The Gathering started last season as an even put on by Powder Magazine and Red Mountain Resort in Rossland, BC to bring back together the group of people that started the way of life I get to live as a professional ski photographer.  This was one of those things I got to go to that was quite an honor for me.  I was picked by Powder Magazine to rep the new generation of ski photographers along with Jordan Manley and Christian Pondella.  It was quite the motley crew there ranging from the OG crew of photographers, the younger photographers, mountain guides, writers and of course some of the crew from Powder.

Powder got us together to meet with the OG’s, ski with them, party with them and present our work along side them.  It was a great time and I’m really stoked I got to be a part of it.  The first generation of ski photographers there presenting were Mark Shapiro, Ace Kvale, Hank DeVre, Wade McKoy.  Also with them was John Falkiner, one of the skiers and now mountain guide who was a part of the movement started along with Ace Kavale who was one of the other guys skiing for Mark Shapiro behind the lens.  The other presenters were writer Mitchell Scott, professional skier /traveller Kasha Rigby, photographers Dave Heath , Steve Ogle and previously mentioned Jordan Manley, Christian Pondella and myself.

The Gathering for me started off with slideshows being presented by people I’ve known about and then some that I didn’t.  Mark Shapiro presented an epic trip from the middle eastern deserts followed by a great show by Steve Ogle.  Following that was an amazing show by Ace Kavale and finally an very creativly shot and edited film teaser for the mountain bike film “Life Cycles” by Derek Frankowski. It’s not live anywhere yet on the web but when it is, you are going to be really stoked.  Derek has spent a few years on this project and it shows.  Really unique imagery here.   Ace Kavale’s show was one of those I wasn’t expecting.  Even though Ace was one of the original generations of ski photographers, my youth showed as I simply hadn’t seen any of his work before, or at least knew who’s work I was seeing. Ace’s show was very very well done and the images were amazing.  Capturing the images of the epic mountaineering expeditions, skiing, mountain lifestyle and just great portraits, Ace’s first name pretty much sums it up.  He kills it.

After the shows from day 1 we had a little party at the Rafter’s bar upstairs at the Red Mountain lodge.  It was a good time, as I got to spend some time talking with Marko, Ace, John, Wade, Hank and Christian Pondella.  I also got to find out that Christian Pondella has a lot of emails to answer.  I called it a pretty early night as it was snowing pretty good that night, and wanted to get a powder day in with everyone, not hungover!