Paris Gore is a photographer whose work has featured in ESPN, Bicycling Magazine, National Geographic, and Outside Magazine. His clients have included Adidas, Red Bull, SRAM, and BMW. Throughout his career, Paris has focused on outdoor action sports, and particularly mountain biking, where he’s captured some of the sport’s top athletes in their most triumphant and iconic moments. In this interview, he tells Payson about how giving up on his childhood dream of becoming a professional mountain biker led him to his passion for photography, why being nice is his number piece of career advice for aspiring photographers, and how he went from mowing his friend’s lawn for extra cash to traveling around the world doing what he loves. He also talks about his recent decision to become a pilot and the plane he kind of regrets buying, losing the memory card with all his photos at the Downhill World Cup Finals in Scotland, and an eye-opening trip to Cuba where he learned just how much he has to be thankful for. They also discuss some memorable moments from Red Bull Rampage, where Paris has been a photographer each year for the past seven years, and the physical and emotional toll it takes, not just on the riders, but on those who witness it as well.

Instagram: @withpacepod
YouTube: Payson McElveen