Brains
Sure, ski days are the greatest, but capturing incredible skiing photos with your smartphone to share afterward makes them even better. However, all too often, you know that you hit an epic jump, but when you pull out your phone later, it just looks like a blurry mess. Thankfully, smartphone cameras have gotten better and better, and people have quickly learned all the best ways to make them work, even in cold and snowy conditions, so you never blow the moment and miss out on a great shot. You don’t need an expensive photographer or a heavy camera to lug around the hill with you; just keep your phone in your pocket and these great tips and tricks up your sleeve.
How to Prepare Your Subject Before You Shoot
Make sure you coordinate your shots so your skier/snowboarder knows where to turn and look; throwing snowballs is a great way to indicate exactly where you want them to go! Wearing bright, solid colors will also help your subject pop out against the white background. If possible, also try to get your friend to slightly overemphasize their movements by making extra deep turns and tucking during jumps to really show off their skills.
Getting Sharp Still Skiing Photos With Your Smartphone
If you’re taking a close-up photo of a subject that isn’t moving, the best way to make sure they are clearly visible is to turn on your phone’s flash so they don’t turn out too dark against the bright snow. Try not to use your phone’s zoom when taking photos, since smartphone cameras use digital zoom instead of optical zoom, which means a lot of resolution and detail is lost when you zoom in. Instead, move as close to your subject as possible. Sprinkling a little snow in front of your phone can also add some fun detail to an image.
Panorama Mode and Landscape Composition
One great way to get a stunning shot of the view is to use your phone’s panorama mode to capture the entire scene. Be careful not to accidentally disturb any fresh snow that you want to photograph.
How to Take Action Skiing Photos Without Blur
To ensure that your photos don’t come out blurry, use either live photo mode or burst mode (on most phones, you hold down the camera button, and a burst of photos will be taken). This way, at least one of the shots will come out clearly. More practice with your phone will also help you get used to how quickly it takes photos and what its autofocus tends to pick up. Since there are often trees and other objects in your shot, it is also a good idea to manually set your focus just by tapping on your screen so that your phone knows where the subject of the photo should be. Leaning against something solid or pressing your elbows into your sides will also help you stabilize your shot.
Smartphone Camera Settings for Better Ski Photos
Since smartphones aren’t specifically designed for use in snowy conditions, their automatic focus and exposure settings often need a little adjustment to get a good image. The best way to do this is to first set the focus (tap on the screen), then adjust the exposure (swipe up or down on the screen to increase or decrease it). Automatic exposure settings tend to under-expose snow photos because the brightness of the snow makes the phone want to make the whole image darker, but this can often result in the subject being very dark and hard to see, so it is actually better to swipe your exposure up to make the photo slightly brighter because then even if you reduce the exposure in post-editing, you will be able to retain the detail in the shot.
Choosing the Best Light for Slope-Side Shots
Generally, shooting in the early morning or late afternoon is much easier because the sunlight is softer and less unforgiving. However, if you can’t convince yourself to roll out of bed at 5 a.m., then great shots can also be found during the rest of the day. On a sunny day, head for open spaces and steep lines, as the sun, sky, and shadows will provide good contrast, and your subject’s bright clothes will really pop. If it’s cloudier, then trees are your best bet because their darkness will break up the sky and the snow. As brutal as it’ll feel, a super cold day will also make for some fun shots, as the snow glitters and blows in the wind.
Framing and Storytelling: How to Set Up the Perfect Shot
Good photos tell a story, so try to include the past, present, and future of the subject’s path; for example, if they are hitting a jump, don’t crop out the approach and landing. Providing depth in the image also makes it more interesting; this means placing objects (think trees, shrubs, rocks, and other natural features) in the background, foreground, and midground, but try to make your subject the only focus in its layer of the photo. Directly behind and around the skier should be as clear as possible so they stand out; wearing bright colors will also help.
Skiing Photos With Smartphone: Composition Rules That Work
My go-to photo compositions are two of the basics, but they’re the basics because they just work. First is the Rule of Thirds, which most smartphones can display on your screen (check your camera app settings). The idea is to divide the image into horizontal and vertical thirds, then place focus points at the intersections. Aligning the horizon or slope edge with one of the thirds lines can also provide good balance in your photo. The other technique, easy to recognize, is Leading Lines. Try to find any type of line in your image -tree branches, light, or dark spots that form lines, shadows, rocks, the mountain shape, or anything else- and then align as many of them as possible to be pointing towards your subject. It sounds hard, but there are more lines in nature than you would expect, and changing your angle or position to make lines point towards your subject will really pay off because it helps guide the viewer’s eye right to what you want them to see.
Creative Angles That Make Ski Shots Pop
To show off the steepness of a line, shoot from below the skier at around a 45º angle. Always take multiple shots and try lots of different angles; you can delete photos later. Playing around with your position, angle, and focus can lead to some great shots, so try getting really close to a tree branch or shooting from the ground for jumps.
Staying Safe While Shooting on the Mountain
Don’t shoot in a busy area of the hill or somewhere where people can’t see you from above; getting plowed down by a stranger will definitely ruin your photo. Dress warmer than you would for a normal day; the standing around and prep involved in getting a great photo will quickly make you freeze. Be careful not to let condensation form on your phone when you go into a warmer space. Keeping it in an inner pocket will help it stay from getting too cold (and conserve battery) when you are outside, and then, if possible, warming it up slowly will also reduce the risk of water damage. If you are really concerned about water damage or if you have an older phone that is more sensitive to water than the newer, water-resistant smartphones, then putting your phone in a large plastic bag when you go inside will also help it warm up more gradually.
Accessories to Improve Your Skiing Smartphone Photography
A portable battery can be a great help if you’re going to be taking a lot of photos, especially since cold weather drains your smartphone’s battery much faster. Inner gloves that are touch-screen sensitive are also a must so that your hands won’t freeze when you have to take off your mitts to take the shot. Finally, an accessory that isn’t as necessary but can be a fun tool is a portable, ‘bendy’ phone tripod. These are great for attaching to tree branches and other surfaces, so you can take group photos or film yourself, especially if you have a remote clicker you can press to have your phone take a photo.
Hopefully, with these tips and tricks, you’ll be ready to head out to the slopes and get some great photos this season. If you have any other advice we missed in this article, share it in the comments below to help everyone else.
Enjoy your newfound smartphone photography skills and be sure to tag @snowbrains on Instagram with your best shots.
