A decorated photographer based in North Lake Tahoe, California, Ming Poon’s work speaks for itself. In 2018, Ming received Powder Magazine’s prestigious Photo of the Year award, and in 2019, he won the renowned Whistler Blackcomb Deep Winter Photo Challenge.

His work has been featured in The New York Times, Teton Gravity Research, Powder Magazine, Backcountry Magazine, The Snowboarder’s Journal, Standup Journal, Adventure Sports Journal, ROAM, Ascent Backcountry Journal, Vermont Life Magazine and a variety of other publications around the globe. Ming’s work has also appeared in international commercial marketing campaigns for clients like Eddie Bauer, Favre-Leuba, Swatch, Patagonia, O’Neill, Jones Snowboards, AwayCo, NOW Bindings, Hestra Gloves, Intuition Liners, Leki Poles, Tepui, Thirty-Two, YETI, Clif Bar, and more.

As a FAA certified commercial drone pilot, mountain guide, rock climber, and snowboard mountaineer, Ming is uniquely positioned as a valuable member on a wide range of expeditions, near and far.

Podcast Interviews


Awards

2018 Powder Magazine Photo of the Year
2019 Whistler Deep Winter Challenge Winner

Featured In

Backcountry Magazine feature (2x)
Adventure Sports Journal feature

Clients

ALL GOOD BRAND, AMERICAN PISTACHIO GROWERS, ARCADE, ATOMIC, AWAYCO, BILLY STRINGS LLC, BLACK DIAMOND EQUIPMENT, BURLINGTON YOGA, CLIF BAR, DEAD WINTER CARPENTERS, DRAGON ALLIANCE, EDDIE BAUER, ETNIES, FAVRE-LEUBA, GIRO, GOGGLESOC, HANAH LIFE, HANDOUT GLOVES, HESTRA GLOVES, HIGH CAMP, ICE AXE EXPEDITIONS, INKWELL, INTUITION LINERS, JNTO (JAPANESE NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION), JONES SNOWBOARDS, KARAKORAM, LA SPORTIVA, LE BENT, LEKI POLES, MONS ROYALE, NOW BINDINGS, O’NEILL, PATAGONIA, POC SPORTS, PROTECT OUR WINTERS, RAD POWER BIKES, RYLO, SALOMON, SDBX STUDIO, SMITH OPTICS, SPECIALIZED, SQUAW VALLEY SKI RESORT, SWATCH, TAHOE CITY PUBLIC UTILITY DISTRICT, TAHOE CONSERVANCY, TEPUI, TETON GRAVITY RESEARCH, THE NORTH FACE, THIRTY-TWO, THULE, UNION BINDING COMPANY, YETI.

Publications

ADVENTURE SPORTS JOURNAL , AKA SKIDOR, ASCENT BACKCOUNTRY SNOW JOURNAL , BACKCOUNTRY MAGAZINE, BACKLINE MAGAZINE, FALL-LINE MAGAZINE, FORECAST SKI MAGAZINE, MEN’S HEALTH EUROPE, MOONSHINE INK, NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC ADVENTURE, NEW YORK TIMES, OUTSIDE MAGAZINE, POWDER MAGAZINE, ROAM, SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, SBC SKIER, SKI CANADA, SKI MAGAZINE, SKIALPER, SNOWBOARDER MAGAZINE, STANDUP JOURNAL, TAHOE MAGAZINE, TAHOE WEEKLY, TETON GRAVITY RESEARCH, THE SKI JOURNAL, THE SNOWBOARDER’S JOURNAL, VERMONT LIFE MAGAZINE.

Ming created a media production house and creative agency to help capture and tell stories that inspire people to enjoy the outdoors and promote and preserve prestine, wild and beautiful places while providing value for clients and consumers. We do what we do because we can’t imagine doing anything else.

