It’s easy to make the case that Lee Cohen is the best powder skiing photographer that ever was. Since the mid-1980s he’s documented powder skiing’s evolution from cult to cultural phenomenon. When it comes to getting powder, light, and athlete in synchrony he’s a wizard. But success in one part of a career shouldn’t be seen as a limitation elsewhere. Lee is a multi-talented adventure photographer with the commercial and editorial portfolio to prove it.

Early on, Lee’s work showed up in the magazines: SKI, Skiing, and Powder, plus in commercial contracts for the biggest outdoor brands in winter and summer. Today, he’s more selective in the contracts he takes. New clients must understand quality photography. “Mediocrity has become a way of the world,” says Lee. “There’s an overdose of imagery. But at the same time there’s amazing photography happening right now. The challenge is that with so many people who don’t know any better, the great photography gets lost in the sauce.”