Chason Russell’s interest in photography began at age fourteen when he received his first Pentax camera. It continued to grow a few years later, when he scored an internship with one of skiing’s most acclaimed photographers, the late T.R. Youngstrom. Russell resided outside of Aspen at the base of the Elk Mountains, with easy access to rivers and the heart of the mountains. When he was not coaching the Aspen Valley Ski Club’s Big Mountain Team, you could find him running rivers in his kayak or sending big lines in the Elk or San Juan Mountains. There should be no surprise that Russell’s photos embraced adventure and the sports he loved.
Being on both sides of the lens helped Russell creatively capture and record his passions over time. He loved working in unique places like India and Nepal just as much as his own backyard. Simply put, Russell took photos because he liked photography. Each of his photos became more valuable to him as time went on, he said, “photos are my life journal, they aren’t just art.”
Photos and words by Chason Russell.