Tips on Snowboarding Photography

With a little planning and preparation, you can produce some stunning snowboarding pictures. Photographing any outdoor winter sport presents some challenges to photographers that are different from shooting other sports. Cold temperatures, harsh light reflecting off snow, speed of the snowboarder, using a camera with gloves and the terrain itself are all factors to adjust to before you take that first shot.

  1. Compensate with a Flash

    • When photographing snowboarders, you have to contend with the both the sky and the ground. The sky will either be a bright blue or overcast grey, and the ground will likely have a blanket of white snow reflecting all that light. If you do not make adjustments for these two elements, your subject will be underexposed and appear as a dark silhouette in your picture. So you'll want to use a flash. Set your camera to the maximum shutter speed for flash synchronization. On most digital single lens reflex (SLR) cameras that is 1/250 of a second. Meter the scene until you are underexposing by half a stop. This touch of underexposure will allow for better exposure of the sky and snow. Turn your flash on, and shoot. Since flash has a limited range, you will want to be fairly close to your subject.

    Adjust Shutter Speed

    • There are two methods for photographing snowboarding: One is to use a fast shutter speed capturing the boarder in crisp detail at the top of a jump or trick. A fast shutter speed will give you a sharp, crisp picture that freezes all the action. Another approach is to use a slow shutter speed, panning the subject. Panning is the term for moving your camera to track the subject as it goes by. The trick is to keep the center of the lens on the subject at all times. By doing this the subject stays sharper, since he is always in the same spot on the frame, but the scenery will blur as it moves through the picture. When done properly, panning creates a picture that captures how fast your subject is moving. This effect It takes some practice.

    Keep Warm and Safe

    • Keep both yourself and the camera warm when shooting outside in the winter. On cold days, frostbite can set in sometimes quickly, particularly if you are shooting on a ski hill or mountain where you may be exposed to wind. Cold will also reduce camera battery life quickly. There are a number of products available to protect your camera from the elements. The Kata Elements Raincoat fully encloses the camera in protective material but provides access for your hands. The section of the raincoat with the camera is a clear vinyl material that allows you to see the camera settings. The raincoat also lines up with the viewfinder on the camera. Carry a few plastic sandwich bags with you to protect camera batteries from moisture.

      You will also want to be able to operate your camera; trying out different gloves with the camera to give you a sense of how much feel you will have through them. At all times, stay alert not only to your subject, but also to those skiing around you. Wear a helmet and bright vest to protect yourself.