Aaron Rogosin shows the world how he sees life. He is a fine arts major at the University who earned his way to a two-page spread in Decline Magazine’s March/April 2005 issue by winning the Red Bull Rampage “In
Focus” competition.
The Red Bull Rampage is an annual mountain bike freeride competition held in Virgin, Utah. The In Focus part of the event gives five college students the opportunity to work with professional photographers and photograph some of the best mountain bikers in the world.
Just getting to Utah was an accomplishment. Aspiring college photojournalists from around the country submitted samples of their work hoping to be selected to the Rampage. Rogosin’s ticket to the event was a picture of a naked woman at Burning Man, an annual celebration in the Nevada desert.
“The head Red Bull photographer chose (the picture),” Rogosin said. “He said once he saw my picture he knew I was in.”
Rogosin said the photo got him airfare to Utah, a rental car, a hotel room, food and booze. It also gave him full media credentials and a chance to compete with professional photographers for the best shots.
“I had never done action photography, but I was not going to lose,” Rogosin said. “I followed the Red Bull photographers around. I knew they would be helpful. I had an advantage because I could get the best spots on the mountain and get to where other photographers couldn’t.”
Rogosin’s strategy paid off. He submitted six photographs for the six different categories and was the overall winner of the competition, as well as winner of the lifestyle category. His lifestyle photograph shows a biker wearing mirrored goggles with the bike reflecting off the lenses.
“I was just observing and I saw it,” Rogosin said. “I got really excited. I knew it when I saw it, and I knew I got it. It was a shot you get giddy about right away.”
His other shots were worth getting giddy over as well. Scott Hart, editor of Decline Magazine, said Rogosin stood out as the winner because of his broad scope as a photojournalist.
“With a lot of photographers, you can see their style in their pictures; they shoot a lot of the same style,” Hart said. “He worked a lot of different angles and wasn’t lacking in any department.”
One of Hart’s favorite shots is a photo by Rogosin that shows a man dressed as Captain America standing on the edge of a cliff pointing down below.
“Even though the guy is just standing there, he is standing on the edge of a cliff pointing out,” Hart said. “It puts action into the shot even though the subject is standing still.”
Seeing his work published in Decline Magazine was breathtaking
for Rogosin.
“I was super stoked,” Rogosin said. “It’s awesome to read about me and what other photographers thought and to see my pictures. I got a giant grin/smirk when I
saw it.”

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