All photos © Boone Speed. Above: Greg Long paddles into a monster at Todos Santos, Mexico during a legendary swell in early December 2007.

Portland, Oregon based photographer Boone Speed is a student of sport and movement. Being a world-class climber himself, Boone is aware of how athletes look when they’re in the correct position. That’s why his photography of athletes appears so natural. Boone is able to capture those precise moments by putting himself in a unique position to get the perfect angle, whether it’s hanging off a rope or on a boat in high seas.  His desire to show people the essence of the moment, stripped of any clutter is always at the forefront of his mind and found throughout his photography.

-courtesy iGroup.Former BMX champion Paddy Gross in Portland, Oregon horsing around in perfect evening light on New Year’s Day 2011. In Boone’s own words. “I’d never shot BMX in my life until I hooked up one day with Paddy while he was visiting friends in Portland. We actually went paragliding together and became instant friends and then we went and shot photos the next day. He told me that I’d taken the best shots he’d ever seen of some of his tricks. And he’s seen a lot! And obviously he knows what he’s doing, so that’s a huge part of it, the talent … ”

Chris Sharma climbing “Spicy Noodle” in Yangshuo China. In 2009, Sharma traveled to China and established the hardest routes on their soil. Here, onlookers have camped out in the fields below in order to watch Sharma climb.