Scott and Jenny Jurek
Brooks running shoes adventure lifestyle photography and directing
Working with athletes at the peak of their profession is always a rewarding experience. As a Minnesota-based adventure photographer, collaborating with Duluth-born Scott Jurek, an accomplished endurance athlete with numerous race wins and a Fastest Known Time (FKT) on the Appalachian Trail in 2015, was particularly interesting.
I had the opportunity to direct video and shoot photos for the Brooks Cascadia shoe launch video through Capture Filmco. Working with Scott and his partner Jenny, a talented runner and clothing designer, was amazing. We shot on location in Boulder, CO, capturing moments at their home, running in the foothills, and a sunrise session with Jenny, who was a trooper joining us for a 45-minute sunrise hike to an incredible location overlooking Boulder.
Pre-production for professional athletes is very thorough. Brooks wanted to be authentic to their brand and relationship with the Jureks. Planning the shoot boards and storyline beforehand was critical. Balancing location access with shoot deliverables is always an adventure, and I love bringing cameras to remote areas to capture unique shots. Pre-scouting locations using Google Maps helped us plan and build out the schedule. Even with all that planning, production is always full of problem solving; closed roads, people getting lost, kids needing snack breaks, adults needing snack breaks etc... So it’s always important to have a flexible crew with positive attitudes to make the most of whatever may come our way.
In the end all of the planning paid off. We got some amazing visuals. My favorite part of this job is connecting with people and capturing their personalities through action shots and portraits.
