We were delighted to hear that our Pathfinder Ambassador and Astrophotography specialist, Monika Deviat won the Aurorae Category of Astronomy Photographer of the Year with her image "Brushstroke". She was also then featured in a mini documentary by the Royal Museums Greenwich, which explores her experiences and highlights her creative process, perfectly showcasing her talents behind the camera with her favourite backpack: the Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond®.

Monika loves astrophotography as well as night photography in general and shares her passion with others through workshops. But there is more than meets the eye to the Alberta-based photographer. She is a metalhead, pole and aerial instructor, educator, and speaker, which are all personified in her work.

The quality of Monika’s work speaks for itself. Her level of experience is evident in every frame she captures, which is why she is the perfect person to give you essential tips on shooting the Northern Lights:

Essential Astrophotography Tips For Shooting Northern Lights:

• Use a Tripod:
  • Long exposures are usually required to gather the right amount of light. The camera needs to be steady, so a good tripod will help you get the best results.

• Use a remote/intervalometer/timer:
  • Pressing the shutter with your finger can introduce camera shake. Using a remote trigger will allow the camera to stop vibrating before triggering the shutter. You can elevate your image quality by avoiding the motion blur from camera shake.

• The Right Gear:
  • DSLR, Mirrorless, or Phone Camera (yes, your phone can take a good Aurora photo!)Use fast aperture lenses - f2.8 or faster is ideal. But you could work with what you have, like an f4 lens, for example.
  • Remove any filters (including UV) because they could introduce artifacts in your images.

• Focus Like a Pro:
  • Your camera's autofocus will likely not work in a dark sky area, and infinity focus on your lenses is not where you need to be focussing. If you have a prime lens, you can mark or tape the focus at infinity during the day. With a zoom lens (like Monika's Nikkor 14-24mm f2.8), find a bright star, zoom in on it on your LCD, and roll the focus ring back and forth carefully until the star is as pin sharp as possible. 
  • Light up an object far enough away to be at infinity for your lens and focus on it. Using lights will affect your night vision and enjoyment of the night sky. It takes 20-30 minutes for your eyes to adjust to darkness.

• Choosing the Right Settings: 
  Settings can vary depending on the strength and brightness of the aurora. A good starting point could be ISO 1600-3200, 5-10s, and a wide-open aperture. Adjust as necessary for the conditions. Consider using shorter exposures for fast moving or quick-changing aurora.

PICKING A PACK:

f-stop Ambassador and Astrophotography specialist, Monika, states that her two go-to backpacks are her Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond® in the Magma Red color option and her Ajna 37L DuraDiamond® in Anthracite Black. Her Tilopa travels with her for most adventures, including visiting ice caves in glaciers in the Canadian Rockies, hauling night photography gear up mountains and road trips to badlands. The Ajna is usually her travel pack pick when she needs to stay agile or deal with space restrictions on vehicles or with groups, but does occasionally go on mountaineering trips with her.

For more adventurous trips, Monika uses the Medium Slope Camera Insert to keep her kit safe and organized. This still gives her enough space for a camera body or two, two or three lenses and leaves room to add things like Avalanche Gear, cookies (Essential!), water bottle, thermos, extra Layers, first aid kit, and various small accessories. Her crampons/micro spikes, ice axe and tripod attach securely to the outside of her pack using the Gatekeeper Straps and the other various attachment points. 

Monika uses her Pro Large Camera Insert for photo-focused trips that need less adventure gear. For an "easy" night hike up a mountain, Monika will take two bodies, three lenses, two tripods, a star tracker, extra layers, water, thermos, snacks, a first aid kit, and camera accessories. 

Competition: https://www.rmg.co.uk/whats-on/astronomy-photographer-year

Website: https://monikadeviatphotography.com/

In outdoor sports photography, being prepared is not just about skill, creativity and having the right gear. It's also as much about your level of organization and how you pack. Join us as we explore the world of Pro Photographer and f-stop Ambassador Frien Harald Wisthaler, as he navigates the demanding and exhilarating world of the Ski-Cross World Cup in Ineichen. 

