Talent, Positive Energy, Dedication, Persistence, and a big ole' set of fat hairy balls... This is what it takes to be a professional photographer... And for that matter this is what it takes to be successful in any creative field of work... I have been skateboarding for 18 years. I've fallen down a lot in that time but after that many years of persistently working toward getting better at what I do, I can confidently say that I feel like I'm pretty good at it. Fact is, I don't fall down all that much anymore, which is a good thing for a 30 year old man riding a skateboard.
I am finding that being a good photographer is a lot like being a good skateboarder. At first you fall down a lot, you get hurt, you get broken, you get discouraged and want to just say F@#K it and walk away... But you can't! You love it too much, it's who you are, and you know that there's nothing more gratifying than working your A$$ off to land that one trick you've been trying for so long to get and finally having the satisfaction of riding away clean... The business of photography is exactly the same... I don't think that I would have been able to find success in photography if I hadn't have first been a skateboarder... It's a tough business but, in the end, its well worth the time you've put into it!
My name is Christopher Winton-Stahle and I am both a photographer and a skateboarder! Despite the struggles, the hard falls, and the occasional frustration this is my life, my love and it is who I will always be...
Recently, While visiting the Colorado mountains I was witness to a meteor strike. What an amazing spectacle that was! Fortunately, with my trusted camera by my side, I captured this image just moments before impact. The good news is that I made it made it out of this situation in one piece. The bad news is that I now radiate a strange green glow and I believe my hair may be falling out. Whatever it takes to get the shot, right! Happy March 2010!
