Category: Photography

SW Downwinder and REAL Team Shoot

Jason, Sam, Lulu and I headed up to SDA to do a little downwinder after work. I rode my 8m Havoc and the WLF. I was slightly underpowered on the kite but still hade a really fun session cruising down to the slick doing as many toeside carves as possible.

Once we landed at REAL we hung out in the backyard until the sun started to set. It was action time. It was time to shoot the REAL Team Ad photo. I grabbed everyone and we made it happen relatively fast, especially for that group. Chris helped out a bunch with actually hitting the release as I was in the photo. More on that to come soon.

Then we all headed over to Slezy’s to check out the progress to his new mini ramp going up in the back yard.

April 22, 2009
head high surf and dock slider session

After fun time at Joe Joe’s going away party it proved a little difficult to get going this morning. I took Major on a walk in the morning to check the surf. It was firing! It was head high and bigger. I surfed at Mac Oca for about 2 hours on my short board, It was a fantastic session. I had a half dozen really fun waves. I stayed out there until I couldn’t feel my feet anymore.

I came in for lunch and a quick nap. Then it was off the REAL to go for a kite session as the SW wind picked up towards the end of my surf. I pumped up my new 14m 2009 Havoc and got into my new 145 WLF and headed out for a quick session in the Slick. It was great to get out and ride a little wake style in sub 20 knot winds. Once the wind really picked up it was difficult to land really hard on the new board. Its so flat it just likes to bounce when I land.

Jason, Brandon, Nick and Scotty headed out for a sunset dock slider session. I grabbed a couple shots and then called it a day.

April 19, 2009
Lighthouse Kite and Buxton Skate

We had a very busy day at work today. Jason Sam and I headed down to the Lighthouse towards the end of the day hoping to sneak in a session. It was blowing 30 knots from the North and some very large waves rolling in. There was so much water moving the guys up 8m kites in 30-35 knot winds with surfboards and still could not make it up wind. They packed it up and we headed over to the skate bowl.

Jason and Steve’s friend Ed was back in town. He helped Steve put Mojo’s together last year, and it turns out he is a terrific skater. Ed and Jason skated the bowl with a few of the local kids, while I took a couple photos.

More photos HERE.
Check out Slezy’s post on the day HERE.

April 17, 2009
Sunset at REAL

It was a good day at work and with a lack of wind and waves we hung out and took a couple pictures in the backyard of REAL. I also took a couple photos of Ryan Evans for his page on Best Kiteboarding.

April 10, 2009
Windy SW Kite Session

It was well WINDY yesterday. It was about 23 knots in the morning then quickly ramping up to 35-40. Brian Smith, Jason Slezak and Brandon Scheid headed out at my lunch to go for a boost session on 5m kites. I took a couple pictures of the boys boosting.

I headed back down to Frisco to hang out with the MI crew after work. I got in a really fun Kitesurf session just south of the Pier. It was all going well until I dropped my kite in the surf and had to ditch my board. I dragged back into the beach put down my kite and ran up the beach looking for my board. It some how made it through/under the Pier unscathed!

After watching a rather disappointing game I headed down to the Pier to take a couple photos, and then got up for the sunrise.

April 7, 2009
Sunset Photo Shoot

Today was busy, as everyone at work was getting ready for the REAL/ Watermen’s Retreat Open House. It was a good turnout with Mojo Collins playing again on the back deck. It was really windy all day. I was able to grab a quick lunchtime boost session in my shorty!

As the sunset of a great day was about to go down, I grabbed my camera for the first time in a week and took a couple shots. Brandon Scheid and Matt Nuzzo were still out on the water riding in the back yard of REAL.

April 4, 2009
SLC ’09 Snowkite Trip Day 9

Those of us that were left on the SLC Snowkite Trip, Jason Slezak, Tekko, Petter Johnsen, Julien Fillion and myself headed to breakfast at the same great resturant as the previous day. We hung out after, to decide where our next move was, back to the back country or head back to Powder Mountain. While that was going on, I grabbed the guys and got a couple shots behind the restaurant.

