It was 20 years ago, but Martin still remembers his first skiing vacation with his parents very clearly. He was only five years old and the five-hour drive to the ski resort in central Sweden was a long one. Martin remembers the joy of the falling snow, the cold wind in his face and the sound of his skis on the icy slope. This experience is probably etched in the memory of many children, but only for a few does the simple joy of skiing reach this dizzying level of excitement.
"Martin goes full throttle every time we go skiing", says his friend Martin Söderqvist, who as a professional photographer has most of the good shots of him, "in the beginning I missed a few good photo opportunities because Martin was going faster and more expansively than I expected. I now know this and hold the lens a little further away - so that he has more space for his turns!
But we're not the only ones blown away by his progressive skiing style. Open any ski magazine - in his native Sweden or in the USA and Canada - and you're almost certain to find a photo of Martin. No wonder, because fast, powerful skiing and high, stylish cliff drops in front of impressive scenery are the key elements for a fantastic freeride photo - elements that can be found in almost every photo that exists of Martin.
"We totally maxed it out last winter in the Alps", says Martin Webrant, who spent a few weeks in Disentis last ski season and took an extended road trip through eastern Switzerland, "the snow in Graubünden was insane and we know some perfect spots for photography in Disentis and Davos? "
Keep your eyes peeled for the "Flying Swede" next winter. You're sure to meet him on fat powder turns or spectacular cliff drops in the Alps. If not, at least you'll see him on the new Black Diamond ski poster.