Nestled in the Dolomites, Harald's home in Italy (South Tyrol) offers the perfect canvas for his 15-year photographic journey. His latest challenge?  Only capturing the high-speed action and raw emotion at the Ski-Cross World Cup. 

The Gear:
The toolkit at Harald's disposal is as diverse as the sport itself. With his Mirrorless Nikon camera bodies, his range of lenses from wide-angle to super telephoto lens sets, alongside protective gear and outdoor wear, he geared up for a vast range of shooting situations. But it's not just about having the right gear; it's about knowing how to pack it. Harald emphasizes the importance of being consistently organized, but also flexible, often changing the equipment he packs based on the day's conditions and location scouting insights.  

Proper Preparation: Harald told us that his number 1 tip is to not only make yourself familiar with your camera and lenses but also get to know the features of your bags. Look at all pockets and ask yourself why these are there and for what scenario you can use them for yourself! Make the gear yours and really get to know the equipment you're working with. This will help you work smarter and faster in almost every aspect when you're in the field and will make dealing with issues and obstacles a breeze. 

OV German - Turn on the Captions for English translation

Overcoming On-Site Challenges

In the fast-paced world of sports photography, being prepared and flexible is just as important as having a keen eye for the shot. At the Ski-Cross World-cup, Harald faces unique challenges. His Office is situated just next to the ski slope, which for him has its pros and cons: He is always right in the middle of everything, no matter what.  

To shoot an event like this effectively, you must always be ready to go, constantly aware of the schedules and factoring in the time you need to get up and down the slopes; and of course, adjust to the weather. When the race starts, everything is finished in 50 minutes. Choosing the right spot to bed in is crucial. Getting the shots you need requires strategic planning and sometimes a bit of luck. You need to be aware that moving positions during races is often not feasible and you cannot cross the race areas, so choose your position based on your goals.  

Be Prepared

Harald's passion for photography stems from far more than simply clicking the shutter.  The journey to each shoot is just as important to him. Whether it's World Cup events or serene mountain vistas, Harald knows that each adventure starts with a well-packed bag. Harald swears by his f-stop Tilopa DuraDiamond® 50l pack, a reliable companion on all his escapades.

The key, he says, is consistency and preparedness. He packs the same way every time depending on the situation, ensuring he can find everything in a flash - be it his trusty 50mm lens or a crucial first aid kit. By keeping his pack consistently organized, ensuring he can quickly grab the right lens for the shot without a second thought. His advice? Keep your setup routine and familiar, so you're always ready, regardless of the conditions or the rush. 

Pack Like a Pro: 5 Core Principles

1. Adaptive Gear Choices Based on Location Scouting: Prior to each shoot, Harald conducts thorough location scouting. Based on these observations, he adapts his equipment to his needs. Sometimes that means making last-minute changes between wide-angle and telephoto lenses to suit the specific needs of the shooting environment. 
   
2. Strategic Use of Accessory Pouches: Harald utilizes accessory pouches as a methodical approach to organization. He assigns specific items like batteries and memory cards to designated pouches. This strategic placement allows for efficient retrieval, especially in time sensitive scenarios. 
   
3. Be Ready for the Elements: Acknowledging the unpredictability of outdoor environments, Harald prepares for a range of conditions. His gear includes protective items like rain covers for wet weather and thermal clothing for colder climates. This ensures both he and his equipment are shielded from the elements. 
   
4. Be Consistent With Your Organization: Harald maintains a consistent setup for his pack, which is crucial for high-pressure shoots. This consistency in organization means he knows exactly where each piece of equipment is, from camera bodies to lenses. Reducing the time spent searching for items in the field means he can focus on getting the shot.
   
5. Pack for Diverse Photographic Conditions: Emphasizing the need for versatility, Harald packs equipment that can handle a variety of conditions. His approach involves selecting the right gear for the job, also ensuring that he has backup gear and essentials like lens cleaners and protective covers. 

A Strategy for Every Shoot: Whether travelling by car or tackling unpredictable terrain on foot, Harald appreciates the versatility of his f-stop Camera Inserts. They allow him to switch lenses, gear and setups quickly, adapting to changing scenes and moments. This flexibility is crucial, especially when pre-event scouting isn't an option. He usually brings a second Camera Insert with him in the car filled with potential other lenses he might need. Depending on what the location offers, he has the option to adapt and get the best outcomes.

