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Behind the Image with Mickey Ross

Behind the Image with Mickey Ross

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Behind the Image with Mickey Ross

3
 mins read
11th Hour Racing
Mickey Ross
Mickey Ross joined us for part one of our ski shoot in New Zealand. Mickey is a former Olympic ski racer turned photographer based in Wanaka, New Zealand. Having him up the mountain allowed us to capture freeskier Jess Hotter in the stunning and wild setting on Mt. Larkins. 

We connected with Mickey after the shoot to talk through his favorite images and learn why he decided to pursue photography after professional skiing.
What excites you about these images?  Tell the story of how they came to light…
Mickey Ross
“I feel at home being surrounded by mountains, but mountains are also big and wild, so I have a healthy respect for them.”

This is a classic ski action shot of Jess that aimed to capture her in her environment. One of the challenges of this shoot was that we had a lot of strong wind during the previous few days which stripped the top layer of soft snow. We shot this in the late afternoon when the top layer of snow had softened up a little and the light was getting more subtle. 

The challenge of all these shots is determining exactly where Jess is going to make her turn and lining up a good angle to get the most out of the scene. This calls for a lot of visualization before the shoot and communicating (with the whole team) the best place for the turn(s) to be made.

Mickey Ross
“The challenge of all these shots is determining exactly where Jess is going to make her turn and lining up a good angle to get the most out of the scene.”

The brief for this project was how water flows through its different forms, so I like this image as it shows undulations in the snow that remind me of ripples in water. I also like the stillness and simplicity of Jess moving through the mountains. I thought black and white suited the picture to further simplify it.

The aim of capturing this image was to show Jess ski touring up into the mountains. I used a low angle (lying down) to get a shallow depth of field in the foreground and make Jess pop. I was also moving around to capture the best angle of the lines in the snow.

Shot in the late afternoon, this image shows the concentration and thought process that happens before an athlete drops to the top of a line. I love the reflection in Jess' goggles of the peak and setting sun in the distance. Behind the lens, I'm shooting from below to add some drama to the image. I had Jess move her skis to add a bit of movement to the image. Quite a lot of this was shot alongside the videographer so we worked together to make sure we both got the shot we wanted.

Mickey Ross
“Flow in photography is when all of the factors that make a good image come together.”

The brief for this project was how water flows through its different forms, so I like this image as it shows undulations in the snow that remind me of ripples in water. I also like the stillness and simplicity of Jess moving through the mountains. I thought black and white suited the picture to further simplify it.

The aim of capturing this image was to show Jess ski touring up into the mountains. I used a low angle (lying down) to get a shallow depth of field in the foreground and make Jess pop. I was also moving around to capture the best angle of the lines in the snow.

Shot in the late afternoon, this image shows the concentration and thought process that happens before an athlete drops to the top of a line. I love the reflection in Jess' goggles of the peak and setting sun in the distance. Behind the lens, I'm shooting from below to add some drama to the image. I had Jess move her skis to add a bit of movement to the image. Quite a lot of this was shot alongside the videographer so we worked together to make sure we both got the shot we wanted.

The brief for this project was how water flows through its different forms, so I like this image as it shows undulations in the snow that remind me of ripples in water. I also like the stillness and simplicity of Jess moving through the mountains. I thought black and white suited the picture to further simplify it.

The aim of capturing this image was to show Jess ski touring up into the mountains. I used a low angle (lying down) to get a shallow depth of field in the foreground and make Jess pop. I was also moving around to capture the best angle of the lines in the snow.

Shot in the late afternoon, this image shows the concentration and thought process that happens before an athlete drops to the top of a line. I love the reflection in Jess' goggles of the peak and setting sun in the distance. Behind the lens, I'm shooting from below to add some drama to the image. I had Jess move her skis to add a bit of movement to the image. Quite a lot of this was shot alongside the videographer so we worked together to make sure we both got the shot we wanted.

What were your goals and hopes from this shoot? What surprised you (for the good and the bad)? Did you have a specific image or story you wanted to tell?

Going into this shoot my goal was to capture the same story the videographer was telling and to show Jess in her element in the mountains. Jess truly loves the mountains so I wanted to capture this intimate relationship.

The biggest surprise for me was that the snow conditions had deteriorated quicker than expected. Less than ideal conditions made capturing great action much more difficult, but I was impressed with how Jess handled the harder snow and still skied with great style and speed.

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This shoot was intense and the athletes were operating at a very high level. When you’re documenting an athlete at that level, what are you looking for so you can make sure you capture that story? What’s going through your mind?

My job is not just to keep up, but to also be in the right place to capture the action. There's a balance to getting the photos; I need to tell the story but I can’t slow things down too much for the rest of the team, including Jase (the filmmaker) on this trip. With limited time to capture the action, we only got one chance so a lot of thought went into all of the possible options for each scene – and choosing the best option not only for me but for the whole team.

Conditions were icy during our shoot so we had to travel up the steeper sections of snow with crampons. I had to think about my camera gear, making sure it was accessible, and also about the right safety equipment and all the transitions in the snow. Luckily, we had some great guides to help us out, keep us safe and act as another pair of eyes on the job. 

11th Hour Racing
Mickey Ross
Mickey Ross joined us for part one of our ski shoot in New Zealand. Mickey is a former Olympic ski racer turned photographer based in Wanaka, New Zealand. Having him up the mountain allowed us to capture freeskier Jess Hotter in the stunning and wild setting on Mt. Larkins. 

