POP Magazine Portfolio - Australia

WORDS - RICK BAKER

During the 2006 UnInc Tour down the east coast of Australia, I was fortunate enough to spend a few weeks with Dean Blotto Gray. Blotto is no doubt one of the snowboard worlds most well-known and respected photographers. His images frequent the best publications including Snowboarder, Pleasure, Frequency and even our very own Australian and New Zealand magazines in the odd privileged edition.

After spending some time with Blotto I soon figured out that the quality of his photographs is fueled by his love of snowboarding and even more so, his love of shooting it. Blotto is what I guess you’d call a ‘pioneer’ and has been involved in the snowboarding business long before settling into his final career as a photographer.

Starting as a young pro for Lamar Snowboards out of Colorado in the early 90’s, Blotto became a partner in the then emerging Technine binding company. He helped their rise before taking control of Burton’s new brand Analog in its launch years. However, photography was always there and it wasn’t until he coupled it with the extensive travel and brand/team manager at Analog that it really came about.

Blotto then became a staff photographer at Burton, and the rest can be found in the pages of your favorite magazines and picturesque Burton catalogues. His love of snowboarding shows through his photography and the work keeps your magazines a pleasure to flick.

On top of this, Blotto is one of the quirkiest/funniest guys I’ve met in a long time. He’s more than happy to field hundreds of questions about digital vs. film (on which he votes film), lighting, or anything else photography, but even happier to sit and recite lines from Dave Chappelle. If mischief is about, Blotto is more than likely fueling it, camera in hand, ready to shoot.

When POP hit up Blotto for a portfolio, needless to say he was more than happy to help out. Enjoy.