Recent Shoots
Wenger Advertising Shoot
Earlier this year I had the privilege of shooting a new campaign for Wenger, makers of the original Swiss Army Knife. In addition to shooting images in Southern Chile during the 2009 Wenger Patagonian Expedition Race, images were also shot in Switzerland, the birthplace of Wenger. Below are a just a few samples of the work I shot for them.
Brand Catalogue
Billboard
Print Ad
In addition to making some of the best knives and watches available, Wenger also makes other outdoor gear including footwear, backpacks, sleeping bags, tents and luggage. You can check out their gear here.
Indian Creek
Indian Creek is truly a place that captivates the soul. With it’s beautiful red sandstone walls towering high above the valley floor and seemingly endless routes to climb, it’s no wonder it has achieved an ubber-classic status amongst climbers. It’s the type of place that one can return to time and time again, always finding something new to discover.
Recently I meet up with my good friends Tim Alexander and Shelly Morandi for an afternoon of shooting at Indian Creek. Our location for the day was the 4×4 Wall up Beef Basin Road near the Bridger Jack Mesa. There was really no objective other than to create some new climbing images for my archives and have some fun. No pressure. No agenda. Just good friends and an afternoon enjoying one of my favorite places in Utah.
Changes
Whew. I can hardly believe that summer is almost officially gone. Today is rainy, bluster day here in Salt Lake City, and autumn is definitely in the air. With the turning of the seasons will come some big changes at Mike Tittel Photography. Yup. Last month I hired a great designer, Brian Hoff, to help me refresh the look of MTP – new logo, updated website, new blog, business cards, printed promos . . . the whole ball of wax. We’ll be rolling things out towards the end of the month so make sure you are subscribed to the blog, a fan on Facebook and following me on Twitter for the latest updates.
To go along with the new marketing materials I have been been shooting quite a bit of new work. Climbing, urban running, skateboarding, road and mountain biking. The list goes on and on, with several more portfolio shoots in the works before the launch of the refreshed website. I wanted to give a little sneak peak at a two very different climbing related images here. Stay tuned for an inside look at the logo design process.
Personal Connection
Nestled at the upper end of Little Cottonwood Canyon outside of Salt Lake City lies one of my favorite trails in the Wasatch Mountains – Catherine Pass/Sunset Peak. The trail, just 35 minutes from my door, starts above the base area of Alta Ski Resort in Albion Basin. Right from the get-go it offers outstanding views of Devil’s Castle, the ski area and Little Cottonwood Canyon. As the trail ascends through meadows of wildflowers and across rocky hillsides to the top of the pass the views get better and better. Although I have hiked and run the trail dozens of time, each outing offers something new that makes me appreciate the area even more. It’s the type of place I can shoot over and over again and still feel inspired.
Last night a good friend and I headed up to shoot some new trail running images for my stock archives. There is something to be said about shooting in a location close to home that you are intimately familiar with. Not only is it easier to pre-visualize the shots but the personal connection can provide great inspiration.
For this shoot I wanted to capture not only the essence of the location but also the things I personally cherish most about trail running. The solitude and freedom I feel on the trail. Getting sweaty, dirty and grimy without a care in the world. Feeling connected to nature. And setting my mind free as the setting sun casts it’s last rays of sweet, golden light across the landscape.
Sure, exotic locations half way around the world are exciting, but sometimes its the familiar places that offer the most rewarding results.
How Do You Know If You Don’t Try?
Fear is a funny thing. It has the power to hold us back, keeping us in a place that is safe, comfortable and free from risk. It holds us captive like a ball and chain, tied to routine and old, stagnant ways.
Two years ago I would have never considered shooting mid-day under harsh light during the peak of summer. It just wouldn’t have happened. As someone who built a career on shooting naturally lit adventure sports, I was comfortable and accustomed to shooting golden light during the sweetest times of day – sunrise and sunset. Mid-day sun was like the plague, and I avoided it at all costs.
I guess this is exactly why I decided to get out of my comfort zone and schedule a mountain biking shoot in the middle of the afternoon in mid-July. I wanted to face my fears and expand my horizons. After all, how could I ever know what was possible without even trying? As it turns out, with enough wattage and the right light modifiers mid-day sun can be quite cool.
Photography, life or otherwise–you don’t know unless you try. Break the chains and try new things. You might just surprise yourself. You’ve got little to lose but a tremendous amount to gain.
Mike Tittel Photography
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