We connected with Mickey after the shoot to talk through his favorite images and learn why he decided to pursue photography after professional skiing.
What excites you about these images?  Tell the story of how they came to light…

This is a classic ski action shot of Jess that aimed to capture her in her environment. One of the challenges of this shoot was that we had a lot of strong wind during the previous few days which stripped the top layer of soft snow. We shot this in the late afternoon when the top layer of snow had softened up a little and the light was getting more subtle. 

The challenge of all these shots is determining exactly where Jess is going to make her turn and lining up a good angle to get the most out of the scene. This calls for a lot of visualization before the shoot and communicating (with the whole team) the best place for the turn(s) to be made.

Mickey Ross
“I feel at home being surrounded by mountains, but mountains are also big and wild, so I have a healthy respect for them.”

The brief for this project was how water flows through its different forms, so I like this image as it shows undulations in the snow that remind me of ripples in water. I also like the stillness and simplicity of Jess moving through the mountains. I thought black and white suited the picture to further simplify it.

The aim of capturing this image was to show Jess ski touring up into the mountains. I used a low angle (lying down) to get a shallow depth of field in the foreground and make Jess pop. I was also moving around to capture the best angle of the lines in the snow.

Shot in the late afternoon, this image shows the concentration and thought process that happens before an athlete drops to the top of a line. I love the reflection in Jess' goggles of the peak and setting sun in the distance. Behind the lens, I'm shooting from below to add some drama to the image. I had Jess move her skis to add a bit of movement to the image. Quite a lot of this was shot alongside the videographer so we worked together to make sure we both got the shot we wanted.

Mickey Ross
“The challenge of all these shots is determining exactly where Jess is going to make her turn and lining up a good angle to get the most out of the scene.”
What were your goals and hopes from this shoot? What surprised you (for the good and the bad)? Did you have a specific image or story you wanted to tell?

Going into this shoot my goal was to capture the same story the videographer was telling and to show Jess in her element in the mountains. Jess truly loves the mountains so I wanted to capture this intimate relationship.

The biggest surprise for me was that the snow conditions had deteriorated quicker than expected. Less than ideal conditions made capturing great action much more difficult, but I was impressed with how Jess handled the harder snow and still skied with great style and speed.

This shoot was intense and the athletes were operating at a very high level. When you’re documenting an athlete at that level, what are you looking for so you can make sure you capture that story? What’s going through your mind?

My job is not just to keep up, but to also be in the right place to capture the action. There's a balance to getting the photos; I need to tell the story but I can’t slow things down too much for the rest of the team, including Jase (the filmmaker) on this trip. With limited time to capture the action, we only got one chance so a lot of thought went into all of the possible options for each scene – and choosing the best option not only for me but for the whole team.

Conditions were icy during our shoot so we had to travel up the steeper sections of snow with crampons. I had to think about my camera gear, making sure it was accessible, and also about the right safety equipment and all the transitions in the snow. Luckily, we had some great guides to help us out, keep us safe and act as another pair of eyes on the job. 

Mickey Ross
“Flow in photography is when all of the factors that make a good image come together.”
What does ‘flow’ mean to you? What does it feel like to be in a state of flow for you?

Flow in photography is when all of the factors that make a good image come together. I can forget about all of the outside noise and stress and concentrate only on the frame I'm looking at through my viewfinder. Flow in the mountains can be a challenge to find as there is a lot going on behind the lens to make the final shot. 

I find a sense of flow when the light is good and I have limited time to capture something before that light is gone. The time pressure forces me to let go of any complications as I simply don't have time to worry about them. 

Mickey Ross
“Jess truly loves the mountains so I wanted to capture this intimate relationship.”
Mickey Ross joined us for part one of our ski shoot in New Zealand. Mickey is a former Olympic ski racer turned photographer based in Wanaka, New Zealand. Having him up the mountain allowed us to capture freeskier Jess Hotter in the stunning and wild setting on Mt. Larkins. 

We connected with Mickey after the shoot to talk through his favorite images and learn why he decided to pursue photography after professional skiing.
What excites you about these images?  Tell the story of how they came to light…
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How are you connected to the mountains? Describe your relationship with the mountains.

From as far as I can remember my parents always took my brothers and me to the mountains to ski during the winter months. I feel at home being surrounded by mountains, but at the same time, mountains are big and wild so I have a healthy respect for how dangerous they can be and also how precious they are.

Photography is a unique way to make a living… why have you chosen to be a photographer? What has photography taught you?

Originally, I chose not to be a photographer because I wanted to keep it as a passion, but the more I photographed, the more work I got, and now I can't think of anything I'd like to do more. I love photography because it is what you make it, and it's taught me that the more you put into a shoot the more you get out of it. 

ABOUT THE PROJECT

To highlight the connection between water and sports, we’ve brought together an internationally renowned freediver, a world champion freeskier, and professional offshore sailing team. Like water, these athletes move in unison with their mind, body, and the present moment. Together, these athletes bring to life their fullest expressions– like water, they flow.

ABOUT THE TEAM

We chose athletes who are not only the best at what they do but also align with 11th Hour Racing’s mission to protect and restore the ocean. We hired local storytelling teams who are also some of the best in the world. Each part of the production was carefully considered to come together as one holistic story.

Behind the Scenes