Holden's Line
PNH, Chugach Mountains, Cordova, Alaska
First Place 2001 Banff International Photo Contest
Athlete: Jeff Holden
Camera: Nikon F5
What makes it special: If I can visualize the final image and identify how it has to feel, even if my equipment won't let me fully realize the experience, I've learned that If I grab enough critical slices of the composition, technology allows me to complete the statement later. It doesn't matter how I get there; what's important is that I see it and get it.
The story: "It took almost three hours of preparation, a high-powered lens and a 2x teleconverter. Jeff Holden had examined the entire line, visualized every turn and was ready to go. Our guide, "J Mack," checked in to give us the green light while making it clear that if something went wrong he would not be going in after Jeff to get him out. Holden chuckled, boarded the chopper and flew off to the peak.
It seemed to take forever for him to tiptoe into the line through a monstrous corniced ridgeline. Holden's first words over the radio were, "Oh, shit." "Come again?" I responded. A chuckle, then "Breakable crust." The steep fluted spine was good to go, but the snow had already been cooked.
He skied the line meticulously. Each turn promised an alternative no-fall zone; he had plenty of exposure to hold his focus. At the bottom of the long spine were two fat airs with perfect steep takeoffs and landings of over 80 feet. In Holden's world they were modest and very doable. However, less than a week prior he hit a huge air just around the corner. He told me the trick with big air (over 150 feet) is "real, real steep landings and deep, deep, light, fluffy snow."
Today was not that day. The top of the run told him that the snow was not going to afford him a soft landing. At the knob, Holden stopped, scissor kicked and took his safety traverse out to skier's left. As he exited below us on the glacier to the PZ (heli-pickup zone), I could hear his war cry.
The scale, depth and contrasting light took my breath away as I stared and kept shooting long after he skied out of sight.
After four years of entering the Banff Mountain Photography Competition and getting no recognition, I finally won. Holden's Line signifies a major breakthrough in my photographic skillset. This seamless image was created from four different 35mm frames, each shot with a 600mm super telephoto lens. There is no such thing as a super telephoto panoramic camera. I had to create the image in my head and then shoot the perfect individual frames. Once back home, know-how and technology enabled me to combine all four images into one vertical panorama."
