The Anatomy of a Resort Photo Shoot.

Ever wonder what goes into a resort photo shoot?  I'm not sure anyone ever has, but here is a blow by blow account of my most recent shoot with Killington Resort.

12.12.07

It's Wednesday and the TV weather reporters are starting to call for a possible significant snow event over the weekend.  I start to send out a few emails to get the "inside scoop" from my resort friends.  My guy at Jay Peak replies that they might be measuring the snow in feet, not inches.  This is crazy.  If it pans out, this will be our second big storm this season.  New England hasn't seen a December like this in years.  Good for us.

12.13.07

I was up at Killington taking a few runs.  After I stopped into the marketing department to say a quick hello to Chris D. and to pick his brain about the storm.  His reports are looking good for a major Nor'easter.  Chris also mentions that Killington might be thinking about putting together a photo shoot.  A shoot in December is rare because the sun is so low in the sky, but if we get the amount of snow that is being rumored it just might be worth it.  When I get home I send out a few emails seeing who is around and available to model.

12.14.07

It's Friday and the storm is picking up steam and is now major news.  The TV stations are doing around the clock updates, even the national nightly news.  Early reports are calling for 12-18 inches in the Killington region.  My inside guy at Killington says his report is calling for 18-22 inches.  I check in with Chris D. and the marketing department and they are still thinking about a full-on photo shoot Tuesday.  The forecast for Tuesday is calling for it to be sunny and Killington will not have yet opened Bear Mountain.  The perfect recipe for capturing brochure images.

12.16.07

It's Sunday morning and the storm is hitting us hard.  Snow is coming down sideways.  I had about 8 inches on my car by 8:00am.  The reports are calling for a mix of sleet and freezing rain mid-way through the storm, but eventually a switch back to all snow with an additional foot.  Sweet.  I check in with Chris D. and he thinks we are still going forward with the shoot Tuesday morning.  "I have two snowboarders, but can you get one male and one female ski model?" Chris asks.  You bet.  These models not only have to ski well but be attractive, be able to ski and smile at the same time, (not as easy as you might think) and show up on time, which is usually very early.  Popular to contrary belief, there is no ski model agency you can call on a Sunday afternoon and order up a few models.   I put out the emails and make a  few calls to all my usual suspects.  Kubas is in.  Amy B. who is now Amy L. thinks she can also make it...great...that was easy.

12.17.07

The storm is more or less over.  The wind really kicked in and the temperatures dropped.  I took a few runs solo and the snow was very wind effected and slabby.  Hum, I wonder how it is over at Bear where we might shoot tomorrow?  I still haven't received the final go ahead from Chris D. and Killington which makes booking potential models hard.  I don't want any of them switching plans, getting shifts covered and getting babysitters to watch kids then suddenly have the shoot cancelled.  Around 1:00 I get a call from Heather D., she can make it if I still need her.  I'll get back to her.  I finally meet up with Chris D. and it's a go for tomorrow's shoot.  Sweet.  Meet time is 6:45 at the upper admin building and the plan is to load the superstar chair at 7:30.  That should give us an hour and a half before the public gets any where near us.  Chris says he'd rather not use Amy L. because I had shot with her over at Okemo last year and is the poster woman in all their ad's.  OK.  How about Heather D.?  "Perfect", Chris said.  I also mention I have Ben Kubas.  Chris asks if I can get one more male model.  Sure, no problem.  It's now 4:00, where am I going to wrangle up a skier on such sort notice to be at Killington at 6:45 in the morning...did I mention it's going to be -10 at 6:45?  I go into overdrive with calls to models.  Lucky Heather D. can still make it.  I stop into Evolution Ski Shop to give Ben the details and tell him not to be late.  He can't make it.  SHIT.  Now I have to find two guys.  I run into Bret W. at the Basin Ski Shop.  He makes a call home to check if it's cool...no problem, he's in.  Still need to find one more dude and it's now 5:30.  I make a few more calls and leave voice mails.  I finally get in touch with Patrick D. at 7:00.  He can make it no problem.  Whew.  

12.18.07

6:40 along the drive to the mountain and it's -11.  Ouchie.  I'm gearing up to tell Chris D. that we can't make these guys go out in such cold temps, but as I pull into the upper admin parking lot it's a balmy 8 above!  Inversion...lets ski!  Everyone is there and accounted.  We boot up, assign wardrobe and are on the 7:30 chair.  Not a cloud in the sky and as we hit the top of the lift we are blasted with sunshine.  It's not even cold.  The models looked great, the light couldn't be any better, the snow was a little slabby but good.  A perfect day for shooting brochure photos...just remember to smile.