The Gear

Harald utilizes a variety of equipment when he is out in the field. On this shoot he brought following gear with him:

• 2x Nikon Camera Bodies  
• 3-5 Lenses 
• Angelbird Memory cards and Hard drive / Card reader 
• f-stop Tilopa DuraDiamond® 50 L Backpack and Pro Large Camera Insert 
• Laptop 
• Additional Camera Insert with backup lenses in the car 
• Add on f-stop accessories like the Gatekeeper Straps, Small Accessory Pouch , Protective Wrap and CF Wallet 

Learned Wisdom: The devil is in the details – or in this case, in the packing. Harald keeps his bag organized the same way regardless of the shoot, which makes adapting on the go a breeze. His approach is to make every slot and pocket useful to him! He also has a few more tricks up his sleeve. Also, he’s a firm believer in packing the little extras that you might not need. You never know when that ‘just in case’ item becomes a lifesaver.   

The Final Day

On the final day, the weather closed in. Ineichen offers a stunning mountainous backdrop, but with snow coming in, Harald had to adjust his approach. Instead of isolating individual participants with his telephoto lenses, he adapted to shooting on a wider field of view. He then incorporated long exposure to highlight the dumping of snow and the speed of the race. Finding a darker background and panning his camera with the subject helped Harald make the most of the situation and produce his usual exceptional standard of work.  

Stay flexible, stay responsive, and prepared to adapt at a moment's notice.

Harald Wisthaler

How would you carry all of your camera gear plus a lot of camping gear? You might do what f-stop Ambassador Pia Steen does when she wants to pack camera gear and camping gear. She loads up her Shinn 80L DuraDiamond® with everything from cine setups to long lenses.

“If I sometimes just need that little extra space I have it and don't need to worry” 

Intro

One of Pia’s passions is landscape photography which requires a lot of planning, time, and patience. Pia is often on multiple day tours and workshops. So she needs a pack with the capacity to carry EVERYTHING for several days, including clothing, a jacket, a sleeping bag, a camping stove, food, etc.  Then, when planning short hikes away from camp and plan, Pia unpacks, reorganizes and just takes the essentials for that day’s hike.

Nature has always been an important and big part of her life. Pia has used f-stop for over a decade and uses multiple Packs - each one for a different purpose! However, the Shinn is a pack she regularly chooses over her Tilopa 50L DuraDiamond® for trips or excursions.  . 

One of Pia's mottos to get the best light is "Better to be two hours too early than just two minutes late". She has been using f-stop for more than 10 years now and her newest addition is the Shinn 80L DuraDiamond® ⁠
Today, she brings all with her that she would need to wait for the perfect light. She pulls out her stove and boils water to make some tea while watching the day’s light develop.

“The emotionality of every moment is like a breath of life. Creating a memory from that ephemeral is a gift.” ​ 

Pia’s Kit

The Shinn 80L DuraDiamond® might be designed to accommodate cinema gear, but its biggest strength is its versatility, which Pia takes full advantage of. She utilizes the Shinn’s spacious capacity and all-day comfort on her multi-day hikes and workshops. "Better to be two hours too early, than just two minutes late" she laughs.

Often running multi-day tours and workshops, Pia needs a pack with the capacity to carry everything for several days. This often includes a change of clothing, a jacket, a sleeping bag, a camping stove, and food, all packed alongside her photography gear.

The usual ”Landscape Outdoor Kit":

• Camera Gear: Sony A7 IV, Sony A7R III, Sony 24-105mm f4, Sigma 100-400mm, Canon 16-35mm L f4.
• Tripods: Gitzo Traveler, Gitzo Mountaineer, Gitzo Systematic. 
• Additional: Graduated and polarizing filters, 4 batteries, power bank, Laptop.

