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Utah Gets Us Rattled – GMC Canyon shoot

It’s been a few years since I left college and started working with iconic photographers, such as the Magnum guys before venturing off on my own. I remember every single gig I’ve taken on in all that time but now and again one comes along that provides good dinner conversation! This shoot is exactly that as the challenging weather, remote locations and the good company ensured this would be one of the memorable ones.

The project seemed straightforward, to shoot stills for the GMC USA Canyon 2015 model, yet unlike the Sierra shoot on the bridge (a future blog…when the pics are released) this smaller pick up needed to showcase its full capability. What better way to do that then drop it into a location where normal pickups fear to tread, where roads are barely mapped and the whole landscape is anyone’s guess? So that’s what we did. Shot in Utah, we enjoyed (or endured) off the scale temperatures and a variety of breath taking landscapes, scenery that jumps from the screen in a still image but is absolutely awe inspiring when stood in the middle of it. With warnings of imminent death from rattlesnakes peppered around, we really couldn’t make this up.

GMC 2015 Canyon in one of the less remote locations.

Stuck in the Middle with Crew

With a large crew, we stayed in the RV (camper) & in tents overnight as there really wasn’t anywhere else close enough to get there in time to set up the shot in the darkness to shoot as dawn broke. While travelling we noticed many signs that told us to watch out for rattlesnakes on the dry ground, while others told us to beware of snakes in the water. It really was a no win.

In a bid to intimidate them into submission, photo assistant Jordan showed off his works of body art , the rattlesnakes seemed to stay away but we’re not sure if it’s because of that. Either way it was pretty wild, but also a great adventure, shared with our crew.

GMC 2015 Canyon in one of the less remote locations.

When you look at the images, try to imagine the fear behind the lens 😉 not knowing if while concentrating on a shot a rattlesnake would make lunch of my rear end. I’ve slept and worked in some remote locations but this one is up there on the list, not just for the adrenalin-inducing snakes but the blistering temperatures.

If stuck here at all, for whatever reason, you do need a reliable, powerful motor to get you back to civilisation and so I think the location brief of the GMC Canyon was fulfilled perfectly…well I would say that wouldn’t I?

GMC homepage – one of the online image uses

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