VD'S PHOTODAWG BLOG



Hi Folks
Let me introduce myself.
Vernon Deck
Kiwi/import Swiss
Photographer
Cynic.

Any comments?? Send me MAIL HERE!

Bluebird today and powder galore. The snow pack was super unstable. I don't know how many slides we saw today, but I know i started one that went right to the bottom and Wille started one that very nearly ate me. I saw the dust cloud coming straight at me and stood there holding my camera thinking, this is it!. But luck was with me and it passed about 2m away.

We got some nice stuff, I shot my best powder slash so far this season.


Bluebird!


Back bowls.


Animals have a social life too.


The town of Stuben and our terrain below


Seth having fun.

Yesterday I was in Zurich again. I picked up my new car, a new camera and my fisheye lens from the repair shop. 7am this morning I set off to Austria again. Mission was a day with Gigi, just stuff off the road. It had been snowing non-stop the 4 days previous and the flakes were still coming down. The most snow in his town since at least 10 years Gigi said.

After riding we went for a coffee with his family and they ended up laying on this huge spread, bread, cheese, all sorts of meat and pickles. Awesome! Thanks a lot.

I then drove for a couple of hours through almost snow buried towns. Back in St Anton now for the next few days.


Why are you shooting this for?


These pillows in the riverbed were at least 2m high.


Fun run through the trees for Gigi.


My fisheye works again.

Mixed bag today. Late start and not really a consensus on what we should be doing. Any way we looked at a few things, Seth and Shaun did this drop-down thing that filmed really well but didn't shoot that good. Saturday is tourist change-over day so the towns are packed full of stressed rich families either trying to get out of town or trying to find their hotel. Even though everyones on holiday they are all stressed out and angry. Both Seth and Wille nearly got in fights with angry tourists. Fun times.


Camera 3, Blacky and Camera 2, all ready!


Seth bs3-ing this drop-down over trees.


Not impressed at all! Snowboarders on the crosscountry course?

Greybird and light snow today. We started slowly, enjoying some fine bakery food and orange juice before the drive up the pass to Lech. There we found some fun pillows just off the road. The boys hiked up a few. Quite a few people stopped and watched the action. One dude just stopped, left his car in the middle of the road and watched for about 20 minutes until there were about 20 cars stuck behind him. I forgot to take my snowboard boots so by the end of the day my feet had turned blue.


Wille climbing out after his run.


Shaun McKay making ready for his run. Wille done..


Cory showing Wille the clip.


Seth and Shaun checking the next lines out.

This morning was spent hiking. All the way up only to find the snow was totally wind packed. So we changed locations and ended up with sweet powder and an awesome jump. Everyone got shots and walked away happy. After the lift closed we had a beer on the veranda of the Sport Hotel. Nice end to a good day.


Simon"Holzi"Holzknecht, tweaking a swbs540


Booter buliders


Wille cutting blocks, Seth building walls


People filmer Cory unstrapping the heavy backpack and getting into a well deserved beer.

A couple of days ago Will-J, Abby, a friend Stephan and I packed all our stuff Tetris style into the Suzuki and drove to Zurich. For Will and Abby it was to the airport and byebye. Sunny Whistler for them. Then Stephan set of, driving the Suzuki back up to Cologne, Germany. The deal we had with Suzuki is finished so that meant I needed a new car. After 2 days of haggling I sort of worked something out. I'll show pictures later this week.

So last night I drove through a huge snow-storm to get back to Arlberg. Scary drive for sure. Paid off though, this morning bluebird and as much powder as I have ever seen. The crew I have now consists of Wille Luoma, Seth Huot, Shaun McKay and their filmer Cory. They are over here filming for the new People film. We hit up a couple of spots and got some bangers.


No we didn't ride this. just a side of the road shot.


Wille hiking the road gap again.


Seth checking for a landing spot


We stayed on the hill shooting till sunset. Very nice.


Stuben carpark was full of buried cars, and tourists that spent the day digging them out instead of tracking the hill out.

Today I had too many riders to shoot. Will-J and Abby are still here and Arthur Longo arrived last night as well. But today I chose to shoot with a Pirates crew consisting of Gigi, Juuso and Elias Elhart. We sort of stuck around this one sweet zone for most of the time. It was snowing again, making it difficult to shoot but I got a few keepers for sure. My gear has been getting a beating the last couple of weeks. Every night I get home and dry all the lenses, camera's and flashes out, clean everything and pack it all ready for the next mission. Canon make good stuff though and till now everything is still running ok.


Will-J and Arthur Longo beside another buried car.


Little moment by myself


Here's Gigi! There's a smile if you look closely, he's just stomped a banger.


Juuso getting marching orders

Hard not to have a good time at the moment. Even though we started the day with a slap in the face. We went back to our kicker from the other night to try and get some shots done. The wind had filled in the whole run-in so we spend an hour re-digging that. Just as we all got into position the clouds rolled in and we were denied once again.

So we packed up and went to this cliff we'd seen a few days before. I was skeptical about the landing but Will-J was pumped up and dropped it twice. Stoked to have got some shots we hit up the resort. I took only a camera and 2 lenses so my bag was light and we did a few laps, stopping for quick shots on pillows and tree stumps.

With the cold temps sticking around and more snow forecasted look forward to more posts like this. Office folk, I feel sorry for you!


The big dig take 2


Will-J poppin pillows


Blacky, the man who finds us the goods. Thanks buddy!


Go in to buy a souvenir, come back out and find your car buried.


Abby plays with the other Blacky

There had been rumors flying backwards and forwards as to how much snow had fallen overnight. Some said 1m others said 20cm. So we decided to go and check for ourselves. A group decision was made and my camera bag stayed in the car. I can count on my left hand the times that has happened in the last 5 years. Anyway, the guy that claimed 1m was spot on and we all had the most amazing day of bottomless pow shredding. Tree runs all afternoon. At the bottom of runs I was struggling to swallow all the snow I was inhaling.