For her multi-day trips or Landscape Photography where she is expecting to carry more than usual, she is using the Shinn 80L Duradiamond® to give her enough space for a sleeping bag, sleeping pad, Bivy Tent, food, etc. 
On this occasion she used the Shinn 80 L along with the Slope Medium Camera Insert which gives her additional room to fill with camping Gear from Stove, Gas, and cups in her Packing Cell Kit. Aside from this, she brought a small box of Cookies (or other snacks) Tripod ( attached to the front of the pack with Gatekeepers), Gloves, a Down Jacket, Memory Cards, a Card Reader, a Cleaning Kit, Batteries and an f-stop Accessory Pouch Small and Accessory Pouch Medium.

Tip's from Pia: 

• Build the picture you want to make in your head 
• Always pack right away so that you know exactly where to reach your gear  
• Pack the day before the shoot, not in the morning when you are tired  
• Reduce your equipment to the essentials. every gram is noticeable, especially on long tours 
  
• Pro Gear Tip:  If she needs more room for gear she just switches the Slope Medium Insert to the Pro Large Camera Insert or even the Pro XLarge Camera Insert.
• Pro Gear Tip: Use the Gatekeeper Straps to attach anything, most commonly a tripod, sleeping bag, etc.
• Pro Gear Tip: When Pia carries a heavy tripod she attaches it to the front panel of the pack so there is equal weight distribution from side to side. Equal weight distribution is key to comfortably carry your loaded pack long distances. ⁠

Whether you pack a Shinn 80L DuraDiamond® like Pia or a smaller Mountain Series backpack, you will find multiple attachment points across the entire Mountain Series range. ⁠ One of the things that Pia loves about her Shinn and our other Mountain Series packs is the multiple attachment points, which can be used to carry and attach larger items such as sleeping bags and tents to the packs. 

Join us as our Ambassadors share tips and tricks they have learned over years of traveling, with Life on the Dāsh, and check out how fellow Ambassadors get organized.

Pablo Durana - Filmmaker, Climber and Gear Junkie - Did you ever wonder how to pack for climbing and filming on a 1,000m/3,200ft sheer rock wall? You need a passion for climbing, and you need the right camera gear. You also need the accessories required to keep everything organized. f-stop ICON Pablo Durana made exactly such a climb, and he had to rely on very sturdy gear. His pack and camera are essential tools for his work, so they need to measure up to his high standards! 

Meet Pablo

First of - let us tell you a bit about Pablo.- Pablo seems happiest when it's remote and conditions are miserable. Usually it’s very hard to find him at home since he is on projects all the time. But adventure isn't the only driving element for the trilingual Colombian native. He also focuses much of his energy on social justice issues. Pablo is a director of photography with high attention for audio and also an experienced FAA Certified drone pilot. 

"Documentaries have an incredible ability to educate and to inspire," and it's another big reason he became a cinematographer. Pablo has covered a wide range of absolutely amazing projects. If you want to learn more about him and his work check out his Ambassador Profile.

The Gear

His trusted Shinn 80 L DuraDiamond® Adventure and Cine Camera Backpack does the heavy lifting protecting his CINE gear, cameras, lenses and everything else he needs. Aside from his Shinn he uses a variety of Accessories. Even his old Satori ( the "old" version of the Tilopa DuraDiamond®) is still in use! Its about 8 years old by now and his gear has to take up with his extrem adventures. One of his favorite accessories is the Navin DuraDiamond® Camera pouch which he usually carries on the hip for quick access to his camera, or drone! When Pablo goes out shooting there needs to be a lot of room to attach things and additionally all of the gear for Pablo has to be pretty rugged and take a lot of beating!

Pablo on "El Gigante"

Check out the video below for some special behind the scenes footage showing how f-stop ambassador Pablo Durana managed his gear. Climbing the wall on "El Gigante" required careful attention to every detail, and Pablo used f-stop accessories to organize his gear. 

An Afternoon with Pablo

"Sure! I'll be home the next 3 days. I just need to do some gardening," Pablo replied when Lena first reached out to meet up. Feeling lucky to catch him between projects, Lena, our Visual Storyteller in Residence, headed over to his home to meet him right away.

