Vernon Deck Gallerie

The Most Valuable Commodity

Vernon Deck Gallerie
Words: Mirte van Dijk

Vernon Deck’s long, graying hair hints at his adventurous spirit. Same goes for the lines on his 42-year-old face. He’s been shooting snowboarding for two decades and sailing the world’s oceans for nearly as long, and it shows.

Originally from the idyllic farm town of Motueka, New Zealand, Deck’s passion for snowboard photography began in 1997 when he shot the ISF World Cup Halfpipe in Laax, Switzerland. At the time, he’d never strapped in. He’d just moved to Laax, and engaging with the world’s best riders inspired him to buy an old Hooger Booger and a pair of hard boots and point it downhill. It only took him three days to break the board, but he was hooked and got a new one. “In most sports, the photographer just sits on the sidelines and doesn’t take part in the action,” Vernon explains. “In snowboarding, I saw right away that the photographer played a big role—it’s a team effort to go and shoot in the backcountry.”...

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