A Week In The Life: Christian Pondella

 

A Week in the Life returns with Red Bull/F-Stop Faction photographer Christian Pondella. Christian recently spent some time shooting the X-Games where he pointed his camera at the best X-Athletes in the world. He has one of the best seats in the business to watch the sport move 10 steps forwards on a daily basis at the games. Over the next week he will let us in on what it's like to shoot big events like the X-Games but also a last minute trip to Norway with ice climber Will Glad.

Day One

Winter is here so that means my schedule will be getting pretty consumed with traveling. This past year was very busy for me; starting in January 1, 2009 to October 1 I did not spend a stretch of two weeks or longer at home. Once the fall hit I managed to spend three months with out any travels. I got on an airplane in late December and thought to myself this is the longest I have been without an airplane ride in years. Unfortunately, or fortunately it has all come to an end.

My first big job for the winter is and has been the Winter X Games for the past six or seven years. Working for Red Bull I have the responsibility for shooting all of their athletes, which pretty much means I cover just about every event. This turns into five, sixteen-hour days in a row. I also shoot for EXPN so I have the luxury of the full access pass, which makes my job much easier! For me the highlight for at the X Games is not all the action going on, but seeing all my friends, fellow photographers, and all the folks in the outdoor industry.

Just before the X Games I got a call from Will Gadd (www.gravsports.blogspot.com) to see if I wanted to go to Norway to shoot some first ascents with him and our buddy Andreas Spak (www.andreasspak.com) . Rumors of 300 meter unclimbed vertical falls! Knowing I would be doing my fair share of climbing I jumped at this opportunity. Who would pass up a trip to Norway with the world’s best ice climber? Plus I have been on about 10 trips with Gadd in the past and they are always a wild adventure (usually dangerous, I think dangerous equals fun). Below are some highlight photos from Winter X. Soon I will have some updates from Norway.