2007 Banff Mountain Photography Competition
Grand Prize Winner
Marc Adamus: Winter’s Fury
“I captured this image with strong winds at my back, near the craggy summit of Oregon’s Iron Mountain during a solo ascent in January. I got a little more exposure to the elements than I had anticipated, following a significant snowfall and ensuing blizzard conditions with temperatures around 0° F (-18° C). On my return from the summit, I stopped at this dramatic pinnacle, roughly 200 feet (61 m) high, which is the remainder of the mountain’s volcanic core. Bracing myself on the leeward side of a thick wall of short alpine trees, I was able to pull out my camera and wide-angle lens long enough to fire off several frames with a shutter speed fast enough to freeze the blowing spindrift. I felt that the image captured the excitement, the challenge and the beauty of experiencing winter in the mountain environment. ”
Marc Adamus, 28, is a full-time landscape photographer based in Corvallis, Oregon. His photographs have been published extensively worldwide in a large variety of media, from magazines to books, calendars, posters, cards, etc. Marc’s photography comes from a life-long passion for wilderness adventure. His unforgettable style is one of big, bold, dramatic and dynamic images utilizing amazing light and rare conditions. Marc will stop at nothing to capture an image that defines a place at magical moments. He totally immerses himself in the landscape, often preferring the mountains and winter. Marc’s passion for nature and his drive to photograph it are evident throughout his work and have earned him acknowledgment as one of the most exciting and talented new landscape artists of his generation.