Putting together this moon shot, which was a finalist in the 2021 Red Bull Illume Image Quest, required a week of planning, according to action sports photographer Yhabril, who’s based in the Pyrenees Mountains of Spain.
What’s particularly difficult is placing the kickers—man-made jumps—in the right spot a couple of days before the session, and hiking with heavy gear up to 10,000 feet of altitude, he explains. Once the scene is set, “You just have to wait for the moment and pray to have a bluebird sky that day. And have confidence in the riders to know that they will be able to synchronize the jump and handplant, which is a real challenge.”
The group did a sunset session to test the kickers and practice their moves for the moon shot, which Yhabril ultimately made from 1,000 feet away, communicating by walkie-talkie. “What’s really amazing is that we took the shot on the second try,” he says. “This is the result of great teamwork.”
Amanda Arnold is associate editor.
Tags: sports photography