots from our photographers.