THIS YEAR Jeff Curtes, Burton Snowboards’ primary lensman, marks his 20th year as a professional snowboard photographer. He calls himself a snowboarder first, a photographer second, and his pictures give an insiders view into the life of the professional snowboarder both on and off the mountain.
Jeff got his start back at the 1980’s. A skier from age 3, he spotted a quarter page ad in 1985 for a Burton Snowboard in Ski Magazine and asked for one for Christmas. Practicing on the local ski hill every weekend, he got good, but his brother Joe got better and was eventually sponsored by Burton. Hearing about his brother’s fantasy travels from one snowy locale to another, he realized his ticket to ride was with his camera. Lucky enough to have a pro rider for a brother and access to all his friends, his pictures had an authenticity that could only come from being on the inside. After a season traveling with the team on his own dime, Burton saw his photographs published in all the snowboard magazines and made him an offer he couldn’t refuse. There was no money, but they’d pay his way to travel with the team for the next season. With $12 in his checking account, that sounded pretty great. The rest is history, both his and the sport’s, some which is on display above and below.
PHOTO CAPTIONS (from top)
SUNRISE KICKER SESSION: MARK SOLLORS, CODRONA, NEW ZEALAND, AUGUST 2010; MT.HOOD, OREGON 2012; “THE DEFINING MOMENT” IN FREESTYLE SNOWBOARDING:INGEMAR BACKMAN, RIKSGRANSEN, SWEDEN, SPRING 2006; TERJE HAAKONSEN, METHVEN, NEW ZEALAND, AUGUST 2008; SHAUN WHITE, SAPPORO, JAPAN, 2004; SNOW, JAPAN, 1996; TERJE HAAKONSEN, LAS LENAS, ARGENTINA, 2000; JOE CURTES, MT. POTTS, NEW ZEALAND, AUGUST 1998; TREVOR ANDREW, NIGHTPIPE SESSION, HAKUBA, JAPAN, LATE 1990’S; DOWN DAY: MADS JONSSON, TERRACE, BC, CANADA, FEBRUARY 2006; KAZU KOKUBO, MT. COOK, NEW ZEALAND, AUGUST 2011; SHAUN WHITE, SNOW PARK, NEW ZEALAND, 2005; JAKE BURTON, MIKE WIEGELE HELI, BLUE RIVER, B.C., MARCH 2007
Jeff is currently represented by Tectonic Media Group
