When Adam Barker said his most memorable photo shoot involved midgets, ponies, and birthday cake, we knew he had more to say. He still lives in his hometown of Salt Lake City, Utah. A high-school photography class sparked his interest, and now he focuses on fine-art scenic photography and is recently breaking into the adventure photography scene. Barker told Skiing Magazine contributor Sally Francklyn about shooting with Daryn Edmunds at Snowbird, Utah. The shot made it into the magazine's annual “Best Shots of the Year” photo gallery (December 2008).
SKIING: Who was the athlete? Is this someone you shoot all the time?
Daryn Edmunds. I shoot with Daryn a decent amount. He definitely knows how to work for the lens. And he can turn left. Amazing.
SKIING: What were the conditions like?
The light was perfect for this shot as I wanted something backlit to accentuate the heavy winds and blowing snow.
SKIING: Were there any particular challenges with this shot?
The biggest challenge was the exposure with the intense backlighting—I didn't want to blow all the snow out and have an image void of detail in the blowing snow. This image is exploding with action: It was difficult to decide where to pre-focus this shot. I wanted to capture Daryn at the tightest point in the air. Fortunately, it all worked out.
SKIING: Any tips for snapping a shot like this one?
Just because conditions aren’t perfect doesn’t mean there aren’t opportunities out there. Look at the light, look at the conditions, and look for areas where you can take advantage of both.
