I think my connection with nature,
or at least the way that I see it is,
you know this similar connection to adventure.
You know, ah, you can’t control Mother Nature
and the hands that she deals can be wondrous
and harsh all in the same time.
And I think that that is the cornerstone
which creates this unknown adventure
that I think that we all get excited about.
My name is Blake Jorgenson
and I am a professional
mountain sport and lifestyle photographer.
I started off
in adventure action sport photography
because that was just initially what I was into.
I moved to Whistler because I wanted to ski
and I wanted to live where the lifestyle and, you know,
the kind of dedication to the sport
ultimately consumes your entire life.
And photography just kind of followed in suit
as a way to push that involvement in that lifestyle
to an even higher level.
“This is a avalanche transceiver,
so by radio frequency we can actually find you
if you’re trapped under the snow.
Ideally that won’t happen but
precaution is always necessary.”
The reason why I love this type of photography
is that I’m actively participating.
You’re on the, the adventure.
You’re on the slopes.
You’re part of what’s happening out there.
You’re not on the sidelines, so to speak.
Sometimes shooting in these extreme environments,
so cold and so wet,
you second guess yourself of why you’re here.
You know, it takes a lot of patience
to have these great moments
because the really great days are few and far between
and then, in a blink of an eye,
it changes…
“That looks pretty good to me.”
… and it becomes this most incredible moment.
As the clouds clear and the sun pops and...
you’re only gonna see that
and only gonna capture that if you're there.
“Sick!”
You know and to me those are the…
the moments that are the ultimate reward.
I think the environment is really the star
and the people that I photograph within them
are these characters
that make these photos and environments come to life.
It’s hard to describe just how skilled
and motivated and dedicated they are.
They’re not my photographs,
they’re our photographs.
It’s a team effort, and it’s always a shared vision.
Whistler…
you know Whistler kind of attracts people that ah,
have this kind of mindset
to just charge out into the backcountry every day
and do something that makes them feel alive.
And that kind of energy,
that kind of dedication to life and celebration
is I think ultimately what
makes me want to live this life
and photograph that type of stuff.
You know adventure
has a lot to do with your personality
and whether you like to be in control
or sorta not be in control
and have things left up to chance
and that unknown
and that kind of desire to persevere in that unknown
is ultimately what creates really great photographs
and really great experiences.
That makes it super addicting.
That allows me to keep going in my photography.
The lifestyle pushes the photography and vice versa.