Extreme locations, close calls, and crazy adventures: the stories behind the images by Kristi and Darren

As story collectors sometimes we become the story.  How we got the shot, the journey, our passions, even close calls with life itself.  In this presentation photographers Kristi Odom and her partner Darren Gustaveson will take you diving with whale sharks, head to head with charging grizzly bears, hanging from ropes on glaciers, all in a quest to capture the beauty in a fraction of a second.  Get ready for a night of the action behind capturing their iconic award winning images.

 

  

Kristi Bio:

Kristi Odom is a photographer and motivational speaker who is based in Washington DC but most at home while exploring the world. From destination weddings in Thailand to conservation projects in the jungles of Borneo, she is dedicated to documenting the vast beauty in the world around us.  She loves to give back by sharing this approach with fellow photographers and encouraging them to do the same. Kristi has been an educator for Nikon, WPPI, Fearless Conference, Adventure Always, REI, and the Georgia Institute of Technology. Kristi’s accolades include her Master’s accreditation from WPPI and over 60 international photography awards including 2 Nature’s Best Photography awards. Her work has been on exhibit many different places from the Smithsonian Natural History Museum, Rangefinder, Outside Magazine, and even on a billboard in Times Square.

Darren Bio:

Darren’s deepest passion lies in the mountains. As an avid outdoor enthusiast, Darren uses his camera to share his love of adventure and the natural world. His background is rooted outdoor education where the mountains have been his classroom to bring people closer to the outside world. He has lived all over the U.S. including California, Utah, and even a remote mining town in Alaska. When he isn’t at his home in Sterling Virginia with his partner and dog, you can find Darren hiking, rock (or ice) climbing, or photographing life all over this world.