VIEWS FROM THE VILLAGE 

Concept | Creative | Casting | Photography

I think part of being a successful photographer is finding a way to relate to your subject, to empathize with them. I’ve spent two winters with Spencer O’Brien and some of the best female snowboarders in the world, on top of a mountain in Western Canada. It’s easy to draw parallels between our obligations on the mountain. Both aspiring females gnawing through traditionally male-dominated industries, entering the week with the set of goals — and the intentions of achieving them. I spent a lot of time observing, trying to gauge fear, and how it might manifest through these female athletes. Did they feel fear? To me, they were superhuman. My prior definition of beauty and grace had been shifted to a gritty and natural perseverance.