Are you the kind of crazy person who would consider chasing winter from one hemisphere to the other? Do you have a goggle tan more than any other kind of tan? Do you own more snow pants than jeans? You, my friend, are a winter sports addict. It’s ok, I’m here to help you. Help you capture all your feats of snow-powered awesomeness that is! You will obviously need some gear to photograph and/or film you and your friends on the slopes. While you can do a lot with a GoPro, this article is for those who aspire to get the kind of images they see in magazines and capture videos like the ones you play on repeat.
Photo courtesy of my friend Tim Wanek a much better snowboarder than me!
Cameras
For winter sports, the type of camera you choose is not as important as the lens. You are almost always working in decent light so very sensitive cameras aren’t a requirement and saving money on the body leaves more of your budget for better lenses. Look for a camera that has manual controls over ISO, Aperture and shutter speed as well as bodies and lenses that have weather sealing to protect your camera from the elements.
GoPro HERO5 12MP Rear Touchscreen Camera
You know it, you love it. The standard in rugged and waterproof action cameras for good reason. The GoPro is an affordable multi-purpose camera that does a hell of a job capturing a wide angle view of whatever action based support you are doing. With the GoPro 5, now 4k video and RAW capture capabilities means you’ll be able to capture stunning high-quality footage of all of your adventures whether on land, air or sea.
Canon EOS-6D Digital SLR Camera Body, 20.2 Megapixel, Full Frame CMOS Sensor
A full frame camera with a lot of great features. This type of DSLR is better for recording others rather than yourself as it can be cumbersome to manage while also keeping your eyes on the slopes. This is a great camera for the budding photographer/videographer of your group or if you are going to take turns recording each other. This camera is a great buy because you get a full frame sensor at a very reasonable price with decent weather sealing.
If you have a decent lens budget I would start with the Canon EF 16-35mm f/4.0L IS USM Ultra Wide Angle Zoom Lens. It is a great lens to capture a wide angle view without severe distortion. It also zooms in to 35mm which is a great focal length for almost everything.
The Sony RX100 IV is a phenomenal pocket camera that has great features, takes amazing photos and videos and fits in your jacket pocket. It has a very handy zoom ring at the base of the lens, records high-quality 4K footage and can shoot up to an insane 960 frames per second at 1080p, 40X slower than real time. That will make your tricks look even more impressive as you stretch out the time on your double back flips! (Yeah, I can’t do those either.)
Accessories
Joby Gorillapod Focus and Ballhead X Combo
The Gorillapod is a great tool for when you want a tripod, but don’t want to carry a large one up the hill. It can attach to rails or you can use it when you want to stay out of the way. It’s also useful for recording timelapses and for getting group shots.
Peak Design Capture P.O.V. Camera Clip for GoPro, Action Cam or Point-and-Shoot Camera
This quick release clip is great for attaching your GoPro or other smaller camera to your backpack. It is also just a great way to keep your smaller camera ready for quick access. If you want quick access to a larger camera, like a DSLR, I suggest getting the Peak Design Capture Camera Clip V2, it’s made to handle the extra weight. Just be careful you don’t fall forward, or at all for that matter, while your camera is strapped to you.
Tips for shooting in the snow
Many cameras have trouble exposing correctly in the snow. The extreme brightness of white snow often leads to a darker overall image as the camera is misinterpreting the level of the scene. I would suggest exposing 1-2 stops more if you notice your camera is capturing a darker image than expected. The camera may also have large shifts in exposure if set to auto, so I would try to set your exposure manually when possible.
Another issue that sometimes affects images captured in the snow is an incorrect white balance. You may get a blue colorcast on your photos or video. The colors may also be off if you are using auto white balance, so setting your white balance to daylight or cloudy may help with keeping your colors crisp and accurate, as well as keep the colors from shifting when you are filming and changing from bright light to shadow or from the snow to a blue sky. Another tip is to shoot your pictures in RAW to be able to easily change color temperature.
Experiment. Try different angles, different compositions, and different camera moves. Instead of panning alongside, maybe try to get them going over you (from a safe position of course! See the next paragraph below.) Always try to think, how can I make this better?
Photo of Tim Wanek
Keep yourself and your gear safe. I know, getting the shot is thrilling, but it will be much less so if you get a face full of snowboard or a pair of skis busts your camera. Bright colored clothing also helps other people see you better and can help avoid a collision. Make sure you assess each situation thoroughly before positioning yourself.
Are you filming? Then try to shoot for the edit. You are editing right? Your computer likely came with free editing software. Your phone can even do basic edits. Many people shoot just for what’s cool or put up a long video of one continuous shot. Very few people can just strap on a GoPro and bomb down the mountain and have it be interesting. Shooting for the edit means getting the shots you need to tell a story. Get the details that will tell that story, don’t just get the approach, jump and landing. Build the tension leading up to it. Start out with a wide shot of the mountain. Cut to shots of the ramp from multiple angles. Get a tight profile shot of the jumper, maybe slow motion of their breath in the cold air. Capture their jump several times and you may be able to edit the best of them together to make it even more dynamic. If you think of these things beforehand you will be much happier with your results. It takes more work, but it’s worth it.
