Photographers Capture Share Winter Magic,
Share Winter

APRIL 21, 2021
A Note from Share Winter: Taking great photographs in snowy landscapes is no easy feat. Any budding photographer who has attempted a winter shoot will tell you about cold batteries, fogged lenses, and navigating high contrast conditions. Capturing winter, candid, action photos of high energy youth on a busy day at a ski hill or trailhead is even tougher. Which is exactly why the Share Winter Foundation is so grateful for the professional-level photographers who donated their time, equipment, and craft to capture the joy of a few groups of Share Winter youth this season. 

Images are an integral part of telling the Share Winter story - a photograph conveys the joy, hard work, and success of youth with more impact than words alone. These featured volunteer photographers beautifully captured the ethos of Share Winter and why winter sports are a special part of the snowy season. See a sneak peak of the images they captured below and watch out for their work to pop up throughout upcoming Share Winter outreach!

Reflecting on his experience with Colorado’s Aspen Valley Ski & Snowboard Club (AVSC), photographer Will Sardinsky shared, “In what has proven to be an extremely challenging year, it was really fun to get out and photograph kids still being kids and sharing a joy for being outside. As I’ve pursued photography as a career, I’ve ended up working on things that I am not always passionate about, but pay the bills. However, getting to work with AVSC (where I learned to snowboard), hangout with kids, and see them play in the snow was a highlight of my winter.”

In the Northeast, Julianne Gauron, a Boston-area photographer, spent the early evening with a group of learners at Whaleback Mountain.

“I love seeing young athletes, especially the young girls, glow with pride when they see themselves as fierce shredders,” she noted. “I still remember how formative it was to start to see myself as an athlete, to feel my own strength and my force in the world. You can never underestimate the power that this gives a young person for the rest of their life, that it will shape in them.”

In the Rockies, John Howland spent his day riding the lifts at Snow King Mountain in Wyoming, keeping up with the youth learning to ski by way of the Coombs Outdoors.

“My life has been wrapped around skiing since I could walk; so the ski industry seemed like the most logical space for me to start learning about and supporting the people who haven’t been given the same access and opportunities as I have,” he said about why he made the drive to Jackson to photograph for the day. “As a photographer, I want to use my trade to bring more representation into our sport.”

With COVID’s restrictions, not all photographers who offered their time were able to be placed with a program. Utah’s Iz La Motte was one of these creatives, but was still able to donate winter landscape imagery for Share Winter’s use. 

“I donated photos to Share Winter this season because the experiences they're providing for our country's youth are invaluable,” she said. “I am fortunate to have been introduced to the mountains at a very young age, a landscape that has given me so much. The happiness and joy that comes from engaging with that landscape is something that everyone should have the opportunity to experience.”

Share Winter Foundation also thanks all the other talented photographers working directly with Share Winter grantee organizations. We appreciate your work capturing the magic of youth participating in winter sports.

Are you a professional photographer interested in donating your time to the Share Winter Foundation?

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About the Photographers

Will Sardinsky: Born and raised in Carbondale, Colorado, Will Sardinsky is a storyteller. He is passionate about exploring the relationship between humans and their environment, wherever that may be. He is aesthetically intrigued with an interest in how stories can create connection for communal well-being.

Julianne Gauron: Julianne Gauron is a Boston-based commercial and editorial photographer who spent a decade in the design industry before transitioning to her first love, storytelling. She collaborates with agencies, nonprofits, foundations and other purpose-driven companies creating still photography and directing branded documentary short films to amplify the clients’ work.

John Howland: John Howland is an action sports and outdoor lifestyle photographer based in Brighton, UT. Inspired by a skiing addiction, John started photographing friends in action, in Big Sky, MT during the 2015 season. Since, he has developed a passion based career, working with a variety of brands in the outdoor industry with a focus on the emotional interplay between athlete, activity and environment.

Iz La Motte: Iz La Motte was raised in the Catskill Mountains of New York and educated in the Green Mountains of Vermont. She was first introduced to photography at the age of twelve after inheriting her grandfather's collection of 35mm Olympus cameras. Little did she know, this gift would become the tool with which she sees the world. Today, she spends her winters in Utah’s Wasatch Range working as a photographer & videographer.

for the full Share Winter article
https://www.sharewinterfoundation.org/latest-news/photographers-capture-share-winter-magic