Well, "gardening" turned out to be climbing high in the pine trees around his home. Pablo lives in an area under threat from wildfires in northern California, so "gardening" for Pablo means climbing trees to cut out dry limbs and protect his house from fires. As a pro climber, Pablo made this look quite easy. Instead of his usual load of camera gear, he climbed with a chainsaw. He even helped the neighbours trim their trees. 

The wildfires spread widely and quickly in California this past year. You can still see the remains of the distruction with burned trees through the Lake Tahoe area serving as a silent reminder of the danger. The last fires came to within a few meters of his home, and could have lost everything. So, cutting out dead limbs (fuel for a fire) was a necessary safety measure.

When you would visit Pablo and when he's at home between projects, Pablo enjoys a quick ride to a nearby little river to take a swim. That’s actually what he recommends to everyone who visits. There is a beautiful little meadow in walking distance or a short bike ride. The meadow is his little hidden gem. The walk is short, but Pablo rides his bike when he just wants a quick dip. In the summer, he enjoys moving outside to sleep or just to hang out in the "meditation tent." Waking up to bird songs or seeing the shadows of some squirrels or chipmunks on the walls of his tent brings a smile to his face. Being outside and having a close relation with nature is really important to him .

A little Gear Talk with Pablo

Lena and Pablo spent most of their time together in "gear talk." Pablo has been a loyal advocate for f-stop for many years. He got his first f-stop bag, a Satori, about 2009. The Satori was a previous version of today's Tilopa DuraDiamond® 50L bag. Pablo took his bag to Mt. Kilimanjaro and still uses it today. That pack has seen a lot of different places through the years, and since it is Pablo using it, the bag had to take quite a beating. With the extreme adventures Pablo loves, his equipment needs to keep up with him and function in the extreme environments from the deepest caves to the highest peaks.

Pablo also needs functional and high-quality accessories. The Navin Welded pouch is one of his favourite little pouches. With the New DuraDiamond® material, it is much stronger and resistant to environmental extremes. You definitely can see his Navin is well used. Pablo has taken it to the deepest caves humans have explored, it even went on his expedition to El Gigante - video below!.

Pablo still has his first SHINN, one of the orginal editions of that pack in malibu blue (which is no longer available). He took it to Antarctica - among other places. When asked when he got it, he answered, “Oh gosh, I still can’t even remember.”

Since he usually carries a large quantity of camera and outdoor equipment with him, his travel bag of choice is the Tilopa 50 L DuraDiamond® with a Large Camera Bag Insert. He packs the main body with his film camera, the more delicate lenses, additional hard drives, and he adds his Laptop in the Laptop sleeve in the back panel of the Tilopa. Other equipment you can find in Pablo's pack when he flies is a walkie talkie, all sorts of lithium batteries, and other essentials he needs close at hand like documents. Pablo prefers the Tilopa 50L over the Ajna 37L for air travel, because he definitely needs the extra room he gets with the Tilopa. Pablo tries to keep the Tilopa 50 L as compact and slim as possible, so the front pocket is almost empty with only documents inside. But when he is shooting, he definitely uses the outside pockets of the pack.

We asked Pablo what benefits do you get from f-stop bags that you can't find in other bags? He told us, "These packs are burly, comfortable and efficient. Period."

Pablo uses his f-stop accessories and pack components in a wide variety of ways. For instance, he uses the hip belt attachment options to carry "El Mosquito" which he carries in a Navin (yes - he named his foldable wing drone!). On the other side of his hip belt, he frequently attaches his medium accessory pouch which he calls his "Media Pouch." His media pouch serves as a catch-all for his media requirements and accessories. It's convenient for Pablo, because on a project, he can simply hand the pouch off to a digital imaging technician for editing or to upload files, etc. Other f-stop accessories Pablo repurposes are lens barrels. He uses one for his time-lapse head. 

Pablo's most important rule is “label everything.” When working on big productions, some creatives might have the same gear pr gear gets lost in all of the activity. So Pablo advises everyone to put their name on everything. (He definitely spoke from experience.)

