Perfect Method
South Lake Tahoe, California
Athlete: Jim Rippey
Camera: Hasselblad XPan
What makes it special: Perfection is a rare thing. It is often the result of an unrelenting quest for personal accomplishment in form and balance.
The story: "It was the second day of shooting for the Ski Lake Tahoe national ad campaign. The weather continued to challenge us. There was decent snow, but we had not much luck in forecasting the breaks in the storm that were critical to having the light to get the job done. We spent the morning gearing up and killing time with six athletes dressed and ready. About midday we were all cold and contemplated calling the day. Buying time, we took lunch and came back outside to a small but consistent pocket of light.
I had previously scouted a small slope just outside the Heavenly Valley boundary line that offered the ideal camera angle on Lake Tahoe. Looking up I decided it was worth making the trek out there to see what we could pull off. By the time we were ready to shoot, rays of light were shooting through the ominous clouds and Jim Rippey was all fired up to get some air.
A reverse grab air called "a method" was his trick of choice. The takeoff was tricky and the landing was short but he hit it clean. After the third round, I was confident that I had it in the can, but he wasn't satisfied. On the sixth attempt it all came together and he took it to a whole new level. When it truly works, the moment is preserved for time - grace and balance takes on a life of its own. Rippey's focus was unconditional. He envisioned the shot, knew the stage was now, and made it happen."
