Ransom by Adidas Backcountry Photo Shoot

Recently I spent a few days in the British Columbia backcountry shooting the 2011 fall catalogue for a Ransom shoe collaboration with Adidas Originals. The catalogue will have a large "out there" wilderness crossed with a camping/exploring vibe.

Logistics manager Shin Campos goes over some options with Ransom creator and designer Matt George.

Mary was there to host a behind the scenes piece for Fashion TV. I think she was looking for Starbucks when this shot was taken.

Mary and Matt introduce the concept and location for Fashion TV.

Our base camp during the shoot. No room service provided.

We shot a few pieces in this ice cave. Lucky we where not in there when it all came crashing down 15 minutes later. We would have all died. Honestly.

A view from my tent one morning.

Our crew follows me after being dropped by helicopter.

Working in the rain always makes thing a bit harder.

A test shot of Cody in the ice cave.

Another test shot of Cody, this time in the woods.

Behind the scenes interviews with model Cody and Matt George.

Team Shoot Out 2010 - We Are The Defending Champions

Last year I teamed up with Rome Snowboards and Bear Mountain to compete in Transworld SNOWboarding's Team Shoot Out and took top honours. This year we defended our title against 3 new teams. The photos and video's have been submitted and we wait the announcement of the 2010 TWS Team Shoot Out winner.

Laurent Nicolas Paquin - elbow rail 50-50 to stairs.

Shoot Out Contest Breakdown

The contest goes down in a two-week window: seven days of build time and seven days of ride time.

Each team is provided with a maximum of 210 groomer labor hours and 240 hand crew labor hours by the host resort.

Each team consists of five riders (including one girl). If the team doesn’t include a female, they can only have four riders.

Rider substitutions can only be made if a team member is injured.

One photographer is assigned to shoot each team for the event.

Each team can use a maximum of two filmers to shoot video.

Each team must create a four-minute final video and submit a gallery of six photos for judging.

Judging is broken into the event’s three main components: video, photos, and overall creativity.

The winning team is awarded the September cover.

The Team Shoot Out winner is determined by adding the judging scores of all the contest criteria for the highest possible points total.

Submitted Photo #1 - Eiki Helgason

Submitted Photo #2 - Johnnie Paxson

Submitted Photo #3 - Will Lavigne

Submitted Photo #4 - Johnnie Paxson

Submitted Photo #5 - Johnnie Paxson

Submitted Photo #6 - Laurent Nicolas Paquin

2 Day Shooting Extension Proves Productive

In the years past our crew of surfers, filmers and art directors have been extremely lucky with decent swell size and sunny dry weather, but that was all about to change. This seasons Ripzone photo shoot in Nicaragua was looking grim. We showed up and the waves were pretty big but it rained all day and night, making the weather less than ideal for shooting. By the time the sun did come out the swell had dropped and the waves sucked. To make things worse, all the rain water flowing to the ocean through the rivers, collecting mud, garbage and sewage along the way turned the water mud brown and left most the surfers with bad ear infections. Just before our departure date the swell models jumped and good surf and weather was in the forecast. Adrian Millar, Ripzone's marketing manager made the call and extended our trip to catch this new swell. And good thing he did because those 2 extra shooting days made the trip worth while.

It was this afternoon that the swell started to fill in. A fun little right hander?

It doesn't get any better looking than this.

Sam Zuegner bottom turns on a set wave at the outter reef.

I am still wondering why Sam is looking back at me? Does he not see that pit?

The tide was dropping really fast, rocks were showing and that meant it was time to come in. Unfortunately its just too dangerous now.

I love sitting back and shooting empty waves, thinking just what could have been.

Nicaragua Catalogue Photo Shoot

I'm back in Nicaragua again with Ripzone, shooting their spring and summer clothing catalogue. Along with team manager Geoff Andruik and the team riders, I left Vancouver Sunday night on the red eye hell ride to arrive in Manauga early Monday morning. We headed straight to the beach, dropped off our bags and checked the surf. Swell is up and pushing 8+ foot. A little too big for out front. Some of the outer reefs have been going off....so we were told. The ol' should have been here yesterday game again. Either way, there is some surf around somewhere and we have Roberto to drive us around and find it. It's raining pretty hard so shooting is out of the question. We hit up a new zone and found some fun head high waves at a river mouth just north of where we are staying. Due to the abnormal amounts of rain in the area, the river is flooded and running strong. This creates some less than desirable water color in the lineup and it tastes a lil' funny too!

Some days you just have to lay down and enjoy the shit.

Team Rider Sam Zuegner, different strokes for different folks.

The more civilized way to cross a flooded road.

The daily commute in rural Nicaragua is slow but no one seems to mind.

Right now it rains everyday and if your not lucky, it rains all day. Quite surprised to see something so bright and clean.

For a second there I thought Mike Reno of Loverboy was hanging out of our truck. It was only Sam Zuegner. Damn!

2010 Transworld SNOWboarding Team Shootout

Its spring time and the busiest time of year for me. You wont be getting a lot of updates here since I barely have time to sleep. Its been a great season for me, I've spent the majority of it in Whistler but it's not even close to done. Right now I am at Bear Mountain in sunny California working with the Rome team on the second round of the Team Shootout. Last year we won and have a lot to live up to. Check out the video of what we've been up to.

Top secret day 1 from www.helgasons.com on Vimeo.

Story Behind The Shoot Out Photos

This is a video that Joe Carlino made with me about some of my photos that won the TWS Team Shoot Out. You can view the feature on TWS.

Transworld Snowboarding Cover Shoot

This season the editors at Transworld Snowboarding Magazine have decided that a photo of the latest and greatest product will be showcased on the cover, instead of your typical action photo that you saw for the past 20 or so years. With weeks of debates on how the product was going to be shot, the photo was now past due and needed to be shot now. I assisted photo editor Nick Hamilton on the job along with TWS art director Dustin Koop and associate art dude John Antoski. The original idea was to shoot all the product together highlighting specific features of the product with antique magnifying glasses. After hours of "try this and try that, no move it here no move it there" we had to give up on the idea and move on. It just didn't feel right, and sometimes ideas work better on paper than in the studio. In the end we decided on a completely different look. The photos were shot and sent back to the art department for layout. Checkout this cover photo and all the latest in snowboard gear in the 2010 TWS buyers guide hitting newsstands August 18th.

Koop and Antoski.

It just doesn't feel right, does it?

Collecting ideas back on the computer.

I stand in as the extremely talented boot holder.

The old flying goggle technique. Is that a beer toque?