“When you’re traveling everything needs to have its specific spot or you start loosing things or as well you are searching for hours for something." - Pablo Durana

Every year Red Bull Rampage produces some of the most jaw-dropping images of mountain biking. f-stop Icon Scott Markewitz breaks down his gear and talks us through what is going in his bag for the Red Bull Rampage, along with some shots taken with that setup over the years.

Words and photos: Scott Markewitz

About the Red Bull Rampage

In 2018 f-stop Icon Scott Markewitz documented the Red Bull Rampage as the Event also moved to a new zone with riders building entirely new features and lines. Just like the riders, the photographers have to navigate the vertigo-inducing terrain to find their angles on these new features. In order to navigate the Rampage course and still carry a two-body setup, Scott grabs the slimmest of the Mountain Series packs for this.

Kurt Sorge sends a backflip over the media pack at last year's Rampage, shot with the trusty 70-200.

The Rampage is one of the most incredible events in action sports. It brings together the world’s best freeride mountain bikers for a contest and a show of massive jumps and insane riding skills on the rugged terrain around Virgin, Utah. I’ve been to every Rampage since the beginning and it’s definitely one of the shoots I look forward to every year

On the road to Rampage 2018: Packing two full frame pro body DSLRs, 4 lenses, and daily essentials in the 32L Lotus camera bag to stay agile working shooting among the Utah cliffs of the Red Bull Rampage course.

Challenges at the Red Bull Rampage

One of the challenges of photographing the Red Bull Rampage is moving around and getting set up to shoot the riders during the event. The venue is spread out and every athlete takes a different line down the mountain. There’s not much time between runs, so you have to have to know where you’re going to shoot and move fast between each run to get in place. I like to have a pack that is large enough to carry everything I need for the event but light and agile when I’m running up and down the mountain between shots. For this year’s Rampage, I’m taking a Lotus.

What to bring - A gear breakdown

The Lotus is a great mid-size camera pack that still fits a Large Pro Camera Insert but is lightweight and most importantly easy to move around with. This is especially important on an Event like the Red Bull Rampage.

I always have two full-size DSLR bodies in my camera backpack, a Nikon D5 for the majority of my work with a Nikon D4S as a backup just in case the D5 fails. For lenses, I bring a 70-200mm 1:2.8 GII, 24-70mm 1:2.8G, 17-35mm 1:2.8D, 12mm 2.8 Fisheye, a 1.4x converter to extend the range of my 70-200, as well as extra camera batteries, lens cloths and more than enough CF cards for any day of shooting.  

Cam Zink doing what most of us would want a parachute for, on his way to 2nd place at Rampage 2017, shot with the 12mm fisheye giving a sense of the wide open space the athlete is launching into.

The Southern Utah desert is hot, dry, and dusty and the sun beats down on you when you’re out there all day. A water bottle is obviously important to stay hydrated, but I also bring a hat, a buff for extra cover, and sunblock (not shown), as well as a few GU energy gels and chews for a quick energy boost when I need it. 

It doesn’t seem possible that the riders can go any bigger or do anything wilder, but at every Rampage the athletes continue to push the realm of what’s possible to new levels. I’m really excited to see what they are going to pull off in the future.  

It’s going to be another incredible event!

Scott Markewitz

https://scottmarkewitz.com

• Instagram
• Prints

Scott Markewitz is recognized as one of the most influential outdoor photographers in the industry. His passion for photography and the outdoors comes through in everything that he shoots, whether it’s action sports, active lifestyle, or environmental portraits. His images have appeared in advertising and promotional campaigns for many well-known outdoor and consumer brands

Ever since his first skydive, f-stop Staff Pro Jesper Grønnemark had the idea of doing a photo shoot while in the air. This is how it went. Even though as he says, his first skydive was more than enough for him, this idea remained stuck in his mind. 

The idea became a reality when Jesper teamed up with the guys from Flux Freefly, gave them a Profoto B1X, and jumped out of an airplane at 13,200 feet to take his photography to new heights.

