Cole Barash, an internationally-published documentary and fine art photographer, was contracted by Filson to create a body of work chronicling the everyday lives of the United States Forest Service. Titled “Smokejumpers,” the photographic essay honored of the brave service men and women who parachute into remote areas to battle wildfires. Cole was able to capture their working environment in intimate detail: the intense heat, the cinematic landscapes, the dangers associated with the profession, and the unbridled heroism exhibited by the Forest Service’s employees.
Cole partnered with Hatteras to create a perfect-bound book that presents his first-hand account, and also includes archival images of Forest Service workers. Hatteras collaborated with Cole to come up with the right production methods and printing techniques to ensure the quality of the final product matched the emotion of the project—both from Cole’s perspective and of those he documented.
