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. 

John Jackson Shots

We're all most done with the John photo essay.  Here are a few more snowboarding shots from Canada.

Location : Whistler, BC

Man vs. Wild / John Jackson

Whenever I watch that TV show Man vs. Wild, it always makes me laugh. That show is so fake. If the producers saw the things we do on a daily basis they would trip. It makes that show look fun, not like a survivor  show. Sometimes we are so far in the backcountry on our snowmobiles, that if something were to happen no one would ever be able to find us. The friends you start your day trip with are going to be the people you depend on to save your life if some thing goes wrong. That reminds me... we did bring a guy into the backcountry that was working on a TV show. He wanted to see what we did and film it for a few days. At the end of the first day he came stumbling back to the parking lot looking like he was nearly dead. His exact words were, "This is inhumane." We just laughed at him and said, "See you here at 5am tomorrow." 

Location: Whistler BC

John: Warming up a gas station sandwich for dinner.

Continuing with the John Jackson photo essay

I have worked with Transworld Snowboarding for 9 years as a senior photographer, and it makes me wonder how some of my best images slip through the cracks ? This is another photo one that may never get published. 

Finding Inspiration/ John Jackson/Forum

 I often wonder what goes through someone's mind when they're snowboarding. How do they decide what line they're going to take to get down the mountain? Is this the same process we use to guide ourselves through life? I think we take our past experiences from childhood, our spiritual beliefs, our friends, family ect., and subconsciously let them guide us through life. I asked John, "Where do find your inspiration for snowboarding?" He told me that he finds it in nature. I shot these photos for an up coming interview he has in Transworld Snowboarding. I wanted to go deeper that just randomly shooting cool photos with no meaning. I shoot John with the things that inspire him to do what he does. I feel if we surround ourselves with the things that we love, they will guide us down the amazing  path we call life. 

Good Things Come To Those Who Wait/Jonn Jackson/ Forum#2

 I was so stoked to get this photo of John Jackson after already getting a portrait shot of him in the same light. In Whistler BC there are storms that last up to a month and you won't see the sun once that entire time. But when the sun does come out and you are standing in the middle of a glacier filed on the top of the world, the light is breathtaking. I have never seen any thing like this in all my years of traveling. The snow covered mountains are so big and the valleys are so deep the sun bounces light through them creating a perfect spectrum of light. In one day you can see every color, shade and tone of light. You just have to be patient and wait. They say good things come to those who wait. If that's the case something really good should be coming way .

Seeing the Light John Jackson/ Forum

 While traveling with John on our three day drive to Canada, he told me that he had been thinking about God and the importance of spirituality in his life. While we were snowmobiling in the back country he came over a hill and every thing just lined up. It was one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. At that moment I saw him in the same light he was describing to me on our drive.

Photo: John Jackson

Location: Whistler, BC, Canada