Extreme Video - Lessons From the Outside

Smothered by clouds, we had no view. But when I look at the sequences of our team on the summit, hear the rejoicing yells of happy climbers, see the smiles on their faces, I realize that even a great view wouldn't enhance their excitement.

Capturing the extraordinary moments of life's grandest experiences- that's the real appeal of video in the outdoor world.

Moving Up

It was two in the morning on the 14,000-foot north face of Mt. McKinley. The midnight sun illuminated the Kantishna Mountains in the north, bathing the Alaskan tundra in pink and orange hues. Thousands of small ponds shone like pools of mercury in the arctic twilight.

My companions plodded upward, fighting a strenuous battle with gravity, 60-pound packs, and three feet of snow. For the third time, I remarked on the spectacular panorama we were witnessing. The three of us stood in silence, mouths agape, as much from heavy breathing as in awe of the beauty around us. I snapped a few photos, hoping for the best possible settings to capture the dramatic color on my Kodachrome 64.

Yet I felt it was so inadequate.

As much as I wanted the summit, I also wanted to communicate the experience of the outdoor world to others. But, for me at least, pretty words and color slides just couldn't convey the raw, nerve-tingling excitement of exposure to nature at its most formi…