Top 50 Action and Adventure Sports Images to Be Honored and Celebrated in an Exhibition Tour Launching on Aspen Mountain
International Photography Competition Illuminates the Art of Spirit, Grit and Edgy Perfection
The first-ever international action and adventure sports photography competition -- Red Bull Illume Image Quest 2006 -- will honor the unique expression and skill of 45 dedicated photographers who have triumphed in the eyes of experts for their passionate explorations of the still image. Fifty of the best raw moments in action and adventure sports selected by major players in the photography arena will be illuminated and celebrated in an opening exhibition at the base of the Little Nell Run on Aspen Mountain, Colorado, beginning on January 24, 2007. Red Bull Illume Image Quest is the first international photography competition that celebrates the world of action and adventure sports. More than 2,000 professional and emerging photographers from over 90 countries submitted their best action sports photographs spanning ten distinct submission categories. The entries included a smattering of extreme-detail close-ups and lifestyle expressions to wild terrain landscapes and shots that soared. Official contest judges consisting of esteemed photo editors, and respected image experts from around the world selected five finalist images to be put on display in each of the 10 categories, including: Wings, Playground, New Creativity, Lifestyle, Spirit, Energy, Close-Up, Sequence, Experimental and Illumination.
Two standout photographers placed in the top 50 for three of their submitted photos: Fred Mortagne of France takes skateboarding to the limit with his unique use of perspective and experimental editing while Brian Bielmann of the U.S. shows a depth of range with his passion for sea and surf commanding his underwater explorations.
From January 24 through February 4, the finalist photographers will join judges, heroes of the sport and special guests at a picture-perfect opening exhibition at the Little Nell Run at Aspen Mountain, and will vie for first place honors in their categories as critics make the final cuts.
"Having the chance to host the work of the world's elite photo editors and photographers against the stunning backdrop of Aspen is a privilege," said David Perry, senior vice president, Aspen Skiing Company. "The creativity to be presented and the innovative minds at Red Bull will find a perfect home in Aspen/Snowmass this winter."
A skilled panel of image experts from the action sports world, lifestyle publications, and representatives from the design and photography industries comprise the esteemed judging panel. Photo Editors from PHOTO Magazine, National Geographic Adventure, Surfer Magazine, Men's Journal, The Skateboard Mag., Women's Health, Transworld Surf, Sports Illustrated, Powder, Bike, and others are among the specialized individuals who will decide which photos stand above the rest.
A work of art in itself, the opening exhibition in Aspen will unveil the 50 finalist images in the most dramatic compilation of action and adventure sports imagery ever assembled, honoring the winning photographers and kicking off a worldwide exhibition tour. The top 10 finalist images will be illuminated in a special ceremony culminating the quest. Awards will be given to the winner in each category as well as to the winner of the Athlete's Choice. Top honors will go to the Image of the Year winner, who will be commissioned for the photo shoot of a lifetime with a Red Bull athlete of the winner's choice, anywhere in the world.
Photography Finalists include:
Photographer Country
Ricky Adam Northern Ireland (UK)
Wojtek Antonow Poland
Santiago Arenas Monzon Spain
Brian Bielmann United States
David Blazek Czech Republic
Thilo Brunner Germany
Yorick Carroux Germany
John Clark United States
David Clifford United States
Ray Demski Canada
Alfredo Escobar Chile
Klaus Fengler Germany
Derek Frankowski Canada
Mattias Fredriksson Sweden
Mark Gallup Canada
Lozza Gian Paul Switzerland
John Gibson Canada
Florian Grill Germany
Alberto Guglielmi Italy
Grant Gunderson United States
Riki Gutierrez Panama
Rami Hanafi Finland
James Holm Sweden
Dawn Kish United States
Daniel Kudernatsch Austria
Damiano Levati Italy
Vitek Ludvik Czech Republic
Espen Lystad Norway
Jacques Marais South Africa
Tim McKenna Australia
Wade McKoy United States
Fred Mortagne France
Roberto Muñoz Dominican Republic
Brian Nevins United States
Desre Pickers South Africa
Corey Rich United States
Pasi Salminen Finland
Frode Sandbech Norway
Alex Schelbert Germany
George Steinmetz United States
Thomas Stöckli Switzerland
Marco Toniolo Italy
Thomas Ulrich Switzerland
Jimmy Wilson United States
Danny Zapalac United States
For more information, please contact Chantal Chrétien at 310-460-5062/
chantal.chretien@us.redbull.com or Heather Walsh at 323-866-6050/
heather.walsh@mslpr.com. Please visit
RedBull Illume for all details and updates on the worldwide exhibit tour.
-- SANTA MONICA, CA -- (MARKET WIRE) -- December 05, 2006 --
Top 50 Action and Adventure Sports Images to Be Honored and Celebrated in an Exhibiti
Linear Mode
