Howie Stern. In the event you don’t know his identify, you most likely have seen his images.
Howie appears to be photographing runners at each huge occasion within the U.S. Whether or not it’s Tara Dower coated in cactus on the Javelina 100 Mile or chasing Courtney Dauwalter via the hills of the Hardrock 100, Howie has made a reputation for himself capturing the essence and human nature that makes the game of ultrarunning so fascinating. I’ve talked with Howie fairly a couple of instances over espresso in Silverton, Colorado, the place we each reside — you’ll be able to all the time discover him on the espresso store — about working, journey, and artwork, and it’s excessive time I give him the ground right here.
Howie Stern along with his canines, Miki and Joey. All images courtesy of Howie Stern.
When did you get into images, and the way did it evolve right into a profession? And the place did working are available in?
I first thought of capturing once I moved to Silverton, Colorado, in 2014. I used to be contemporary off a divorce and life reset and was making an attempt to determine what route to go that will allow me to be with my canines 24/7 and work for myself, as a result of I by no means may match into the nine-to-five way of life. I had a couple of mates, similar to Criss Furman and Ivan Buzik, who have been photographers and it sort of opened my eyes to that world.
Seeing how lovely the San Juan Mountains of Colorado have been within the fall, I used to be taking tons of images with my cellphone and folks appeared to dig them, and searching again, that was the second I spotted I wanted to get an actual digicam once more. I hadn’t actually touched a digicam since highschool.
So, in February 2015, I picked up a Nikon and determined to begin capturing ultras. I had been an ultrarunner for 15 years at that time, so my aim was to convey what I felt as a runner to the digicam’s eye. For me, it turned a profession from the beginning. There was no plan B, there was no making a gift of images for publicity. The one method this might work was to go all in and act accordingly. Just a few photographers I knew all the time stated “you’ll by no means make something,” however I ignored them. I wasn’t going to surrender on dwelling life on my phrases, which meant by no means being away from Miki and Joey, my malamute and husky, in addition to working for one thing that I used to be inherently obsessed with.
How do the artistic parts of images translate into working for you or vice versa?
I may say that my working is impressed by gentle. I strongly dislike working in the midst of the day, as a result of the sunshine is so harsh, simply as I dislike capturing in the midst of the day, for related causes. That being stated, I’d say I’m a fan of working at sundown for the great thing about the sunshine high quality. I like working at dawn excessive on peaks, to see the sunshine altering, the overlapping ridges within the distance — identical for the sundown, actually. However I don’t do it actually because I’m extra of an evening owl and have a tendency to sleep in except there’s an enormous goal, or somebody to make getting up early a lovely possibility.
Howie magnificently captures low night gentle within the mountains.
One factor I do whereas working is that I are inclined to see the paths and panorama via my digicam’s eye. So many instances, I’ll make a psychological word of locations that I wish to return to, to {photograph} a runner or the panorama.
Are there any specific images that you just love? Or any significantly memorable moments whereas photographing?
Over the previous 10 years of photographing working, there have been so many moments that have been particular. Just a few positively stand out for me. Certainly one of my favorites was a picture I took of Amelia Boone at Massive Canine’s Yard Extremely. I by no means take footage of individuals throwing up, it’s simply fully off placing to me. In some unspecified time in the future within the race, throughout the warmth and humidity, she pushed herself to the restrict and was on the bottom and misplaced her abdomen. I simply occurred to see her in a foul second, however as she fought to stand up to make the beginning of the subsequent yard, she stared straight at me for a second, and I snapped the picture. You possibly can simply really feel all she was feeling trying into her eyes. To me, it’s the whole lot working and the human spirit is about.
Amelia Boone regrouping for an additional loop at Massive Canine’s Yard Extremely.
