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Three pros announced for Photographer Showdown

Organisers have announced the line-up for the sixth annual Pro Photographer Showdown, part of Whistler’s TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival. The Showdown is set for April 17th.

Organisers have announced the line-up for the sixth annual Pro Photographer Showdown, part of Whistler’s TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival. The Showdown is set for April 17th.

Three internationally renowned photographers have been invited to present a 12-minute slide show of the best work of their careers during this prestigious annual event. The Showdown contenders are surf photographer Art Brewer, Swedish-based outdoors photographer Mattias Fredriksson, and skateboarding photographer Jon Humphries.

The Pro Photographer Showdown forms part of EXPOSURE, the culmination of the Pro Photographer Search, Pro Photographer Showdown, the Filmmaker Showdown, photographic workshops and the Whistler Photographic Society Silent Auction. Taking place during the TELUS World Ski & Snowboard Festival between April 14 and 18, the EXPOSURE events will deliver an action sport multimedia showcase like no other.

EXPOSURE is to the action sports industry what the Sundance Film Festival is to the film industry. It’s a tribute to the inspiring individuals who devote many of their best days to their passion for capturing the essence of sport on film..

Brewer , based in Dana Point, California, is renowned as one of the world's premier surf photographers and also has had an extensive career outside the surf genre. Over his 35-year career, he has seen his work celebrated in gallery showings and mainstream publications as diverse as Rolling Stone, Sports Illustrated, Esquire, and Playboy.

Fredriksson has made a rapid rise to fame in the world of professional photography. With a natural eye and fresh perspective for composition, Fredriksson was able to capture the rarely exposed Scandinavian region in a unique and stunning way that drew immediate attention within the industry. A professional photographer since 1997, Fredriksson first started his career in the photo industry as a writer. After covering an article about the Swedish outdoor photographer Lars Thulin, he became interested in photography and over the years, made the switch from pen to camera.

Humphries is regarded as one of the world’s most renowned and respected skateboarding photographers. He has been described by his admiring colleagues as having a "dramatic vision of the art of skateboarding." To reach this calibre of skateboarding photography, you have to be a boarder — first and foremost. "I grew up skateboarding everyday, so it was natural for me when I got into photography to shoot photos of my friends skateboarding," says Humphries, 28, who was born in Portland Oregon and now lives in Los Angeles.

A fourth "wildcard" seat at the Showdown is reserved for the winner of the Festival’s Pro Photographer Search, which invites pro and amateur photographers alike to vie for six finalist spots through an open call for entries. The Search takes place April 14 and 15 in Whistler during the Festival.

Entries for the Pro Photographer Search are due by March 4. For information on the Search, visit the Web site at www.livelarge.ca or contact Tamsyn Morote at tam@inspiredgroup.com

Dave Heath, Best of Show at last year’s Showdown, has been invited to present a highlight show before taking a judges seat for the remainder of the Showdown. Heath is one of the most prolific and unique action sports photographers today and his unique photographic style has long been a staple in action sports publications the world over. www.livelarge.ca.