We decided to head back up into the Utah backcountry. We pumped up and grabbed a couple lifestyle shots, as there was no wind. After doing some lifestyle shots we headed to this community park to ride and shoot. Jason and Petter had some cool hits on the kickers.

After that a storm started to roll in so we headed back up the mountain and pumped up kites again. We were able to get a couple lightwind kite shots. As a killer sunset rolled in the wind slowly died out. The sunset was a fantastic way to end the Trip. Jason, Julien and I headout from SLC tomorrow morning, and its back to Hatteras where I hear there is a pretty decent swell.

It was an amazing trip, one that I will not soon forget. I meet a few great new friends, and meet up with old ones. We scored great conditions, 5 star shots, made my first kite expeditions, and had the best time, all on 3-4 hours of sleep a night. I’ll miss the mountains but am more than excited for a decent bed and a warm shower until next time.

Check out the full trip here: Day1, Day2, Day3, Day4, Day5, Day6, Day7, Day8, Day9.

March 22, 2009
SLC ’09 Snowkite Trip Day 6

Today was suppose to be rest day. There was little wind, so we decided to “take it easy”. Taking it easy as part of the LF Crew is far different than most would think. The day started off a little later around 10am. We then packed the crew up to go to Wolf Mountain to go snowboarding.

It was a smaller mountain with only two lifts, but some fun snow and a great group of friends made it an amazing session. We took laps down one of the hills to the park and hit the kickers and the rails, and did it all over again all morning and afternoon. Jason Slezak and Petter Johnsen were throwing down on the kicker. The snow was soft and a little slushy making it great for trying new tricks.

We ran back to the condos to change for our appointment at the Flowrider. The Flowrider is a standing wave that you surf or boogie board on. Tyler hooked it up with a free and closed session. It was a blast. Everyone had a great time shreading and taking the best wipeouts on the trip.

To end off the day of relaxation we headed to I Fly Utah to go indoor skydiving. The crew had the best time. After a short class on how to fly it was go time. Everyone got two one-minute rides in the tunnel. The staff then put on a bit of a show, pretty much blowing our minds soaring up and down the tunnel with ease.

We grabbed a quick dinner across the street and headed back to the condo. We did a quick review of the photos from the day and had some great laughs and then headed to bed.

Check out the full trip here: Day1, Day2, Day3, Day4, Day5, Day6, Day7, Day8, Day9.

March 19, 2009
SLC ’09 Snowkite Trip Day 5

We had a nice relaxing morning having a killer breakfast. Tekko, Jason and Julien headed out to go scout out around the valley for a cool place to session and shoot. They came back about an hour later with a killer location. We headed out there and rigged. It was pretty light wind for a while steadily picking up. We were able to get some good shots out of the adventure, and some even better ideas for later.

We headed back to the condo for lunch made by the Canadians. The crew packed up and we headed up to the mountain. It was nuking when we arrived. We decided that since there was no cat today that we would all rig up kites and kite to the shoot location, shoot then kite back home. It was a great idea in theory, but proved more difficult than most of us thought, especially with the 75 lbs of photo gear. We started the session at the top of the hill the event was held at. We shot some full rig Liquid Force kite shots. Then Petter was jibbing a tree. That shot turned out to be one of the best of the day.

Jason and Julien were down setting up a picnic table off one of the table tops. The setup was pretty cool, as they hit the kicker and used the table as a down rail. The guys sessioned that for a while. Then Jason and I headed over to do some lip tricks on one of the other table tops as the light really started to fade.

Then the fun part started, getting home. Everyone headed out as Jason and I were finishing up the last shoot. Jason gave me a launch and we headed back to the parking lot. We headed down the first valley and then started up the next uphill as the wind totally shut off on us. We waited a few and luckily the wind came back. It was really crazy riding back with no light as you couldn’t see any definition in the snow. We finally made it back to the parking lot. We packed up the gear and crawled to the cars. But our first expedition was a success.

We headed back to the condos and everyone b lined it to the hot tub. Then it was time for cooking dinner and editing photos. It wasn’t until midnight that dinner was ready. We ate and then crashed.

Check out the full trip here: Day1, Day2, Day3, Day4, Day5, Day6, Day7, Day8, Day9.

March 18, 2009