The crew on the way over to Bear Mt. 

The next 3 shots are Bret W. skiing like it's his job...wait...today it is.

Eddie making it look easy.

Patrick D. ripping on O.L.

Heather D. enjoying work today.

Eddie's sister making an appearance.

Even our personal patroler Woody got into the action.

Freeskier Photo Annual

A few months ago,  I get a call from Ben Kubas who manages Evolution Freeride Ski Shop in Killington.  It seems that Freeskier Magazine was featuring his shop for their "core shop" column.  Ben asked if I would be able to shoot a few images for the article.  Not a problem, but lets make sure we do it very different than all the other core shop pictures.  Let's light it up and get some girls in bikinis!  Sex sells you know.  Kubas was all for it. 

Best two runs of the season so far.

We got about 5 inches of new snow the other day.  I went to Killington with John DeMasi to make some turns and shoot a few pictures.  After a few hours of shooting I put the camera bag back in the car and headed over to the Snowdon quad where we hooked up with Ben Kubas for a few runs.  I don't know if it was the fact I didn't have twenty pounds of camera on my back or the snow was just that good, but those two runs were the best I've had all season.

Not all skiing.

Looking at every post here and you might think all I shoot is skiing.  Not true.  The other week I got a call from Laura Osborn from Upper Valley Life.  Upper Valley Life is a local magazine that documents life here in the upper Connecticut River Valley.  You can check it out HERE.  Laura wanted me to go shoot a local book publisher who's offices are right here in Woodstock, just down the road from where I am typing.

and again, still blower.

It finally stopped snowing and today was bluebird.  The temps have been cold so the snow was just as blower today as it was yesterday and the day before that....and the day before that...  Today Kubas and I had our friend Vinny in tow.  Vinny is a snowboarder, much like I used to be.  We chose to summit Mount Rams Head again, but today we went off into the woods and skied and rode a little woods shot we know about.  Enjoy the pic's.

Still Blower.

Just like yesterday, the snow today was unreal for Vermont, especially in early December.  It was just Ben Kubas and I.  We were to meet up with Dave Young and my attorney Kirk Kardashian, but they got an early start to the day and were making laps over at Pico.  Ben and I decided to summit Mount Rams Head.  As we approached the peak there she was, a bright pink flamingo, just sitting there in the snow.  After a brief shoot with the pink bird we got to some skiing.  Oh, and it's still snowing.

Blower.

It's been a long time since the East has had a good start to the season.  Well today was as good as it gets.  The snow was just as light as anything I had seen in my five years living in Utah.  I'll spare you the long write up.  Just enjoy the photos.

Powder Day!!

That storm I talked about last post, well it's hitting New England right as I type.  Woke up to about 4-5 inches on my car this morning.  Man was it nice seeing natural snow again.  Packed up the car, grabbed the cameras, remembered my boots, and headed to Killington to meet up with the one and only Ben Kubas and a new guy from New Hampshire, John DeMasi.  I was there bright and early.  Poked into the marketing department and said hi to all the folks.  Parked close to the gondola, suited up and made my way to meet up with the guys.  Ahhh, the first real day of shooting and it's a pow day...sweet!  Hummm...8:55 and no sign of anyone???  9:00 and no sign of anyone???  They open the lift to the hoots and hollers of the people waiting...and still no sign of anyone.  I call Ben Kubas, he said he was up drinking coffee, I think he was sleeping?  who knows?  fast-forward  It's now 10:45 and I've taken a few runs alone.  I check back at the ticket office where I had left a voucher for John DeMasi, still no sign.  Then my phone rings.  It's John.  He got T-Boned by a Ford Explorer.  He's alright and his car is still operational, but he's going to be busy for the next hour or two dealing with it all.  One man down.  Where the heck is Kubas??  I get a call from him and he's on his way.  He put his car into a ditch but got pulled out...we're meeting at the Snowdon Quad at 11:15.  This is the point where my day turned around.  Tom H. and Chris D. called from Killington Marketing dept. and are wondering if I had gotten anything good so far.  I relay the stories of multiple car issues and how I'll be getting after it soon.  They tell me they would like to use a shot if I get anything good in a postcard they are printing today, mailing tomorrow, and will be in 22,000 mailboxes around Boston Thursday morning.  How cool is that?  Talk about turn-around.  Here are a few shots after Ben Kubas showed up and the postcard that will be arriving shortly.  Enjoy.