Zoya Lynch has been crowned “Storm Queen” at the 8th annual Arc’teryx Deep Winter Photo Challenge, winning herself $5,000 for her slideshow, titled “Winter Canvas.” Lynch and 5 other competing photographers had 3 days to shoot a slideshow with a “deep winter” theme, utilizing only inbound Whistler terrain.

“It’s crazy, I’m so excited right now,” said Lynch after being named ‘Queen of Storms’. “I considered myself a wildcard competitor coming in so I am really happy to have won first place.”

Nicolas Teichrob, in second place, took home $2500; and Jason Hummel came in third with $1000.

For more info on Deep Winter and its photographers, read on in the press release below:

WHISTLER, BC January 19, 2014 – Revelstoke’s Zoya Lynch speaks with pictures not words and at the 8thannual Arc’teryx Deep Winter Photo Challenge, presented by GORE-TEX®, she told a story about the relationship between Whistler’s most inspiring fine artists and the mountains they love in her show, “Winter Canvas”. The judges deemed Lynch’s photo slideshow, shot over three days on Whistler Blackcomb, the best of the night, and awarded her $5000. Nicolas Teichrob, in second place, took home $2500; and Jason Hummel came in third with $1000.

The live event at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler had six professional photographers enthrall a sold out crowd of 1,100 with their story-based slideshows expressing the deep winter theme. Lynch’s unique show juxtaposed the process of artists Vanessa Stark, Vincent Massey and Kris “KUPS” Kupsky finding inspiration while snowboarding on Whistler Blackcomb and then harnessing that inspiration creatively in the studio. The judges remarked her show was clean, and found it to be the most creative, cohesive and original in the theme.

Second place was awarded to photographer Nic Teichrob who is no stranger to the Deep Winter scene having taken home third place in 2010 as well as first place in Deep Winter’s sister event, the Deep Summer Photo Challenge, in 2013. His perfect use of light to capture a silhouette of a skier against moody clouds also earned him $500 for the single best photo of all the slideshows.

“Nic Teichrob had really amazing action going for him,” said head judge and ski photography legend, Paul Morrison. “He had a vision and a strong concept.”

The Arc’teryx Deep Winter Photo Challenge, presented by GORE-TEX® People’s Choice Award contest is now live at www.whistlerblackcomb.com/deepwinter. Each photographer has a Deep Winter image of their choosing posted to the site, and everyone is encouraged to vote for their favourite photo. Voting will be open until midnight January 21 and the photographer with the most votes at the end of the three days will win $1000 and a trip with Whistler Heli Skiing.
 
8th Annual Arc’teryx Deep Winter Photo Challenge, presented by GORE-TEX® competitors were:
·        Cameron Hunter – a passionate photographer with a lifelong love of action sports and the outdoors.
·        Chris Brown – an ex-professional snowboarder who found a passion for being on the other side of the lens.
·        Erin Hogue – a Whistler-based snowboard photographer with a determination to get the shot, no matter the situation.
·        Jason Hummel (third place) – a Northwest native who has been skiing in the backcountry since he was six years old and shooting photos professionally since 2009.
·        Nicolas Teichrob (second place) – an award-winning action sports photographer and filmmaker who works as a geoscientist in his spare time.
·        Zoya Lynch (first place) – a professional ski photographer based out of Revelstoke, BC who specializes in capturing backcountry and self-propelled adventures.
 

All six of the photographers had three days to shoot in-bounds at Whistler Blackcomb with their athlete teams and the final slideshows were played in front of a sold-out audience of 1,100 and five judges at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler. The judging panel included: Photo Editor at Coast Mountain Culture Magazine, Peter Moynes; veteran photographer, Eric Berger; freelance photographer for CanWest Global newspaper, Bonny Mackarewicz; Photo Editor at Snowboard Canada, John Scarth; and ski photography legend and the original King of Storms, Paul Morrison.