Most likely an important picture I ever captured was the second this yr on the Barkley Marathons when Jasmin Paris made historical past. There are a selection of unbelievable images from some others that have been there, however the one I captured was the one one of many precise second she tapped and collapsed over the gate, spit and hair flying, as she gave the whole lot she needed to make it occur. Seeing her husband working behind her, the expressions on John Kelly and Jared Campbell, Laz [Gary Cantrell] ready, and everybody cheering within the background. I photographed Jasmin throughout all three of her makes an attempt, and to lastly see all of it come collectively was really the best second in sports activities I’ve ever witnessed. I cried for 10 minutes after the mud all settled. I’m even tearing up now.
Howie Stern’s now iconic picture of Jasmin Paris ending the 2024 Barkley Marathons, as the primary girl ever to complete the grueling race.
Who has impressed you as a photographer and as a runner?
I’m sort of odd most likely, I don’t actually look to different photographers for inspiration, I by no means wish to copy. I really feel what I really feel as a runner, and simply attempt to convey that throughout within the tales I seize. I fail at that lots, however there are moments once I handle to get one thing I’m happy with. Beginning out, I used to be actually impressed by Criss [Furman]’s pleasure when he nailed a shot. He used to convey his pc over to me on the espresso store to point out me the pictures he was happy with. He’d all the time have such an enormous smile and be so completely happy. I really feel similar to he did once I nail one thing.
So far as working, actually, I most likely was most impressed by my canines, they only seemed so easy and completely happy after they ran. I nonetheless take into consideration them once I’m struggling in a 100 miler. I am going, “Be like Joey, run completely happy like he did, and by no means cease!” He even walked a mile via Silverton and kissed the Hardrock on his final day of life, December 24, 2019.
In the event you may {photograph} any topic proper now outdoors of working, what wouldn’t it be and why?
Wolves and polar bears. I’m fascinated by each. Canine have been such an enormous a part of my being the final couple a long time, that I wish to {photograph} the animals they descended from. Particularly since in lots of the locations they roam, they’re threatened with eradication.
A few years in the past, I acquired to {photograph} a brief expedition within the Arctic on Baffin Island. On the primary day within the backcountry, I adopted contemporary polar bear tracks alongside the route I used to be scouting. It was a type of “Nationwide Geographic”-feeling moments the place you sort of understand you stepped into a unique world. I by no means noticed the bear that made them, however now it’s turn into a aim to return and see them. Hopefully in 2025 it’s going to occur on my subsequent journey there.
In the event you may give recommendation to a photographer trying to make it their dwelling, what would you say?
Discover your area of interest. Everybody shoots these days, what are you able to do to distinguish your self? In any other case, you’ll be misplaced on the planet of clones. Additionally, don’t shortchange your self or undercut everybody else, it solely hurts the business on an entire. Know your worth and persist with it.
Katharina Hartmuth, photographed within the San Juan Mountains of Colorado.
Do you could have any insights or critiques on how ultrarunning is documented today? Something you wish to see or do otherwise?
Give the athletes and crews area. It’s was a mob scene at too many occasions. Not all elites, runners, or crews wish to have 10 cameras of their faces at support stations or the end. I additionally really feel, taking a look at Instagram, so many are simply copying the identical results and pictures, and the whole lot is simply beginning to look the identical.
What’s your favourite digicam to make use of while you’re out within the mountains?
If I’m working, simply my iPhone. It’s small and light-weight and is all the time there. And surprisingly, you are able to do some respectable stuff with it. For the great things, these days a Sony A9iii. As a result of it’s small, gentle, and insanely highly effective, together with the lenses, I can run with it and take it on larger runs to {photograph} athletes within the cool locations. However I’ve been identified to have Canon and Nikon as nicely, haha. I’m not model loyal.
And random query that I ask everybody: in case you might be a tree what sort of tree would you be?
I’d be a needle tree like a Bristlecone Pine. I imply, you reside up excessive, in lovely locations, and also you get to expertise the universe for hundreds of years. And, nicely, they give the impression of being twisted, gnarly, and resilient!
Name for Feedback
Are you a fan of Howie Stern’s work? What are your private favorites of his images?