Ming always tries to harness his experience to more deeply understand and be conscious of client, model and end consumer wants and needs. This deeper understanding helps Ming and his team create authentic content to tell stories of individuals and or brands that inspire their clients to explore nature and their comfort zone. We specialize in directing light and fast crews in tough mountain shooting environments and telling authentic adventure stories but we also feel equally comfortable in studio production settings.

Ming’s approach has earned he and his team opportunities to work for companies such as American Pistachio Growers, Eddie Bauer, Favre Leuba, Hestra Gloves, Japanese National Tourism Association, Jones Snowboards, O’Neill, Protect Our Winters, Rylo, Salomon, Tepui, The North Face, and more. Ming and his team are based out of Tahoe City, on beautiful Lake Tahoe, CA.

We believe we should all use our position to improve the world through socially and environmentally conscious products and campaign initiatives. We look forward to helping you tell your brand story and meet your needs.

Ming is happiest at home with his wife and friends, enjoying all the joys of living in Lake Tahoe.

Learn more about Ming

As a decorated photographer based in North Lake Tahoe, California, Ming Poon can often be found in precarious, far-flung situations: in a roadless fjord in Norway, in a tent high on a mountain in Pakistan, or riding a bike deep into the Eastern Sierra Nevada with a snowboard attached to his back. These are the situations in which Ming’s talents and passions shine. He captures larger-than-life imagery from wildly stunning places and brings content back to inspire others.

Having an eye for composition isn’t enough in these harsh, remote environments. One also needs the tools, experience, and athleticism to get there safely and responsibly. As a mountain guide, rock climber, mountain biker, and snowboard mountaineer, Ming is uniquely positioned to be a contributing and valuable member on a wide range of expeditions, near and far. He brings a sense of professionalism and compatibility that’s critical when you’re in hard-to-reach backcountry zones alongside world-class athletes and tight-knit film and photography crews. This expertise has led him to succeed in commercial photography settings, where he works seamlessly alongside crews as a creative director, director of photography, or cameraman. The tactical skills he’s acquired in the mountains apply well to commercial film and photography projects, where planning, communication, problem solving, creative thinking, and teamwork are crucial to success.

His work speaks for itself. In 2018, Ming received Powder Magazine’s prestigious Photo of the Year award, and in 2019, he won the renowned Whistler Blackcomb Deep Winter Photo Challenge. His work has been featured in Teton Gravity Research, Powder Magazine, Backcountry Magazine, The Snowboarder’s Journal, Standup Journal, Adventure Sports Journal, ROAM, Ascent Backcountry Journal, Vermont Life Magazine and a variety of other publications around the globe. Ming’s work has also appeared in international commercial marketing campaigns for clients including Eddie Bauer, Favre-Leuba, Swatch, Patagonia, O’Neill, Jones Snowboards, AwayCo, NOW Bindings, Hestra Gloves, Intuition Liners, Leki Poles, Tepui, Thirty-Two, YETI, Clif Bar, and more.

Photography has been a part of Ming’s life since he was a kid. He learned how to use his mom’s Minolta 35mm film camera at a young age growing up in Vermont, where he would paddle a canoe or venture into the woods to take photos of creatures and sunsets. He moved west for college in the Lake Tahoe area, where he studied snowboarding, as he jokes, and also business management and international business. After graduating, he started shooting photos of his friends snowboarding and rock climbing and also appeared in front of the lens himself, learning snowboard photography from the athlete’s perspective. During that time, he was accruing formal certifications in avalanche safety, wilderness first aid, and taking courses through the American Mountain Guides Association.

When his dad died unexpectedly, Ming, then 27 years old, had a choice to make: help run his family’s international trading business in his dad’s native Hong Kong or keep adventuring in the mountains. He chose to help his family. Ming moved to China for five years to help run a massive microelectronic trading business across global lines. He learned to speak Mandarin on the job (he grew up speaking Cantonese with his dad’s family) and was challenged beyond his classroom training through various fields of international business. But he longed for clean air, snow-covered peaks, and his camera. His number one motive for the next chapter in his life was to live where he wanted to live and do the work he wanted to do.

