Sasha Digiulian works her way up El Matador on Devils Tower. The formation, which many of the surrounding Native American Tribes refer to as Bear Lodge, was given its name after a mistranslation back in 1875 and has since come under fire for misrepresenting the sacred nature of the monolith. According to “In the Light of Reverence”, a documentary delving into the conflict between the tribes and the public, during the month of June when the tribes hold most of their ceremonies, 85% of climbers adhere to the voluntary climbing ban imposed by the park.
Respect for the Intensity
Yuma, Arizona - I spent some time earlier this year filming Marines for a documentary set to be released in a few years. It was, hands down, the most intense shoot I have ever been involved in. I’ve spent some time dangling on ropes thousands of feet up, but in those situations, I’m in control for the most part. However on this shoot, between standing on the edge of a C-130 filming aerial refueling, to flying around in a Huey watching my Combat Camera counterpart throw up the entire length of the helicopter ride while simultaneously trying to film 70mm rockets and .50 caliber machine guns annihilating targets, I felt very much out of control. Even so, it proved to be a difficult, yet extremely rewarding project.
Not only did I get to test the physical limitations of my stomach and the equipment I used, but I gained a new respect for the intensity of the training that most Marines are put through. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience that i’d like to experience more than once in my lifetime.