One of the primary challenges discussed by the photographers involved in the 25th-anniversary project is the difficulty of translating the "Rampage experience" into a two-dimensional frame. In person, the scale of the Utah cliffs is overwhelming. Through a camera lens, that scale can easily be lost.
A successful Rampage photograph must balance several competing elements: the speed of the rider, the athleticism of the maneuver, and the terrifying nature of the terrain. To achieve this, photographers often use wide-angle lenses from very close proximity to the action, or long telephoto lenses from across the canyon to compress the landscape and show the rider against a backdrop of sheer drops. The best images are those that make the viewer feel as though they are standing on the mountain, experiencing the same vertigo and adrenaline as the people on the ground.
As the exhibition showed, the evolution of camera technology has provided new tools for this storytelling. From the film cameras of 2001 to the high-speed digital sensors of 2026, photographers have gained the ability to capture finer details, higher frame rates, and better dynamic range in the harsh desert light. However, the fundamental requirement remains the same: the photographer must be willing to put themselves in a difficult position to get the shot.
The Road to the 2026 Competition
As the 25th-anniversary celebrations move from the galleries of New York back to the dirt of Utah, the focus shifts to the upcoming 2026 competition. This year’s event marks another significant milestone in the sport’s history, as it continues the expanded two-day format that incorporates both women’s and men’s categories.
The women’s competition is scheduled to take place on Thursday, October 8, 2026, providing a dedicated platform for the world’s top female freeriders to showcase their skills on the legendary terrain. This will be followed by the men’s competition on Saturday, October 10. Both events represent the pinnacle of the sport, where the year’s most anticipated lines will finally be ridden.
For those unable to make the trek to the desert, the event will be broadcast live. The women’s final will begin at 10 a.m. MT on October 8, and the men’s final will follow at 10 a.m. MT on October 10. Both broadcasts will be available on Red Bull TV and the Red Bull Bike YouTube channel, bringing the work of the event’s photographers and cinematographers to millions of screens worldwide.
When viewers tune in this October, they will see the incredible feats of athletes like Cam Zink, Kyle Strait, and Chelsea Kimball. But as the 25th-anniversary exhibition in New York reminded us, there is a second story unfolding in every frame. Behind every iconic image of a backflip over a 70-foot canyon is a photographer who climbed the same ridge, braved the same heights, and waited for the perfect millisecond to capture the spirit of the Rampage. The athlete creates the moment, but it is the photographer who ensures that the moment lives on forever.
