Field Trip Pt. 2: A Look Through Carson’s Lens
Author: Carson Meyer, FOW
"Are you kidding me?? Day number one of our five-day road trip from my hometown of Jackson, Wyoming, and this is the light and snow we get?"
In our last installment of the prototype testing roadtrip, we heard from Joey Weamer, who experienced "the perfect turn" aboard a ski he was handed only hours before. Our trip was full of unforgettable moments like this, many of which were captured by photographer and FOW Carson Meyer as we journeyed through the Tetons, Bridgers, and into Canada's Selkirk Range.
Self portrait of Carson Meyer
This time around, Carson gives us a behind-the-scenes look at his favorite shot from each day of the trip:
Day 1 - The Pass // FOW: Dan Gish
I had just driven down from Bozeman, Montana to Jackson with Joey Weamer to rendezvous with Matt Sterbenz and the crew on top of Teton Pass for our first day of the road trip. I had met Joey that morning, Dan Gish that afternoon, and hadn't seen Sterbenz since my last trip with him and Freeskier Magazine in Alaska.
Despite what this one photo may suggest, the mission didn’t start glamorously. It was 2:00 pm and socked in on top of the Pass. We were all on prototype skis we hadn't ridden before. Working with new friends to create photographs can be a challenge. Everyone can be on a different page. Someone might turn left when they should have turned right. New gear and new terrain can throw you off. There are hundreds of ways to miss the perfect shot, and only a few ways to nail it. Working through those challenges when the snow is there, when the light is there, and when you have the chance to work with friends to create a photograph like this of Dan, is so rewarding when you pull it off. Go check out Field Trip Pt. 1: Teton Pass to read about Joey’s favorite turn just moments later.
Day 2 - The Park // FOW: Matt Sterbenz
I suggested we head into Wyoming's Teton National Park in hopes of finding some terrain we could have all to ourselves. The area I suggested was one I had been to a few times before. Everyone else was going in blind. I was just hoping we would have enough features to work with on the way back down. After a beautiful morning on the skin track and shooting the top of our run, we were getting lower down on the mountain and I was starting to run out of open terrain to photograph.
When, just then, there was Matt, telling us about an idea he had. Following his lead, we traversed a little and peaked our heads over this rollover trying to figure out where we were. All of a sudden, Matt’s got it: He pointed below to where he was going to rip this line, and I headed down to orient my shot. Matt Slashed his way down effortlessly as he navigated the undulating terrain.
Day 3 - Bridgers // FOW: Tyler Miller and Matt Sterbenz
This image captures Montana's Northern Bridger's so perfectly: Windy, cold, and steep.
The Bridger Range, located north of Bozeman, Montana is home to some world-class skiing inbounds or out. It is a place I was able to explore while going to college at MSU. Every time I stand on top of that eternally windy ridge and look down I can't help but feel butterflies. So after pushing through the wind to the top, it was a great opportunity to be able to document the boys experiencing the same feeling as they peered down into their line for the first time.
Day 4 - Sir Donald and the Vaux Glacier
Our first day in BC's Selkirks off the Rogers Pass Highway. While it was so hard for me to choose one picture from the day, this image takes it. Such a fleeting moment…
While touring up to the base of Mt. Sir Donald with Cody Lank and Chris Brazeau, I noticed that a small break in the clouds was imminent. I scrambled to whip out my camera to capture this image from across the valley before the opportunity vanished. Short but memorable moments like this are what exploring the backcountry is all about. After a few seconds, the clouds obscured the view and we moved on to exploring new terrain and new mountains with our fellow FOWs.
Day 5 - Bonney Glacier // FOW: Matt Sterbenz
This is not a composite image! It’s an in-camera double exposure.
I was thrilled at the start of this photoshoot when Matt and Xan asked me to experiment with some double exposures, a technique I love to implement but seldom get to use. In case you are unaware of what this is: Double exposure was first performed with film cameras by shooting two different images on the same section of film. This essentially layered the two images, one on top of another. Modern cameras create the same effect digitally in-camera, combining two exposures into one image. I really enjoy how this one turned out, one image of Matt making the deepest turn of our trip on the Bonney Glacier and the other from a bend of the Trans Canada Highway before our turnoff to the trailhead.
All photos by Carson Meyer (@carsonmeyerphoto)