Worldwide call for photographers
Sports-action photographers will compete for $10,000 cash purse
at the Pro Photographer Showdown
The world’s top sports action photographers all migrate to
Whistler once a year to compete for bragging rights and a $10,000 cash purse at
the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival’s Pro Photographer Showdown in
April.
Only five photographers will be selected to compete. The
deadline for Showdown submissions is Feb. 11.
In past years, Showdown photo presentations have covered
everything from oceans raging with surfers in the tropics to a posse of
snowboarders chilling out at home after a day of riding.
The showcase is both about illustrating the world’s best
athletes and scenery as well as capturing the lifestyle and culture behind the
sports.
This is not some humdrum slide show of pictures thrown together
by a snow fanatic still shooting on automatic.
The photos are choreographed to music and displayed on multiple
big screens to more than 2,000 audience members. The showdown showcases
photographers’ works that are often no stranger to front covers of the world’s
leading sports action magazines.
Past showdown competitors have included renowned surf
photographers Aaron Chang and Jason; skateboard gurus J. Grant Brittain and Jon
Humphries; acclaimed mountain bike photographer Sterling Lorence; and ski and
snowboard moguls Kevin Zacher and Blake Jorgenson, just to name a few.
But that doesn’t mean there haven’t been a few wild cards over
the years. A few up and comers who hadn’t yet made their mark competed and,
with showdown exposure, moved on to become recognized talents in the
sports-action industry.
So sit down at the computer or comb through your negatives and
organize what feels like a lifetime of photos into your very best work.
Photographers must submit a three-minute DVD presentation of
their images set to music. The submissions must be reflective of the work that
would be shown in the nine-minute photo production showcased at the Showdown.
An industry panel will review submissions to determine the top five
competitors.
For submission guidelines, visit
www.whistler2007.com
.
Declutter home and mind for 2007
Time to put those New Year’s resolutions into practice. In a
mountain town full of activities that keep us trim, weight loss isn’t always at
the top of a Whistlerite’s resolution lists. However, organizing our often
space-challenged homes into something more than a state of drop and run is a
great way to clear your space as well as establish peace of mind.
Professional organizer Sara Leach of Organomics is at the helm
of crossing off the get-organized resolution from your New Year’s list with a
De-cluttering Your Home and Office workshop Tuesday, Jan. 23 from 6:45 to 8:15
p.m. at MY Millennium Place.
For four years, Leach has worked with individual clients and
organizations through consultations and seminars, as well as setting up
effective systems for staying organized at work and at home.
In keeping with her philosophy, her techniques are as simple
and straightforward as the living spaces her workshops inspire.
The interactive workshop includes tips and tools for staying on
top of clutter, systems for managing paper and simple ways to get started
immediately.
Participants can rest easy in the hands of Leach, who belongs
to the Professional Organizers of Canada and the National Study Group for the
Chronically Disorganized.
The workshop is $20. To register, call 604-938-4230. For more
information, visit
www.organomics.ca
.
Vote for local filmmakers
There is one week left to vote for local filmmakers competing
in the annual Vast Awards film competition.
One of Whistler’s own filmmakers, Heather Roberts, is competing in the international event hosted by Peak Performance. Her short film, entitled The Key, was short listed in the Best Rookie Film category, one of three competition categories.
Winning films are 60 per cent determined by the judges’ votes and 40 per cent by the public’s vote. The deadline for votes is Thursday, Jan. 25. The winning filmmakers will be awarded in Munich in February.
Vast Award films are available for viewing at Peak Performance or on line at www.vastawards.com where members of the public can place their votes.
Peak Performance is also hosting a Vast Award afternoon event
Saturday, Jan. 20 with Heather Roberts on hand to talk about her film.
