Thursday, December 7, 2023

Depth Of Field – Jay Dash

by Chandler
0 comment

In 2009 I left a corporate finance career in New York City to move west in search of a lifestyle that would be centered around the outdoors. I landed in Salt Lake City, Utah with no idea what I would do except spend my first winter as a ski bum at Snowbird Ski Resort. I landed a job working inside a small photography shop at the resort called Powdershots where I’d be able to ride every day and work the afternoon shift. Up until this point I had never shown much interest for photography or art in general. I probably had never picked up a Powder magazine or watched a TGR movie, but at the ripe age of 32, I was instantly mesmerized by ski photography. After a few months of working in the shop and learning how to use a camera in my free time, the owner offered me a chance to capture ski photos during a powder day on the hill. I remember being both nervous and excited to post up in the back bowl at Snowbird. I took photos until there was no powder left before returning to the shop to view the results. That afternoon I sold a set of digital images to a tourist who was beyond stoked that I captured him in deep powder. My boss came up to me, congratulated me, and informed me that I should now consider myself a professional photographer! While I was far from it, that day will always be etched in memory as the start of my photography career.

Over the next few years I consumed myself with learning everything I could about photography while also learning how to become a more proficient snowboarder. I gravitated towards shooting skiing as many of the friends I made on the mountain happened to be skiers and would invite me out to shoot photos of them. I bought every ski magazine I could and studied skier form, composition and use of light. I eventually worked my way into the backcountry and started to explore more terrain with my friends. When it was not winter I worked hard to develop a portfolio of landscape imagery which drove me to explore the unknown and accomplish my initial goal of being outside.

In the Spring of 2013 I mustered up the courage to send over my best images from the past winter to Powder Magazine, and soon after, I had my first image published. At that moment in time I knew ski photography was something I would pursue to my fullest ability.

Fast forward to 2021 and I am beyond grateful for what the ski community has provided to me. I’ve traveled to beautiful locations in Alaska, Canada, Norway and across the states in pursuit of capturing a fleeting moment of a skier in powder. To have my images published alongside some of the greatest sports photographers in the world is an honor that will never get old. Until then, I will continue my career as a photographer spending my winters in the deepest powder I can find. I’m truly living my dream and proof you can accomplish whatever you put your mind to.

Selecting my top 5 images almost felt like a punishment. Trying to decide which images, which friends of mine I would include, while also showing a variety of work was a challenge. I hope you enjoy the five I’ve selected. — Jay Dash

This post was originally published on this site

You may also like

VarialTV is reader-supported. When you buy through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. As an Amazon Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. Learn more

Edtior's Picks

Latest Articles

VarialTV  All Right Reserved.  Copyright 2023.

This website uses cookies to improve your experience. We'll assume you're ok with this, but you can opt-out if you wish. Accept Read More

Are you sure want to unlock this post?
Unlock left : 0
Are you sure want to cancel subscription?
>

Adblock Detected

Please support us by disabling your AdBlocker extension from your browsers for our website.