Description

The use of black and white enhances the drama and atmosphere of this photo that embodies awe-inspiring mountain adventure. It’s taken on Mount Shuksan, a jagged jewel of rock and ice-frosted snow in the Mount Baker ski area, close to the Canadian border. Photographer Grant Gunderson counts it as one of his favourite shots of his career. 

“I think the reason it’s one of my favourites is I did literally nothing on it besides convert to black and white,” says Grant, talking to Mount Baker Experience Magazine. “We were skiing pow all day, it was storming, I met three buddies when they got off work at ski patrol. The frame before it’s snowing, all of a sudden the light was epic. I didn’t try to set anything up, I took the one photo, skied down and it was snowing again. It was as pure as you could possibly get.”

About the photographer: Based in Washington state, Grant Gunderson is one of the outdoor industry’s most dedicated photographers. From Iceland to Patagonia and Japan to Sicily, Grant produces unique deep powder imagery and authentically documents the lifestyle and culture of the mountains. He skis close to 200 days a year, and when he’s not on snow, you can find him on his bike or trekking throughout North America and beyond.