Photographer Mark Fisher has lived in Michigan, Dubai, Washington D.C., Germany, Montana and Texas. He attended the University of Wisconsin-Madison, majoring in German, environmental studies and international relations, but for many years he worked as a mountain guide in places like Alaska and Africa. But for the last eight years, the 33-year-old pro photographer has called Victor, Idaho home and, nope, he ain't leaving. See, all this has taught him at least that much.
Of course he does hit the road frequently, with his Canon rigs and lens, and this year he spent time in the usual money-shot honey pots of the Tetons, the Wasatch and Alaska. "It sounds sort of cliche, but Alaska was amazing this year," says Fisher. "The snow quality was unreal. It was really thin, which is unusual, but as far as straight up powder it was great. But overall this past winter was really weird—the good days were hard to hit weather wise. And of course it started out weird with the avalanche conditions; a death at Teton Village and then the avalanche that hit the restaurant. And it was the same story everywhere and then it was spotty as the avi danger lingered."
"It felt like it was a great season, but it was tough. It wasn't like last season or the season before," Fisher continues, who sent along a batch of 93 photographs that we've whittled down to 12 for an ESPN Freeskiing photo gallery, featuring the likes of Seth Morrison, Tanner Hall, Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, Ian McIntosh, Julian Carr and Jack Pilot.
Advice for aspiring ski photographers?
"Be patient. And then hit it hard when it's good," says Fisher, who has been published in Powder, Skiing, Freeskier, National Geographic Adventure and Outside. "And when the conditions aren't right, find ways to be creative."
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Contributors
John Symms
My friend is a pro. In fact, many of my friends are pros. How else do you think I got this job?
Tim Mutrie
Journalist and blog-a-neer, big mtn. correspondent Tim has a desk-sized condo in a little place called Aspen.
Seth Morrison
If you don't know who Seth is, just click out of this blog and walk away. (Seth is a big mtn. legend, you see.)
Sage Cattabriga-Alosa
Sage went from washing dishes professionally to freeskiing professionally — aka "professional growth."
Ingrid Backstrom
World traveler, prolific ripper, reader and smiler, Ingrid lives in a cabin at the base of Squaw Valley.
Nate Abbott
Driven by coffee, powder, music, laughing, books & possibilities, photographer Nate is a lurker with Leica.
Liam Downey
Vermonster, Level 1 vet and large animal veterinarian, Liam's 6'5" frame makes him a large animal himself.