So, Ming moved back to Tahoe, where he now works for himself and runs a business of his own: a media production company and photo agency called Wuya Creative that helps brands tell their stories in imaginative, authentic, and sustainable ways. Through his work and travels, Ming hopes to inspire others to enjoy the outdoors and preserve our planet’s wilderness and public lands, a set of values he believes goes hand-in-hand.

Mike Lorenz, art director, Backcountry Magazine

“A photographer’s job isn’t just to push a button, it’s to find the story, then figure out how to artistically and accurately compose, expose, and capture that story—often times in a matter of seconds, clinging to an ice covered ridgeline. Ming does all this, consistently delivering work on time that exceeds expectations.”

Jeremy Jones, professional snowboarder, founder of Jones Snowboards and Protect Our Winters.

“Ming was my go-to riding partner for years before he picked up a camera because of his mountain skills, motivation, and up-for-anything attitude. Watching him dive into photo and video projects has been awesome to see. His commitment to the craft, coupled with his ability to get a camera to places few can get to have made him a go-to cameraman for me.”

David Reddick, director of photography, Powder Magazine

“Ming’s creative vision is innate, but it’s his work ethic that sets him apart. He’s sent me more sunrise photos than every other photographer combined. That takes work. And dedication. And a desire to Get The Shot. He’s also fun to talk to, easy to work with, and one of the nicest guys you’ll meet.”

Adrian Ballinger, founder Alpenglow Expeditions and big-mountain athlete

“Ming joined me on my attempt to climb K2 without supplemental oxygen in Pakistan. It was a difficult environment—snow, rain, long days with big mileage, high altitude—and the client expectations of capturing assets in the harshest conditions were high. Ming exceeded all expectations. His creativity and willingness to put in the hours to get the shot were super impressive, especially considering the big trekking and climbing days necessary to keep up with the team. Equally important, Ming is a fantastic person to have on a team. He’s fun, compassionate, and always goes above and beyond to do his share of the work.”

Cody Townsend, professional skier and Arcade Belts co-founder

“In the outdoors, the best photographers can get their cameras to places few other people in the world can. Ming is just that guy, as skilled in the mountains as the people in front of his lens, which allows for a type of photography rarely seen from others.”

Andrew Tiner, Eddie Bauer marketing manager

“Working with Ming feels more like partnership than anything else. He brings ideas and vision to the table and greatly elevates the production. From logistics to creative to communication to capture, Ming is fantastic to work with on all elements of production. He slept in a hypoxic altitude training tent for weeks before an expedition to the Himalaya, and nobody wants to sleep in those things. But Ming was all about taking the necessary steps to have his best performance for the project.”

Ian McIntosh, professional skier

“Ming Poon has that natural eye for photography that just can’t be taught. It’s that natural instinct mixed with his unwavering passion and incredible work ethic that make him such a force. When Ming is coming on a trip, I know that we’re going to get tons of amazing images, that no opportunity will be missed, and that we’re going to have a great time. He’s a true pleasure to work with and someone who I would travel to any corner of the globe with.”

Jonny Burhop, producer, Rylo

“Ming Poon can take a creative brief to new heights (literally). Not only does he deliver great photos, but he’s always on time, on budget, and a pleasure to work with.”

Jon Klaczkiewicz, vice president of production, Teton Gravity Research

“Ming’s not shy about going the extra mile (sometimes literally) in challenging environments, putting in the work and effort it takes to elevate a composition from good to unforgettable.”

Sage Cattabriga-Alosa, professional skier

“When you’re in the mountains, it’s all about group dynamics and the cohesion of your team. Working with Ming Poon is the perfect example of that cohesion. He approaches the mountains with excitement, motivation, and a focus on working together. His photography is a reflection of this balance, capturing stunning, authentic moments.”

Christina Lusti, ACMG mountain guide and professional athlete

“The professionalism and positive energy Ming brings to the mountains is contagious. His artistic eye and technical skills in the mountains allow him to capture the beauty of people and their surroundings.”