Published January 8, 2015 12:00AM
Breaking Rules and Getting High in the Swiss Alps
Zermatt, Switzerland
The Swatch Skiers Cup, the first-ever continental team freeski event, Zermatt / Switzerland - 10-15 February 2013. 16 of the world’s best freeskiers competing in both Big Mountain and Backcountry Slopestyle to bring back home the treasured Swatch Skiers Cup trophy. The 2 teams of 8 Riders, led by captains Cody Townsend - USA (Team Americas) and Kaj Zackrisson - SWE (Team Europe), will battle in a series of man-to-man duels in the Chilean Andes. A rider winning his duel scores one point for his team and the team with the most points at the end of the 2-day competition gains possession of the Swatch Skiers Cup trophy for one year.
A photo shoot gets a lot easier when you have great talent. And that’s exactly what I had when I photographed KC Deane in the Zermatt backcountry.
We set up a nice jump with the Matterhorn in the background, but after trying to grab the perfect shot with the mountain, I gave up and changed angles. Breaking the usual rule to have the ground in frame as a point of reference for the viewer, I wanted to have Deane suspended in the air with no landing in sight.
I think the best freestyle images capture the crux of the trick, when the rider is perfectly executing the maneuver. I don’t like to fire off 30 frames while the rider is airborne, but instead try to anticipate the athlete’s movement. This was one of only two frames I grabbed of Deane during his jump.
TOOLS: Nikon D800, 600mm, 1/4000, f/4.5, ISO 200