Almost Famous - The Cole Barash Interview

Cole Barash is a talented young snowboard photographer on the brink of success. He is only 17, but has a clear vision of his path in life. He is passionate about photography and has already developed a unique style. Cole will probably be shooting fashion in NYC by the time he's 21, but until then he brings a fresh perspective to the world of snowboarding.

How long have you been shooting photos?
Since 4th grade.

Didn't you e-mail Jeff Curtes about shooting snowboarding?
Yeah, for a project in 5th grade I e-mailed Jeff Curtes and later that year I met him at the US Open.

What kind of questions did you ask him?
Technical questions and questions about being a snowboard photographer—what it's like, how many days a year do you travel, how much film do you go through, what equipment do you have, what's your favorite shooting conditions, questions like that.

What's your camera setup right now?
I am shooting with a Canon Eos 1N, a 70-200mm lens, a fisheye, a 17-35mm lens, some flashes, and I just bought a Hasselblad that I've been toying around with.

Who are your favorite people to shoot with?
People who are motivated, don't complain, get up early, and get stuff done.

What's your favorite photo you shot this year?
Probably the one of Nik Batko in Minneapolis taken from a bus. There's also another one from Hemsedal of Mads Jonsson doing a method. It's shot from the bottom looking up. It's horizontal but he's just in the far right part of the sky and it's black and white.

Who's your crew that you normally shoot with?
I shoot a lot of different people. Mainly up and comers such as Jake Blauvelt, Shayne Pospisil, Joe Eddy, and Pat Moore. Sometimes I shoot with some Grenade guys. I've definitely been on good Burton photo shoots this year, but I don't have one specific crew unfortunately.

What was your favorite trip this year?
The Hemsedal trip. That was my first time ever overseas.

Are your parents supportive of what you're doing?
They're backin' it!

What about school?
I take independent study. I order the books and all the classes, and I do it myself. If I need any help, I e-mail my teachers. One lives in Ohio and one lives in California. They're fully backing it. They're pretty psyched and trust me a lot, which is cool.

Any advice for aspiring photographers?
Shoot as much as possible and really take notes of your mistakes. And, when you look at a magazine don't just look at it and say, "Oh, that's sick." Analyze why it's sick. If you were there at that shoot, where would you have shot from? Could you have taken that photo? If not, why?

Which photographers do you admire?
In snowboarding I look up to Dean "Blotto" Gray, Jeff Curtes, and Kevin Zacher. Tim Zimmerman definitely killed it this year. Outside of snowboarding I really like Richard Avedon. Atiba Jefferson is insane too.

What are your goals for the future?
I'd like to shoot snowboarding five or ten years more and then maybe transition into fashion or portrait photography.

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