When one wrong turn could be your last.

John was injured in Terrace (Northern B.C.) last season. He landed on a tree and almost blew out his knee. John had to sit in the hotel while everyone went heli-boarding because his knee was so bad he couldn't even walk to get onto a plane and  fly out.  I shot this photo of him for his interview in Trasworld Snowboarding. The theme for John's interview was him finding himself spiritually. Instead of just shooting a random portrait, I set a scene. I've only got one image to portray a major piece of someone's life. In concepting this photo I looked into some of my own experiences, and there's been points where you become humbled by seeing a major avalanche, or have thoughts of being caught in a major avalanche. In those moments, I never stop to think, "Is my peep (avalanche beacon) going to save me". No matter what you beleive in, most of us think something along the lines of, "God, please don't let me die." For this shot, I got a picture of Jesus looking at the avalanche beacon to symbolize John's beleifs, and represent how personal beleifs can be important to your state of mind. Anyone can go out and buy the best equipment, but what sets someone apart is their courage. It's not the board that gives you the ability to ride down a 2000 ft face where one wrong turn could be your last, its' your courage. 

Peep: An avalanch beacon worn in the backcountry to allow your group to find you if you become buried in an avalanche. If you're buried for more than three minutes, or are buried under more than six feet of snow, your chances of survival are very slim. If you do go into the backcountry, it's important that your entire group wear this equipment and know how to use it.