Rob Gracie has brought his unique technique to the poker industry,creating stunning results.

Published in Transworld Snowboarding 20 Year Special Commemorative Issue -

“Hmm, Snowboarding? I went to the event the next day thinking, ‘This will be a lot more fun to shoot than skiing.’”

Rob Gracie is a photographer with influence whose legacy won’t be defined by a single sport, but of many. His early work exposed a rapidly growing, progressive snowboard scene in Colorado. Gracie then brought snowboarding to the masses through his televised brainchild, MTV’s Mount Snow at Snowmass during the ‘94/95 season. Rob also realized wakeboarding’s potential early on, shooting the pioneers of the sport in their formative years at Lake Powell. Today he shoots his current passion, poker - logging eight covers and hundreds of images for features, ads, and displays at the country’s biggest poker rooms.

Favorite rider to shoot?

I’m not a favorite type of person. I shot a lot of riders over the years, and it was always a collaboration to get the best images with our mutual creativity. However, there are two friends that I should consider as my favorites - Jeff Brushie and Jimi Scott.

Favorite location and subject to shoot?

I lived in the Aspen/Snowmass area for seventeen years of my life, and although I traveled to other locations like Mt. Hood, I consider Snowmass my favorite. My favored subject, although generalized, is people. I love capturing the character and intimacy of individuals. Capturing a snowboarder mid-flight is about getting the moment, not unlike snapping the brief look into the soul of an old man.

Which came first, the camera or the board?

Camera. I took an avid interest in photography when I was young. My grandfather was a professional photographer and he mentored me, including the basics of the darkroom.

I skipped around the arts, music, and athletics during my teenage years and discovered skiing in my early twenties. A few years later I began working at the on-slope-photography company in Aspen. There was a snowboard event in ‘86/87 - the original Grand Prix - and one of the other guys brought in some photos he shot. Hmm, snowboarding? I went to the event the next day thinking, “This will be a lot more fun to shoot than skiing.”