The lineup for the fourth annual Pro Photographer Showdown, a celebration of action sport photography April 19, has been confirmed. Four top names in action sports will present the best work of their careers at the Showdown, during the World Ski and Snowboard Festival.
Presenters include surf photography giant, Jeff Divine, who has been capturing surfing images for three decades, is Photo Editor for Surfers Journal, and is the subject of the book Masters of Surf Photography Volume One: Jeff Divine.
Divine’s surf images will be countered by the compelling images of renowned Canadian snowboard photographer Mark Gallup, senior photographer at Transworld Snowboarding and contributor to a multitude of other magazines.
Rounding out the field is multi-sport action and lifestyle photographer Joe McBride, also from the U.S. McBride’s work has been featured in every major action sport magazine and in advertising campaigns for such companies as Microsoft, Pepsi, Disney and Benetton.
The three invited photographers will join last years winner, J. Grant Brittain, who stole the show with his powerful skateboarding images. Brittain will present a highlight show and then take a seat with the judging panel for the remainder of the event.
The Pro Photographer Showdown was designed to showcase action sport photography as a true art form, says Catherine Yates, Multimedia Events Producer. The Showdown offers a unique opportunity for top photographers to convey, through imagery and music, how they perceive the world of sport, its emotion, its risk, and its beauty.
Each year the benchmark for the energy and excitement of the presentations is raised, making it seem unlikely that another photographer could surpass it. This is never the case, says Yates. Through their slides, each photographer shares a part of himself with the audience, ensuring that every presentation is unique, exceptional and commanding. Plus, the fact that four such diverse and talented photographers are sharing the stage during the 2001 Showdown has the entire industry taking note.
One final wildcard Showdown seat is reserved for the winner of the Pro Photographer Search, which takes place April 16-17. In this separate event, six finalists present their work to compete for Best of Show. The winner then advances to the Showdown to present alongside the worlds best on April 19.
Since its inception four years ago, the Pro Photographer Showdown has attracted top talent, rave reviews and sold out crowds vying for tickets to the event. Deemed the Sundance Film Festival of photography by Transworld Media, the Showdown continues to position itself as the premiere action sports visual arts experience, promoting and celebrating camaraderie among the presenters.
The Showdown is presented by Resort Communications Group as a cornerstone of the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival, taking place in Whistler April 13-22, 2001. Highlights of the Festival include the internationally televised World Skiing Invitational and World Snowboarding Championship, a high-energy outdoor music series, demo days, film premieres, industry symposiums and the Pro Photographer Search and Showdown.
