Chris started shooting photos in his tender teen years. His hometown of Reno, where he still lives, became a rural and urban outpost to hone skills that would make him one the world’s finest documentarians. Carnel intrinsically loved BMX, skateboarding and later, the new sport called snowboarding. His work has been published in the magazine he helped start, Heckler, as well as countless other magazines, books, catalogs, zines, posters and internet sites than I’ll mention.

Chris Carnel’s photos are amazing. He can capture action in any environmental circumstance. And it is his portrayal of snowboarding and skateboarding’s idols and unsung heroes that earned him not only respect among professionals and industry clones alike, but also a living. However, in my opinion, his depiction of sports is not his best talent. Chris Carnel is a master at capturing the essence of soul and nature. His portraits and landscapes can rarely be matched. His snapshots of both once-in-a-lifetime events and random daily moments are timeless and classic. Could it be that Carnel’s transcendental spirit connects him to that ineffable force the results of which are unparalleled images? The answer is yes.

Sonny Mayugba:
Co-Founder/Publisher Heckler Magazine; Founder Blackliner Records.