Featured Picture: Christoph Johann | Skier: Ben Richards | Intro: Jordy Grant-Krenz
In ‘Behind The Cowl,’ we take you into the minds of the photographer and athlete featured on the duvet of our newest subject. In FREESKIER Quantity 27 Subject 1, or the Purchaser’s Information, we showcased the work of Christoph Johann (photographer) and Ben Richards (skier.)
These are two of our favourite artists within the recreation proper now. Johann’s physique of labor displays a surreal, usually enigmatic view of the mountains. His masterful placement of skiers leaves you questioning the place they got here from and the place they’re going. By enjoying with lighting in his photographs, he makes use of darkness to emphasise the topic, not detract from it.
Richards enhances Johann, together with his energetic and inventive snowboarding proving to be an asset in entrance of the lens. He has demonstrated over the previous couple of years that he can ski with unimaginable technicality whereas sustaining a inventive edge. Richards has showcased his talents all over the place, from the Freeride World Tour to movies with the LINE Skis workforce and now, on the duvet of FREESKIER Journal.
We see behind-the-scenes segments from movies on a regular basis, however hardly ever can we get to listen to in regards to the painstaking effort that goes into bringing a photograph to life. That’s why we contacted Richards and Johann to listen to their views on how this unimaginable shot got here to be. Try each of their full solutions under.
Photographer Christoph Johann
On how the shot got here to be:
We had deliberate this shoot a couple of months earlier than. Our most important purpose was to seize the glacier at Engelberg and play with these ice options. The situations had been a bit sketchy so we needed to keep away from steep terrain. The snow was nonetheless actually good. On our strategy to the gondola, we discovered a small pure hit with excellent mild from the background. Ben went for a trendy hand drag 360 and executed it completely.
Actually, we didn’t brainstorm such a shot. We had some concepts in our thoughts and a selected type we wished to archive. As soon as we had been within the area we had been trying to find options and good mild. It was a spontaneous thought and we went for it. It was positively price it!
On print media in at present’s digital world:
I really like print media, particularly as a result of increasingly magazines are stopping their print productions and that makes it much more particular for those who rating a cowl or an awesome narrative in {a magazine}. At this time with social media the world has develop into a busy place. Images get posted and are forgotten after a couple of days. Not with print.
It’s nice to carry {a magazine} in your hand, particularly when it feels nearly timeless.
Skier Ben Richards
On how the shot got here to be:
We had deliberate this shoot for a very long time, however the thought for a cling drag was principally simply stumbled upon on our method again to the carry. Avalanche hazard was limiting what terrain we had been about to get into that day, however with good mild and Christoph behind the lens we had been nonetheless capable of get some cool stuff.
We had been planning to spend a few days in Engelberg. However on our first day of the shoot, I acquired a message saying I wanted to be in Verbier the subsequent morning as the ultimate cease of the [Freeride World Tour] was going to happen sooner than anticipated. Fortunately, we managed to get so much performed in someday.
On print media in at present’s digital world:
Print to me is so particular. A ton of labor goes into getting the precise picture, so having someplace they’ll dwell, and you’ll maintain them in your palms makes placing in that effort really feel so price it. It’s much better than having them find yourself on Instagram for everybody to swipe previous and by no means take into consideration once more. Honored to be featured on this yr’s FREESKIER Purchaser’s Information!
Hold an eye fixed out for FREESKIER Quantity 27 Subject 2 dropping quickly!
