All photos © Rob Tringali. Above: Wes Welker #83 of the New England Patriots takes a hit from  Aaron Ross #31 of the New York Giants during the game during Super Bowl XLVI at Lucas Oil Stadium on February 5, 2012.

Photographer Rob Tringali was in Indianapolis last night covering Superbowl 46 between the New York Giants and New England Patriots for ESPN. It was his 23rd superbowl. Tringali  says, “I’ve been fortunate to be hired by clients to cover these wonderful events. It’s a combination of experience, instinct and a touch of luck that puts you in a position to make beautiful images. The challenge is to just make sure you get it in focus when it happens in front of you.”

Related Article: Pro-Football Photographer David Eulitt on Covering NFL Games.

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All photos © Dean Blotto Gray.

Dean Blotto Gray has documented snowboarding for over 13 years. Based on the west coast, Blotto spends at least 250 days each year on the road.  He says, “Snowboarding can take you many places in search of fresh powder snow and terrain not previously seen by the masses. Our latest exploration brought us into Northwest British Columbia after hearing of heavy snowfall hitting this region during the first two weeks of December. In order to access a lot of terrain in a five-day span, we used snowmobiles, trail maps and a keen sense of adventure to locate some incredible areas. Each new zone delivered an eyeful of options for pictures, snowboard friendly environments and big smiles on our faces seeing how we found amazing snow in what’s been a very dry winter to date.”

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© Joshua Paul

SKI Magazine sent Joshua Paul to shoot an assignment at the ski resort Krasnaya Polyana in the Caucasus Mountains  when it was mentioned as a prospective site for the 2014 Olympic Games. What he found was a desolate mountain lacking a village, snow, skiers or a proper chair lift. He explained, “As I wandered around day after day, the assignment became more and more difficult. The town was very poor and undeveloped, no one would agree to let me take a portrait, and I couldn’t find a place to eat, drink, or show what else this place had to offer. On the last day, after barely shooting 20 rolls of 120 film, a giant man walked over holding a vintage Russian version of a Speed Graphic camera and a little monkey on his shoulder. He asked, “Photo?” I asked back, “Photo?” The little monkey quickly jumped off his back, turned to me and I shot this frame. This single image saved my otherwise disastrous shoot, and helped win SKI Magazine, Time Inc.’s Magazine of the year.

All photos © Mark Fisher. Above: Grand-Targhee, Grand-Teton Backcountry Skiing.

Today marks the 2011 winter solstice. For me the beginning of winter conjures up images of the grandeur and excitement of being in snow covered mountains, in particular while skiing. Mark Fisher’s graphic black and white ski images capture the magnificence and intensity of the backcountry, and the courage and ability of elite skiers in uncharted terrain, carving through waves of deep powder or flying down vertical drops.
When asked about  some of the challenges he faces while shooting, Fisher explained, “Shooting skiing can be one of the most challenging, as well as rewarding photographic pursuits.  There are the obvious hazards such as avalanches, skiing difficult and exposed terrain with a heavy camera pack, and going great distances in the mountains to get the right shot. To capture these images, one needs to be physically strong, technically skilled in the mountains, [and] skilled with the camera.  From an artistic standpoint it’s tough because you only get one chance, and there are a million variables.  The stakes are high, and often you’ve been sitting out the weather for weeks and have spent a lot of money on the shoot for the rewards of one, or maybe a few images.  There are no retakes for most of the ski work I do.  But there is nothing like shooting skiing.  Being in a snowy, beautiful, mountain environment is incredible.  The sun is lower in the winter and the light bounces off the snow like a giant reflector.  Snow, and winter, are by far my favorite mediums to work with because the light is so incredible. In winter I’m able to capture truly unique and powerful images.  More than anything, it’s the blend of my passions as a skier and an artist that come together in ski photography, and I find it wholly satisfying.”

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All Photos © Jana Asenbrennerova. Above:Hunter Rezek poses for a portrait at his home, Nedabyle U Ceskych Budejovic, Czech Republic, January 2010

Jana Asenbrennerova’s portrait series, “Hunters”, took the grand prize in the Fashion/Portraiture category of the 2011 PDNEdu Student Photo Contest. Asenbrennerova worked on this personal project during her visits home to the Czech Republic while she was a student at San Francisco State University.  The early deadline for the 2012 PDNEdu Student Photo Contest is TODAY at midnight, PST.

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