After the lift closed we thought we should try to get a shot and went to this pillow spot close to the road. Will-J dropped a warm-up line and then standing at the top of the real photo-worthy line his heel-strap broke. Whatever, awesome day!


Yep, it snowed


Wills warm-up line


The hike out was deep!


Snowey river


At the Volcom house the riders are looked after. A full day of waist deep powder, gourmet dinner with a good Chianti followed by a massage to prepare the muscles for the next day.

Today was greybird again so we went back to a spot we'd hit a couple of days before. Will and Abby both got the shots they were after and we moved on. There is this great bakery close by the team house and it's tradition that we take all our guests there. Will-J and Abby had never seen such a good orange juice machine before and made the most of it.

The afternoon was spent digging. We built up this huge booter close to the road with the plan to light it up and ride it at night. At 4pm we finished it and went back to the house to get food and dry out a little. At 6.30 we all met up at the road and started setting up all the lights, cables, flashes etc. Just as we were finishing it started to storm! Will-J and Holzi hit it a few times but it was impossible. There was some much snow blowing that they couldn't see anything and I couldn't see them in the air. So we packed it all up and retreated. If the kicker didn't completely blow away we'll try to hit it again. The lengths we go to to get good footage.


Howling winds and blowing snow that rips your skin off


Abby and Will and the "wonder machine"


The bakeries famous Krapfen.


At the gas station we met Chris Bachmann. He hooked us up with some energy. www.suddenrushshot.com

We had a good day up in the hills. Weather was misty and cold, but sometimes the sun poked through and then the mountains looked sooo good. Fresh snow everywhere and all untracked. We checked out a couple of options for tomorrow. The boys shoveled up a little booter and had a few goes over it till the light was bad. Nothing for shooting but fun anyway.

A shout out to all the poor folk in Southwest Australia. Bad shit happening there.


Anyone who has ever driven with me in winter will testify that I love to do donuts.


Lift cable this morning


Cloud break. Beauty.

I was really hoping I would wake up this morning and see a half meter of new snow heaped outside my window. It had been forecasted after all. But no, just about 2cm. So we chilled more than usual, left the house around 12.00. We hit up a couple of urban spots that were close by. Everyone was happy and a couple of good shots were made. We need snow soon!


No new snow on these tree's!


Shot in the Winterthur Bahnhof the other night.


I really like this picture, shot in Winterthur as well.


Will and Abby getting ready this concrete ledge.

Last night I drove from Zurich back to Arlberg, making a quick detour to Vaduz in Lichtenstein to pick up Will Jackways and Abby Lockhart.

This morning we met Blacky and Holzi at the M-Preis for a coffee. Then they took us to this spot that I've never seen. We snow-shoed for a while till we found this sweet roadgap. Holzi and Will-J hit it a few times till the landing was done. Good shots were made and everyone was smiling.


Will-J standing tall on the booter.


Nice moment on the hike out.


Will-J stoked to have had a successful first day in Austria.


Just a random shot that I took hiking over a bridge.

06/02/2009

After leaving ISPO I drove to the Arlberg and picked up my snowboard stuff then ripped to Winterthur for the night. Next morning I drove up to Grindelwald in the Berner Oberland. My brother and his family live there. My godson Lars had his 4th birthday. I missed his party at the bouncy castle but he was stoked to see me anyway(and the presents I brought).

Today I went shredding just for fun. The weather was nice but too warm for this time of year. I rode a part of the mountain that I've never been to, it was good to check it out.

Tomorrow I head back to St Anton, snow coming on saturday!


I gave my Nephew Lars a Terje figure for his birthday. He also got an electric toothbrush. Here he is giving Terje a bit of a polish.


Here is the newest kid on the block. Lukas and I get on ok, he lets me know he's not stoked by vomiting down my back.


Family raclette session

Monday at Ispo is a little bit less hectic than Sunday. Still a lot of people at the Volcom Hillbilly stand all day. At 15.00 the Red Neck Ramp-age comp started. The final was really a Rampage with a jam session format all the skaters were trying to get their runs and tricks done. There were a few gnarly collisions but thankfully no-one got crippled for life.

That evening there were again a plethora of parties to attend but again I decided to stay at the hotel and get some work done. Didn't end up happening though. I went shoeless to the bar to order some food and next thing I know it's 3am. My survey of the female mentality continues.


Ferit Batir Skates so damn fast its a wonder he doesn't wind himself more often


Andi Scott on the fridge


Totimoshi played a gig at the Volcom Stand. I loved it but the guy on the right is still undecided.


Easy now, one at a time girls.


Beyond words!

February is here! I woke up feeling very tired. Ela Bo had asked me for a ride to Munich so I went a step further and let her drive, thanks for that!

Ispo started today, a trade show that I somehow always end up attending. I was much too tired to make much sense of anything. No partying tonight, need to be a bit fresher tomorrow.


Ipod turned up and ripped around the Volcom ramp.


No shortage of red-neck farmer girls here


The guy on the left is in some way more weird than the guy on the right

In my view the best snowboard competition in the world! The atmosphere in the Innsbruck ski-jumping stadium is just awesome!

A young Swiss guy, Colin Frei won the final. The after party in the Stadt Cafe was long sweaty and loud. Once again we met The Other Guy.


Terje, huge and stylish, so what new?


Daisuke Murakami was boosting. The next hit he lost it completely, luckily landing unscathed on the airbags.


A packed stadium cheering the winners. Colin Frei, Peetu Pironin and Olivier Gittler.