Last weekend, I went to the San Francisco Bicycle Expo and shot photos of Andrew Taylor's Showdown and the Ladies Jump Jam. Check out the rest of the shots in the gallery: Andrew Taylor's Showdown at the SF Bicycle Expo

Last month, Lindsay Currier of Shine Riders put on a women's downhill/freeride event at Northstar in Lake Tahoe. The event consisted of a pro and an amateur class. The ladies were judged on how well they rode certain sections or features on the mountain. I went along with them all day and shot photos of the event. Despite a smaller than expected turnout, the event went really well. Look for my shots from it in upcoming issues of Dirt Rag and Cycle California.

During Crankworx in Whistler this year, I shot photos of the events for a series of slideshows for the Awesomeland.com podcast. I recently finished the first one and today I uploaded a full-size version. Watch it in full screen with HD here.

Here's a little preview of my photos from the past few weeks which have been crazy. I stayed in whistler for two and half weeks after Crankworx to shoot and then went to the sunshine coast for a few days to shoot there with Katherine Short and Kristen Smart. Ever since I got home, I've been trying to finish some design projects and a photo project that's taken way too long to edit. I've been trying to go through my shots from Canada, but a computer with hard drives that over 95 percent full barely works.

Tomorrow, I'm leaving for Interbike, so I'll to have to get caught up after that. If you see some kid with a camera and small backpack that is hopping around or attempting to walk in the showroom, it's probably me. Say hi. This afternoon, I did a little gap over a planter while riding my bmx bike. I heard a not-so-good sound as I landed. Then, my foot hit the ground and I fell over. photo: http://www.flickr.com/photos/_pat/6141107373/in/photostream

Wednesday, I went to the Deep Summer Photo Challenge. If you haven't heard about it, it's a competition between teams consisting of a photographer and riders plus an editor and/or assistant. They have three days to shoot in the Whistler bike park and edit a slideshow before they are played at the Fairmont hotel in front a huge crowd and judges.

It really must have sucked to be a judge. I seriously can't narrow one down to being my favorite. I liked certain things about each one: the banana peels slipping shot and the primary plus remote camera manualing shots in Tim's slideshow, the straight down arial angle of a big boulder with a rider coming down singletrack to the left of it in Margus's, the way the Glitch Mob song fit the editing in either John or Justin's slideshow (I forget who's it was), the close up splash/spray shots in Robin's, etc. On the creative side of things, Dan and Tim's slideshows had some really funny themes that make me laugh each time I see them. Events like this and the Deep Winter Challenge (which this event came out of) are really pushing the progression of sports photography, technically and creatively.

You can watch most of the slideshow's here: http://www.pinkbike.com/news/Deep-Summer-Contest-Top-3-Slideshows-2011.h... . Check out their sites as well.

Here's a few of my best shots from Air DH (the race down A-line).

The Garbanzo DH race, a race that starts at the top of the Garbanzo chair and finishes at the village was on Tuesday. I took the lower chair lift up, then hiked up Duffman where I shot the race. When I got to my first spot and set up my flashes, the race didn't start for half an hour and I got bitten by mosquitos all over. Fortunately, my shots came out good, so the bites were worth it. Later, up by Renegade, I was setting up a shot, and saw Sven Martin and Rachel Atherton come through (last two shots). I then realized the race was over. Sven hiked up a few times to get a better shot before they went down. I didn't have a bike with me... so the long downhill walk to the village was pretty rough.

Claire Buchair took first in the Women's class, followed by Manon Carpenter (photo 2), Miranda Miller, Casey Brown and Katherine Short (photo 1). In the Men's class, Sam Blenkinsop won, with Marcel Gutierrez Villegas in second, Jack Reading in third, Chris Kovarik in fourth and Eli Krahenbuhl in fifth. Full results: http://www.crankworx.com/images/results/GarbanzoDh_Results_All.pdf

I'm finally getting some shots up from the Canadian Open 3 days ago up. Here's a few of the best shots I got. I started out at the chute before the road gap (the jump line into that was cut from the course because it was too wet) and went upward. The chute was pretty messy. Last year, the course was dry and dusty... this year, it was wet and slippery. For the full results, check out the pdf on Crankworx.com

Photos from the Garbanzo race and today's Air dh to come! I'm off to the Deep Summer Photo Challenge to check out some amazing slideshows. My own slideshow of Crankworx events will be on the Awesomeland.com podcast next week.

Here's a few shots from Pro Downhill Finals on Sunday. I have more shots of it on ridemonkey in an update by David Peacock - http://www.ridemonkey.com/forums/showthread.php?t=241620 .

Saturday, I shot DH practice in the morning. In the afternoon, I shot Slalom finals and then Speed and Style finals right after. Here's some shots from the day.

Check out more of my shots on Ridemonkey in the articles David Peacock wrote:

• Sea Otter 2011: Dual Slalom
• Sea Otter 2011: Speed and Style