Behind the Glory: Sacrifice

With the widespread shortage of volcanoes and virgins in greater Portland area it seemed pyrotechnics would be the best direction for the 'Sacrifice' shot. Ernie Vigil's  ZX6 was wrapped with Icon 'Sacrifice' artwork while Nick Apex was wrapped in Fire-Retardant Nomex. It would be a do or die shot and the riders and crew knew it. 

In order to set the animal free we called in our own  pyrotechnic expert - Jerry 'fire bug' Buxbaum. A professional in every sense of the word and the owner of numerous propane cannons. We consider him our personal saucier of flame. For our infernal rear tire shot he concocted a special elixir. A flammable glaze that he referred to simply as 'Jerry's Spicy Northwest Napalm'. Combined with a reduction of white gas - Jerry gleefully spread his sauce across the bike, the floor, the rider, and the crew. Jerry, it seems, gets a little loose when the animal is about to be unleashed.

We had clicked off the shot we wanted by the third take, but we decided to go for three more. It's not often the Icon crew gets to start a flaming maelstrom within a tinder-dry wood-framed warehouse. What could possibly go wrong? Anyways, photos were took, riders were cooked, coors light was skoaled, and we all went home without any single singed hair.

Nick sporting his signature 'Grand Dad' boxers while putting on Nomex drawers

Snapping a few product detail shots before Nick lights things up

 Jerry liberally dousing the ZX with his 'sauce'

Primary ignition... photoshoot is go

Nick sits patiently as we adjust the lighting - the fire got close to getting out of control at this point

The final 'Sacrifice' art for the 2010 Spring campaign - the 'dragon' flame is the real deal (no photochopping here)

We liked the end result so much that we ran it on the 2010 Spring catalog cover