Corey Rich Productions

Patagonia - Fred Beckey's 100 Favorite Climbs

My dear friend and climbing legend Fred Beckey has added a new title to his long list of works. "Fred Beckey's 100 Favorite Climbs," published by Patagonia, is part autobiography, part guidebook and part folklore, representing Fred's 70+ years in the mountains. This would be an amazing gift for the climber in your life.

I'm honored that Fred chose to include a few of my images in the book, including photos from Calaveras Dome, Half Dome and Cathedral Peak. Whether or not you're a climber, Fred is an inspiration to us all. He shows what it truly means to live your passion.

Nikon - DSLR Guide

Nikon has just published “Guide to Digital DSLR Photography”. Packaged with your new camera, this well written booklet is full of tips and images from members of the Nikon family. I’m proud to have a few of my images featured here, including a rare look at the man behind the scenes, my Studio Director, Blaine Deutsch, along with his daughter Kalyn.

As I learned many years ago, no camera will take great pictures by itself. Learn to use all its features and understand what makes up a well-composed image. Then, when you have all the rules committed to memory, forget every one of them, go out there and have fun! This is how the most creative images come about.

Patagonia – Unexpected

Throughout my career, I have come across a lot of books which combine my two passions, photography and adventure. Though, this new book by Patagonia is, by far, the best I have ever seen. The hair stood up on the back of my neck as I flipped the pages for the first time with a sense of awe. The edit and set of images in Unexpected, built entirely from the pages of past Patagonia ads and catalogs, is just phenomenal.

This book is a testament to the dedication and commitment of the contributing photographers. As well, it speaks to the talent and vision of two people I have a huge amount of respect for, Jane Sievert and Jennifer Ridgeway. In everyone’s life and career, there is a person or people that we point to as playing a pivotal role in helping us to become who we are. For me, Jane and Jennifer were two of these people. During my sophomore year in college, I edited down six months of travel to 40 images and made my first ever submission to Patagonia. Receiving my images with open arms and glowing compliments, Jennifer and Jane essentially launched my career. Jennifer first noticed the images, while Jane took me under her wing and published my first images. Now, 15 years later, I count her amongst my mentors and closest friends.

Much of the look and personality of the Patagonia catalog throughout the company’s history can be attributed to Jane. I believe she is truly the most unsung hero in the adventure photography world. Thanks to her eye and ability to choose the perfect photo for the occasion, Patagonia has consistently aligned itself with the world’s finest gritty and raw images, representing a life filled with adventure more authentic than any other catalog or publication.

Unexpected is now available from Patagonia, featuring two of my favorite images shown in the original ads below. This book will make a great holiday gift. I know I’ll certainly be buying several copies to give to friends and family. And no, I’m not making any royalties here :).

(Left) Tom Bulow drops his trunks for yet another round of injections at the cantina, Pascales, Mexico.

(Right) Fred Beckey on his way to the crags, South Lake Tahoe, CA.

 

The Great Book of BASE - Cover

Everything you ever wanted to know about BASE jumping has been compiled into a new book. Billed as "the most complete, informative, and entertaining book ever published on the sport of BASE jumping", it only makes sense that Dean Potter is on the cover. I took this photo of Dean, just moments before his world record setting wingsuit flight from the Eiger in Switzerland. Order your own copy of the book today.

Lark Books - Adventure Photography

Friend and fellow adventure photographer Michael Clark has just published a new book and I’m honored to have been part of it. While writing Digital Masters: Adventure Photography, Michael interviewed me about the steps I took to build a career and what I do today to stay successful. Be sure to pick up a copy and read my story, as well as contributions from friend and former Corey Rich Photography staffer, Trevor Clark.

The Mountaineers Books - Cover

This image from my stock archive, originally shot while documenting an amazing surf trip in Fiji, has been given new life. The image of Greg Burns now graces the cover of SURFING - Mastering Waves from Basic to Intermediate, published by The Mountaineers Books.

Even more rewarding than having an image published, was the excited email I received from an old friend, reminiscing about the day I shot that picture of him paddling out for a late day session. The two famed waves of Nagigia, Fiji are "King Kong Left" and "King Kong Right", named for the hills in the background of the image - filming location of the original 1935 production of King Kong. Of all my travels, I still consider Nagigia the most beautiful spot on the planet.

SuperTopo - Cover

SuperTopo, the world’s leading publisher of climbing guidebooks, has just released the 2nd edition of “Tuolumne Free Climbs”. Gracing the cover is my image of Kuan Chang climbing on East Cottage Dome in Tuolumne Meadows. With cooler temps than Yosemite Valley and just a two-hour drive from the office, this has become a favorite spot for a weekend getaway… on the rare occasion I happen to be in town over the weekend. :)

Hachette Book Group - New book by Dean Karnazes

One of the true rewards of my job as a photographer is crossing paths and working with fantastic people. Over the years I have had the privilege of working with and becoming friends with Dean Karnazes and his family. In 2006, I was commissioned by The North Face to join Dean on The Endurance 50 and document his quest to run a marathon in each of the 50 states in 50 consecutive days. A great part about this project was the opportunity to choose the three blocks I wished to shoot. I opted for the Midwest, Northeast and a Western block (which included Alaska, Hawaii, California and Arizona).

The travel schedule for this project was grueling, as we found ourselves in a different state every day. Simply traveling from one location to the next and documenting the efforts of Dean and the crew was taxing. I couldn’t imagine mustering the energy to run a marathon each day. Yet, Dean never skipped a beat (despite the fact that he only sleeps 4 hours each night). Along the way I learned that, not only is he an incredible athlete, but also a dedicated father and husband, an intelligent and motivated businessman and all-around extraordinary human being. I can only hope that some of those qualities rubbed off on me.

Following the success of his New York Times Best Seller, Ultramarathon Man, Dean has compiled his thoughts and lessons learned during the fall of 2006 into his new book, 50/50. Also featured in the book (as well as on the cover) are images I captured while traveling with Dean on his quest for 50.

To see more images from my time spent with Dean and his crew, please visit my website and click on ESSAYS.