Team

Pat Branch grew up in Southern California, where skateboarding and mountain biking in the late 1990s sparked an early interest in visual storytelling. Photography had been part of his family for generations, stretching back to a garage darkroom in the 1930s. That influence took shape as he began borrowing a family camera to document everyday adventures, from hillside forts and early rides to the world around him.

By the early 2000s, as his riding evolved into freeride and downhill racing, photographing riders and events became a natural extension. Winters spent snowboarding added another dimension. Often balancing competition and photography on the same weekends, he developed an instinct for timing, anticipation, and adaptability. While studying photography, design, and marketing at Santa Barbara City College, he continued documenting outdoor sports and exploring commercial photography along California’s Central Coast.

Years spent riding and photographing downhill mountain biking shaped his approach to movement and timing. At Whistler, even a trail like In Deep—a seemingly endless pump track of roots—became an exercise in finding flow through chaos.

As his work began intersecting with California’s wine and hospitality industries, Pat followed those opportunities north, eventually settling in Napa Valley. Years of working in environments ranging from remote wilderness to downtown streets shaped a production approach built on preparation, thoughtful systems, and adaptability. Today, he leads PBmedia's photography, cinematography, and creative direction for wineries, hospitality brands, and outdoor companies.

Creation and exploration remain central to his work—whether shaping light on a production, developing a brand, kayaking unfamiliar creeks, or scouting terrain for a bike or snowboard jump. His background in action sports continues to influence how he approaches creative challenges: understanding the environment, anticipating what comes next, and making deliberate decisions without losing room for spontaneity.

Pat’s editorial work has appeared in Outside Magazine, Bike Magazine, Snowboarder, Mountain Bike Action, Tahoe Quarterly, Lürzer’s Archive, the World Series of Poker, and others. He has a particular affinity for Petite Sirah and enjoys cooling off on a warm day with a Sauvignon Blanc.

Ben Nash’s path as a creator has always lived at the intersection of design, engineering, and experimentation. Trained as an industrial designer, his career has spanned agency, enterprise, and independent work across the country, shaping a systems-first approach to web, UX, and interactive design. Wherever he’s worked, the throughline has remained the same: thoughtful structure, practical problem-solving, and an appreciation for how things are built—both digitally and physically.

With nearly two decades of experience, Ben brings a rare ability to move fluidly between design thinking and execution. He builds scalable, high-performance digital platforms while remaining deeply involved in frontend development, content architecture, and design systems. His work reflects a belief that form should always follow function—then be refined with intention, clarity, and style.

Outside of client work, Ben continues to explore creative systems through art, fabricated objects, music, and emerging AI-driven tools. Curiosity and iteration drive his process, whether he’s refining a product interface or experimenting with a new medium. When it comes to his favorite beverage, you’ll often find him enjoying a refreshing Topo Chico.

Michelle's journey from Australia's wine country to Napa Valley, reflects her adventurous spirit and entrepreneurial drive. With a rich background in hospitality, she brings a wealth of experience to her work in digital marketing and photography. Michelle's hands-on industry involvement — from bartending to vineyard work — infuses her client approach with authenticity and relevance.

As a self-taught photographer with a knack for marketing, Michelle crafts vibrant visual stories that captivate audiences and have graced national publications. Her deep understanding of social media for wineries and wine brands highlights the importance of connecting with audiences through compelling and authentic content. She knows how to elevate a brand's presence and engage wine lovers in meaningful ways.

Outside of her professional life, Michelle thrives on outdoor adventures, whether she's hiking mountain trails, scrambling up rock faces or catching sunset (with a glass in hand, of course). Michelle's efficiency, creativity, and meticulous attention to detail ensure her clients receive an extraordinary experience. She breathes life into their visions with a blend of vitality and storytelling magic, making her an invaluable asset to any wine brand looking to make a lasting impact. While Michelle loves older Napa Cabs and mineral-driven Sonoma Coast Chardonnays, her true love is an aged Montrachet or Grands Echézeaux. Michelle brings her flock of pet geese along to every shoot.

With 15+ years in the US Air Force as a Propulsion Craftsman and Flight Engineer, along with 8 years of commercial UAV (drone) expertise, Eric leads PBmedia's aerial still and video shoots. His global deployments included overseeing the operation of dozens of propulsion craftsmen and working on F-15s, F-16s, B-1s, and C-17s, while maintaining a flawless safety record. As a flight instructor at the Academy of Arts in San Francisco, he specialized in teaching students to become highly skilled at recovering out-of-control UAVs.

Beyond flying drones and putting the camera in the right place, Eric excels in pre-production tasks like airspace clearance. Notably, he collaborated with SFO, OAK, and local airports to ensure uninterrupted operations while working on a San Francisco Giants project. For the Napa Valley College Foundation's wine program, Eric and Pat skillfully captured drone footage of students in vineyards and production areas, as well as shots of existing buildings that would later have blueprints of the future buildings animated over in the final video.

He also designs, builds, and maintains UAV systems for various industrial and creative applications. Fun fact—before all this, Eric starred as a kid in the crowd during a big scene in Beverly Hills Cop II. When he’s not flying drones, Eric’s usually enjoying a cold beer or experimenting with projects like home distilling.

Collin Christenbury is an Emmy-nominated creative and visual effects artist whose career spans motion graphics, animation, video production, and digital storytelling. Immersed in the industry since the late ’90s, his work bridges strategy, technology, and creativity, bringing clarity and impact to complex ideas through motion and design.

Over the years, Collin has led and contributed to campaigns for globally recognized brands and entertainment properties, including Caesars Entertainment, World Series of Poker, Fox TV, The CW, Britney Spears, and Cheap Trick. His background blends hands-on creative execution with leadership roles in digital media and animation, including time leading video initiatives and large-scale productions within high-pressure, fast-moving environments. Pat and Collin previously worked together on the staff media team for the World Series of Poker, where tight timelines and broadcast-level expectations were the norm.

Outside the studio, Collin balances creative life with movement and discipline as a certified yoga instructor and ski instructor, currently pursuing his PSIA Level 1 certification. His favorite whines are “There’s not enough powder!” and “My beer is empty!”