focus on TIM ZIMMERMAN

TIM SHOOTS ALL DIGITAL PHOTOS FOR US, RIDES A FLATLAND BMX BIKE, WILL TELL YOU A THING OR TWO ABOUT COLOR CORRECTION, HANDLES ANY I.T. PROBLEMS YOU MIGHT HAVE, AND HAS 226 WORDS TO DESCRIBE LIGHT. GET THE PICTURE…

How/who/what introduced you into snowboard photography?
Well, here’s the deal: I suck at snowboarding. Once I came to that realization I figured out that I wanted to be involved in any way I could even though I’d never be a rock star shredder. I was working in custom photo labs for a few years and decided to give shooting snowboarding a try. My first inspiration came from Mark Gallup & Eric Berger’s photography in Transworld Snowboarding. I dreamed that some day I’d be able to make the kind of photos they were making then. I’ll let you know when I’m finally able! Option rep Chad Perrin was the first person to see any potential in my photography and invited me to come up to Vermont from Pennsylvania to shoot the US Open. I have to give him the credit for really encouraging me to go for it full time.
So are you making a living solely from your photography work?
There are no chrome 22’s spinning on the Dakota but yea, I’m living solely from photography.


Where do you live?
I live in a 2003 Dodge Dakota but I pay rent in Mammoth Lakes, CA.
What kind of photo equipment do you use? And what kind would you use if you could?
I use Nikon digital equipment and Apple computers. Oh yeah, Adobe basically rules my life. If I had my way I’d have a 40 megapixel 35mm digital rig with a 10-400mm f/1.2 zoom lens that weighed less than my snowboard. A fleet of G5’s maxed to the gills would be nice too.
Still vs. sequence…?
Stills, stills, stills! Most things that happen in snowboarding can be most accurately and artistically portrayed by shooting a still shot. There are times when sequences work though. Tech lines or tricks can sometimes be best served by shooting a sequence. The old, “Standing on the side of a park jump while holding the button down” crap is so played out. If you want to do that you should just buy a movie camera.
Digi vs. film…? That’s a can of worms question, but for me it’s digital all the way. There’s no look I can’t get by shooting digital.
RGB vs. CMYK…? Really Good Beer is much better than Creamy Milk Yolk Ketchup.

How many cover shots this year? Ever?

I got the cover of Snowboard Magazine this year with a photo of Kyle Clancy. I’ve had the cover of a few magazines in my time.
What Lib Tech riders did you get to shoot with this year?
This year I got to spend time with Travis Rice, Jakob Wilhelmson, Eric Jackson, Sammy Luebke & Curtis Cizek.
Who do you want to shoot with in the future?
Lando, if that bitch calls me back. Shooting an elusive Lynn method would also be wondrous.

Funnest trip this year?

That’s a hard one to nail down but I’ll have to say that filming Eric Jackson with Standard Films was truly a pleasure. Those
guys do it right.

Categories: Artists