THE RUSH

His heart is racing, adrenaline is gushing into his veins as the door of the airplane opens. 13.200 ft. (4 km) under him the ground stares back. This is it, one chance, one shot. His grip on the Sony A7R II tightens as they move out the side of the plane, 45 seconds of free fall awaits, 3, 2, 1…

FLUX: Benjamiin Laudrup, Jacob Lundsgaard Madsen and Emil Landeværn Kristensen; Head of the project: Michael Boe Laigaard; Lights: Profoto; Camera equipment: Sony Nordic; Video: Kasper Sveistrup - Frame2film; Graphics: Niels Borup - Saftig; Article: Kira Andersen; Pilot: Fillip Højlund Aarhus skydive club Red Bull Denmark

THE BOUNDARIES OF PHOTOGRAPHY WHEN SKYDIVING

The eternal strive to push the boundaries of what people believe is possible in sports photography has put Jesper Grønnemark in a position he did not imagine himself in again. After his first skydiving experience, some years ago, it wasn´t an immediate love story. Now, here he is again on account of his own creative thinking. Why would he do it again you might ask. Well, the answer is, he needs to. In order to push those boundaries, he is more than willing to put himself in extreme situations.

THE PLAN, AND THEN A CHANGE OF PLANS

How do you make it happen then? In short, you need a man with a plan, and that man was Michael Boe Laigaard, head of the project in terms of finding the right people, and those people came in the form of the Danish national team in free fly - FLUX.

They are the best when it comes to jumping out of planes and falling controlled through the air. The original plan was that they would all have their parachutes out, Jesper with the camera and Benjamiin with the Profoto B1X flash. It would have been easier to track the skydiver, or Mr. Bill as the “model” is called in skydiving, through the air. However, shortly before the jump, it was deemed too dangerous due to wind and the plan changed to free fall. This new challenge was going to put an even greater demand on Jesper's skills as a sports photographer since they only had one jump and now had to nail the shot in a fall going 200 km/h.

Benjamiin with the Profoto B1X flash

THE FALL

GO! As Jesper is falling through the air, he sees the skydiver approaching from above, he gets his camera in place and suddenly he is cool, calm, and collected. The workflow is such an integrated part of him, that even in a time like this, it overthrows the adrenaline rush. Furthermore, he only has one shot, so he better make it count! The skydiver is head down, shots are fired, and not long after it parachutes out and a touchdown. Fingers are crossed on all parts. How did it turn out?

Emil approaches and gets into position for the desired skydiving photo

THE FINAL RESULT

Once again Jesper proves that hard work and quite a bit of sacrifice pays off. A lot of planning went into this shoot and even so, they changed. However, it was for the best. Jesper got the image he originally envisioned! A man hanging in the air above the clouds, head down. It feels as if it would be safer if his head was up, but when trying to capture the emotions of a skydiving experience, safe is not part of the vocabulary.

Skydiver Emil from FLUX heads down above the clouds at Sunset
Shot with Sony a7r II | Sony 24-70mm f/2.8 GM | Profoto B1X | SHUTTER SPEED: 1/1600, APERTURE: 10.0, ISO: 640

The Skydiving Team

The Skydiving Team from FLUX; From Left to right: Jacob, Benjamiin, Emil

Benjamiin was the one holding the Profoto B1X at the free fall at Jesper's skydiving shoot. It isn’t normal to skydive with anything in your hands, but Benjamiin is an experienced guy, who already tried skydiving with fishing nets, fruits, and other crazy stuff

Jacob's role is to film Emil and Benjamiin from a close distance using a helmet-mounted camera while they perform. He usually does that by being flat in the air with his back facing the ground. He was also the one filming me from the air for the behind-the-scenes video for my skydiving shoot.

Emil was the athlete in front of the lens at Jesper's skydiving shoot. Emil recommended shooting him while he is doing a trick easily described as a front layout from the belly - a reversed Jesus rising to heaven. Jesper loved the idea because it starts a lot of thoughts at the one looking at the image when a guy is flying head first towards the ground.

EXPLORE THE f-stop GEAR JESPER GRONNEMARK IS USING:

Jesper Grønnemark

http://www.gronne.dk

Jesper Grønnemark is renowned for his innovative approach to adventure and action sports photography, redefining the genre's conventional boundaries. See more of Jesper's work!

• Jespers Website
• Jespers Instagram Account
• Jespers Youtube Channel