it’s impossible to spend time with animals and not walk away feeling that
animals and not walk away feeling that
animals and not walk away feeling that something else is going on in there I’m
something else is going on in there I’m
something else is going on in there I’m very passionate about trying to tell a
very passionate about trying to tell a
very passionate about trying to tell a story about animal intelligence so this
story about animal intelligence so this
story about animal intelligence so this assignment with National Geographic on
assignment with National Geographic on
assignment with National Geographic on avalanche dogs was a wonderful
avalanche dogs was a wonderful
avalanche dogs was a wonderful opportunity to ignite this larger
opportunity to ignite this larger
opportunity to ignite this larger project that I have in my mind
I’m a National Geographic photographer
I’m a National Geographic photographer [Music]
[Music]
[Music] I’m here in Bozeman Montana to try and
I’m here in Bozeman Montana to try and
I’m here in Bozeman Montana to try and tell story about a man named Graham and
tell story about a man named Graham and
tell story about a man named Graham and his avalanche rescue dog Erna
what really pulled me into this
what really pulled me into this assignment and the angle that I was
assignment and the angle that I was
assignment and the angle that I was coming from is animal intelligence so
coming from is animal intelligence so
coming from is animal intelligence so what I’m really trying to do is to tell
what I’m really trying to do is to tell
what I’m really trying to do is to tell a story that shows that dogs are
a story that shows that dogs are
a story that shows that dogs are thinking sentient beings and so to
thinking sentient beings and so to
thinking sentient beings and so to convey that erna is out there thinking
convey that erna is out there thinking
convey that erna is out there thinking about her job every time I take a step I
about her job every time I take a step I
about her job every time I take a step I fall down up to my knee
fall down up to my knee
fall down up to my knee people think the lives of photographers
people think the lives of photographers
people think the lives of photographers are idyllic romantic even and that you
are idyllic romantic even and that you
are idyllic romantic even and that you just go out there and the photos flow
just go out there and the photos flow
just go out there and the photos flow like wine but the reality is that
like wine but the reality is that
like wine but the reality is that there’s a lot of stuff that you’re
there’s a lot of stuff that you’re
there’s a lot of stuff that you’re dealing with there are a few instances
dealing with there are a few instances
dealing with there are a few instances where we’re having to trek through snow
where we’re having to trek through snow
where we’re having to trek through snow to get to other places where you
to get to other places where you
to get to other places where you couldn’t ski so it was like 15 degrees
couldn’t ski so it was like 15 degrees
couldn’t ski so it was like 15 degrees so that makes everything harder you know
so that makes everything harder you know
so that makes everything harder you know even the best cameras aren’t built for
even the best cameras aren’t built for
even the best cameras aren’t built for these conditions I’m not a huge skier
these conditions I’m not a huge skier
these conditions I’m not a huge skier your hands freezing waist-deep in snow
your hands freezing waist-deep in snow
your hands freezing waist-deep in snow but $40,000 camera gear on your back I’m
but $40,000 camera gear on your back I’m
but $40,000 camera gear on your back I’m thinking to myself every picture I’m
thinking to myself every picture I’m
thinking to myself every picture I’m trying to take everything everything is
trying to take everything everything is
trying to take everything everything is against me and I have you know a couple
against me and I have you know a couple
against me and I have you know a couple of days to pull this off what do you got
of days to pull this off what do you got
of days to pull this off what do you got a lot of times images we want to get end
a lot of times images we want to get end
a lot of times images we want to get end up coming to fruition in the field in
up coming to fruition in the field in
up coming to fruition in the field in the moment I saw Emily Graham’s wife
the moment I saw Emily Graham’s wife
the moment I saw Emily Graham’s wife getting buried and that that’s when I
getting buried and that that’s when I
getting buried and that that’s when I knew that that was the picture I thought
knew that that was the picture I thought
knew that that was the picture I thought you know why don’t I get in there
you know why don’t I get in there
you know why don’t I get in there because I could show what it’s like to
because I could show what it’s like to
because I could show what it’s like to be rescued by a dog all right so I’m
be rescued by a dog all right so I’m
be rescued by a dog all right so I’m gonna have enough oxygen down there just
gonna have enough oxygen down there just
gonna have enough oxygen down there just fine all right
fine all right
fine all right I mean the challenge of getting that
I mean the challenge of getting that
I mean the challenge of getting that shot you’re in a teeny little hole and
shot you’re in a teeny little hole and
shot you’re in a teeny little hole and you you’re kind of having to contort
you you’re kind of having to contort
you you’re kind of having to contort yourself and I’m not in those flexible
yourself and I’m not in those flexible
yourself and I’m not in those flexible person a look on her face you know that
person a look on her face you know that
person a look on her face you know that she’s thinking about one thing and
she’s thinking about one thing and
she’s thinking about one thing and that’s about getting me out and then the
that’s about getting me out and then the
that’s about getting me out and then the challenge was that as she was digging
challenge was that as she was digging
challenge was that as she was digging snow was falling on top of me like every
snow was falling on top of me like every
snow was falling on top of me like every five seconds I was having to their white
five seconds I was having to their white
five seconds I was having to their white nail off the front of the lens and then
nail off the front of the lens and then
nail off the front of the lens and then take a picture my gut said I was soaked
take a picture my gut said I was soaked
take a picture my gut said I was soaked good you know I think if you were
good you know I think if you were
good you know I think if you were seriously buried an avalanche you can
seriously buried an avalanche you can
seriously buried an avalanche you can imagine the feeling that you must be
imagine the feeling that you must be
imagine the feeling that you must be having when you see her a retriever
having when you see her a retriever
having when you see her a retriever digging the hole open and saving your
digging the hole open and saving your
digging the hole open and saving your life I mean it’s got to be a moment
you always don’t think that you’ve got
you always don’t think that you’ve got the shot and there’s a saying that if
the shot and there’s a saying that if
the shot and there’s a saying that if you think you’ve got the shot then you
you think you’ve got the shot then you
you think you’ve got the shot then you don’t and so you always have this worry
don’t and so you always have this worry
don’t and so you always have this worry did I get the picture did I get the
did I get the picture did I get the
did I get the picture did I get the picture and when you get a photo that
picture and when you get a photo that
picture and when you get a photo that you’re happy with it’s it’s like
you’re happy with it’s it’s like
you’re happy with it’s it’s like Christmas
what I’m thinking about all the time is
what I’m thinking about all the time is what a gram and Erna doing that is
what a gram and Erna doing that is
what a gram and Erna doing that is special and what do I think is important
special and what do I think is important
special and what do I think is important to tell they’re out there saving
to tell they’re out there saving
to tell they’re out there saving people’s lives every single day
”
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