Are you continuously looking at the social media handles and wondering how do you get cool ski photos? Skiing surely helps to make great photographs.
Whether you are a ski instructor or just a random tourist who loves to ski, taking a good skiing picture requires much expertise on the part of the photographer.
To help the readers, we have put forward a list of tips that can come in handy when taking skiing pictures.
Best cameras for skiing photography
A good camera is one of the most fundamental things needed for taking a good skiing photograph. Some of the best cameras available for taking skiing photos are:
GoPro Max
It is a versatile, three-in-one design, extremely durable, and waterproof camera for clicking ski photos.
Olympus Tough TG-6
Fully waterproof, and freeze-proof. A high-resolution lens with 8x zoom helps shoot in multiple modes of action for skiers.
Sony RX 100 IV
Back-illuminated CMOS with high-resolution 4k recording. Helps record action during skiing.
YI 4k
4k image quality with extended battery life at a pocket-friendly price. Ideal for taking on skiing vacations.
When purchasing the best camera for skiing, there are a few factors to consider.
- Image stabilization
The camera has to take pictures of individuals skiing and hence there will be a lot of movements involved.
The camera must have an image stabilization feature that will help capture people moving quickly in a proper manner.
- Water-resistant
When taking pictures of skiing snow can fall or crash on the camera. The photographer must be prepared for such incidents. Having a water-resistant camera will save the camera and the lenses from the snow and water and help take beautiful pictures.
- Long-lasting battery
The camera must have good battery life. Look for a camera that offers a battery life of at least three hours. That will help to click pictures without having to think about recharging the camera batteries.
- Video and stills quality
Most cameras now film videos in 4K resolution. This helps get the best videos. 4K cameras have a frame rate of 30 frames per second. The best cameras have at least 16megapixel for the still picture. The more the number of pixels, the better the quality of the picture will be.
- Size
Since the camera will be used for a long time to take the best shots of skiing, purchasing a camera that is of the optimum size is helpful. It must not be too big or too small. That will help one to carry the camera with ease.
Ski photography camera settings
The camera settings while taking ski pictures are very vital. Here are a few camera settings to consider when taking skiing photographs.
Long focal length
The photographer must use a longer focal length so that they can remove distractions in a scene. They can focus only on the important part of the picture. One must also check details like fresh snow, dew, and frost for enhancing the look and feel of the photograph.
Choice of lens
Wide-angle lenses help capture a massive area. However, they distort the outer edges of the picture. Make sure that the subject is kept central to the picture so that it is impactful.
Angles
Different photographers have different perspectives. Shoot from different angles like across the slope or from uphill or low on the snow or through rocks or from high above, and so on. The different angles will provide a different look to the photograph.
How do you take ski action shots?
For taking the best ski action shots, there are a few things to keep in mind.
Communicating the plan
Taking pictures of skiing randomly will not result in good pictures. Instead, talk with the person and tell them what you are looking for. That will increase the chances of getting a decent picture.
Shoot with fast shutter speed
Skiing is a fast-moving activity. To capture the motion of the subject, shoot at a fast shutter speed.
Exposure setting
Snow is a very bright object. Overexpose the pictures and the snow will look white or the way it must look in the pictures. It will help in getting cool skiing pictures.
Pre-focus the camera
Pre-focus on the part where you want the skier to be and then focus on that position. Unless you have a high-quality DSLR or the quickest auto-focusing lens, you will not be able to track a moving skier.
Overemphasizing the movement
Overemphasizing everything in still photography makes them look good. Suppose a skier is jumping over something. Have them tuck in a tight cannonball as that will help you get a better snap. A frozen moment seldom looks good.
Taking care of the gear
Make sure that the gear is well protected and padded. When you stopped after taking a picture, make sure that there is not a tree overhead from which snow can fall on the gear.
How do you edit ski photos?
Snow can help transform a boring background into something spectacular and beautiful.
Natural lighting that reflects off the snow has a dreamy effect. Editing the images in Lightroom can be helpful for the photographers
Lightroom editing tips
Changing the background
Change the background in the Lightroom canvas to white before starting with the editing of the picture. Right-click on the background and change the color to white.
It will help serve as a reference point for white and you can do the rest of the edits accordingly.
Saturation and vibrancy
Do not overuse the saturation and vibrancy elements. Oversaturation lends the image a fake aesthetic look. Instead opting for the vibrancy options is better as it enhances the intensity of the muted colors and does not tamper with the whole picture.
Vibrancy and saturation
Overusing saturation and vibrancy can often ruin the composition of the photo. Adding more colors does not mean it will become a better photograph. A neutral tone helps better with skiing pictures.
Adjust the white balance
To handle the white balance, increase the exposure of the photo. Expose the snow and do not be distracted by the other elements in the background. The tint and temperature sliders will help to get the right shade of white.
Using a graduated filter tool
You might have to edit the sky separately from the foreground. Make use of the Graduated Filter for reducing the exposure of the brightest part of the picture.
Clarity
If you look at the pictures closely, there will be areas that will be a bit blurry. That compromises the quality of the picture. The overall picture quality is hampered.
By using the clarity slider one can add sharpness to the image. However, adding too much of it will make the picture look artificial.
Editing using iPhone
- Open the skiing picture you want to edit and click on the edit option.
- Adjust the sharpness, color, and brightness of the pictures.
- The Auto-enhance tool helps to automatically adjust the colors and brightness of the picture.
- Edit the vibrancy, saturation, tint and then save the picture.
How to take good skiing photos for Instagram?
For taking amazing photographs for posting on Instagram, follow these simple tips:
- Create depth in the photographs.
- Use burst photos for capturing the high-speed shots.
- Do not take the pictures standing up. Lay down or climb a tree to take a picture.
- Select interesting forms like rocks, snowbanks, or broken trees to take the pictures.
Conclusion
Taking skiing pictures can be rewarding and frustrating at the same time. You might have spent an entire day taking snaps. But in the end, they might have come out as boring or out of focus.
We hope that with the above-mentioned tips, you will be able to take the best skiing pictures and proudly show them to your friends and followers on social media.
Justin Parker is a professional photographer and has been in the industry since 2007. He attended the University of Georgia. Justin combines his passion for photography and his interest in writing to give life to this blog which talks about photography in order to help and inspire young photographers.
