Sports Photography by David Ditzler

Tao Berman

Tao Berman gets ready and is warming up for his run down Superior Falls for Discovery Channel's Stunt Junkies show. Tao Berman is an extreme kayaker and is also a Red Bull athlete.

Tao Berman's Helicopter Jump on Stunt Junkies

Tao Berman launches out of a helicopter just above Superior Falls for Discovery Channels Stunt Junkies show. This photo is also in Paddler Magazine.

Tao Berman Helicopter Jump Sequence

Tao Berman launches out of a helicopter just above Superior Falls for Discovery Channel's Stunt Junkies show. This photo was shot handheld while another camera shot at the same time by remote a few hundred feet above where I shot this. Multiple frames were composited together to make this image.

Tao Berman Helicopter Jump Sequence Full

This is a composite image made from several photos.

Tao Berman Helicopter Jump Sequence Helicopters

This is a sequence of photos taken by my remote camera while I was shooting from another location.

Tao Berman Helicopter Jump Sequence Heli

Here is a tighter crop of the sequence.

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Tao Berman Helicopter Jump Sequence

Tao Berman launches out of a helicopter just above Superior Falls for Discovery Channel's Stunt Junkies show. This photo was shot by remote a few hundred feet above where I shot the other photo. Multiple frames were composited together to make this image.

Tao_Berman Superior Falls - The Big Drop

Here is the last waterfall from the stunt, the big drop. Tao Berman on Superior Falls.

Tao_Berman Superior Falls - The Big Drop Sequence

Tao Berman's Big drop for Discovery Channel's Stunk Junkies show. This is a composite image of several photos taken by my remote camera that was mounted several hundred feet above me in a tree. I set it up to fire the remote camera so I could be two places at once.

Tao_Berman Superior Falls - The Big Drop Sequence Detail

Here is a detail image of the sequence. This was taken by my remote camera that was set up before the stunt. As he went over the falls it took several pictures a second. In Photoshop I then put all of the photos together to make this sequence.

Tao Berman Does Superior Falls

This is Tao Berman after just completing the last drop and the final part of the sequence.

Tao Berman, Red Bull athlete

Here is a nice shot of Tao after he completed the sequence.

Tao Berman

Tao Berman on the set of Stunt Junkies

Here Tao is on location with Discovery Channel's Stunt Junkies show discussing the action before the big drop.

Tao Berman and Perry Barndt of Stunt Junkies

Perry Barndt (left), Jeb Corliss (center) and Tao Berman discuss how Tao's Dagger Kayak fits him perfectly to protect him during the drop. Perry Barndt is the executive producer of Stunt Junkies and a complete stunt junkie himself. He has done stunts in over 40 films.

Tao Berman looking over Superior Falls

Tao Berman studies Superior Falls the day before his big drop from a helicopter and then three waterfalls. This is the last waterfall in the sequence and the largest of the three falls.

Remote Camera

Here is a shot of one of my remote cameras used to capture some of the sequences. I built a custom cable to fire my Canon camera the night before in my hotel room when I figured out the place I rented the remote from included me the wrong cables. It took an hour to cross the stream, mount the camera and test all the settings and walk back. This was a one-shot-deal and was the only time Superior Falls was run - ever. There was no practice jumps and no do-overs. Luckily everything worked out with the stunt and everyone was safe.