For a long time, photography helped StephenShelesky deny who he was. It was a distraction and an outlet for an internal struggle around his sexuality. But this all changed when he found himself in Jackson, Wyoming. Here, Stephen found acceptance with the courage, confidence, and community his camera brought him. In this unlikely place, photography became the instrument that allowed him to embrace, love, and express his true self.
Megan McJames descends an untracked No Name Peak in Jackson Hole, Wyoming backcountry. When Shelesky loaded the early tram to shoot at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort that morning, he wasn’t expecting to capture any shots like this one. But it just happened that McJames, Max Martin, and Forrest Jillson were also on that tram. They were heading out to shoot footage with KGB Productions for the film Trailblazer and didn’t have anyone lined up to shoot stills. Presented with a rare opportunity to capture several high-profile athletes on a bluebird morning in January, after a storm, and with a stable snowpack, Shelesky seized the moment. Photo: Stephen Shelesky
Max Martin, Dropping
Max Martin drops a cliff off of No Name Peak that same morning. Photo: Stephen Shelesky
Mount Moran
A view of Mount Moran from String Lake in Grand Teton National Park, with just a dusting of fall snow. Before shifting his focus to ski photography these past couple of seasons, Shelesky spent several years honing his skills with landscape photography. “Fall and spring is the best time of year to capture clouds hanging on the ridgeline like this,” explains Shelesky. Photo: Stephen Shelesky
Two Days in the Dunes
While a student at CU Boulder, Shelesky regularly visited Great Sand Dunes National Park to capture landscapes. It had been years since he’d been back, so he planned a trip with Jim Ryan and Madison Ostergren to capture some skiers in the terrain. While securing two nights of camping in the permit office, the rangers told them they’d see them the following day–people don’t last more than one night out there. Nevertheless, the crew carted two nights’ worth of gear and water out on plastic sleds that “felt like sinking ships as you dragged them. The sand was too hot to walk on in the 100-degree heat, even with shoes on,” recalls Shelesky. Day one was met with a lot of trial, error, and failures, but they persisted and nailed this shot the second morning, showcasing the drama and scale of the dunes.Photo: Stephen Shelesky
Jim Ryan slashes powdery pillows in Grand Teton National Park, Wyoming. Photo: Stephen Shelesky
Springtime and Straight Skis
Caite Zeliff and Jim Ryan channel retro vibes while skiing spring corn at Jackson Hole Mountain Resort. Photo: Stephen Shelesky
Sunrise Silhouette
The sun peeks over Madison Ostergren’s shoulder. Photo: Stephen Shelesky
Powdery Transition
Jim Ryan airs through blower during a deep in-bounds day lapping Jackson Hole Mountains Resort.Photo: Stephen Shelesky
The Inversion Line
Shelsky captures JHMR’s Bridger Gondola at the line of an inversion, emerging from a blanket of clouds. Shelesky loves that this image has “Jurassic Park vibes” but, unlike Jurassic World, no special effects or CGI were used to create this beauty. Photo: Stephen Shelesky
Patience
Jim Ryan as he nears Delta Lake, after skiing the Southeast Couloir off of Teewinot Peak in Grand Teton National Park. Shelesky set up near Amphitheater Lake to capture this viewpoint–for two hours. Unfortunately, on this cold day in late December, that turned out to be too long. When Shelesky got back to his car, he realized he’d gotten frostbite in several of his toes. “I was in excruciating pain as they warmed up,” recalls Shelesky. Was the shot worth it? Probably not. But it sure is a beautiful shot. Photo: Stephen Shelesky
