This was my first published ski photograph, from the first ski race I attended. Published in Powder Magazine, October 1977. Early the next year the Deseret News in Salt Lake City paid me $5 to publish it again. Actually the deal was, either I let them publish it for a token of $5, or they would not publish it since it pr 'news' item for Snowbird's next race. Since I was doing photography work for Snowbird by then, it was one of those deals you just don't refuse. (If you lived in Utah.)

I was able to obtain this image thanks to the editor/publisher of the Intermountian Skier newspaper. He took me up to the race course, and showed me where the best action spots were located. After a brief tour of the course he turned me loose. Unfortunately, he folded the paper later that year to hang out with his guru. So he never published any of my photos.

The image captures the grim determination of Josef, the 2nd leading contender on that year's WPS tour. Despite valiant efforts, he still finished just behind tour leader Henri Duvillard in the standings. I managed to snap this shot right before being chased out of a fine location by the abc camera crew. They wanted this spot to themselves.