And, of course, that makes sense.
At first glance its the photographers job to make a good photo, not the skiers after all.
So here are my takeaways for working with skiers, from no-names, to household ones.
Caveats
These rules mostly apply when youre out shooting with a photographer with intent.
Communication is key
Duh.
You knew that already.
But, theres more subtlety and nuance to it than just that blanket statement.
As an overarching goal though, take a stab at communicate specifically and succinctly with your photographer.
That goes from the colors of your outerwear to the specifics of your accessories.
Khaki and camo pop well, are those colors core enough for you?
At the very least venture to have something not black (or white) to create visual interest.
That can be as simple as a bright buff, or gloves.
But all black everything makes most photographers sad.
Beyond that, be mindful of what youre wearing and how it will look on camera.
ensure youre happy with how your gear rests on your body.
You have control over the details, you might as well get them right.
They want dynamic shots that highlight their gear.
Not just shots where you look really cool but no one can tell what youre wearing.
Its impossible to tell from a photo whether someone spun 1080, or just 180.
My favorite rotations to shoot are 180s, 360s, backflips, superman fronts, and flat 360s.
Thats all it takes.
The same goes for rails.
Switchups rarely look good in photos.
Again, this is where style and control are paramount.
Flashing some base is a bonus.
Bases usually pop well, and seeing the bottom of your skis makes it seem like youre going bigger.
So keep your hands forward and low.
Often, the goal when shooting is to get a shot of the skier interacting with a feature.
Collaborate on storytelling
I know, the term storytelling is overused, but that is literally what youre doing.
This is why guy in the sky photos suck.
Theyre a climactic moment without any context.
I’ll take it!
So talk to your photographer about what context theyre trying to include, and work around it.
Your resort has a great view of a lake?
Figure out a trick that looks good from an angle that highlights that.
Got a side hit near a lift?
Time it so that you’re able to have a lift full of stoked homies in the shot.
Any sort of added visual interest adds to the shots overall story.
Work with the photographers vision, and help them by bringing your own understanding to the table.
But it really pays off to learn how to see with the camera.
Ask your shooter what focal length theyre shooting at, how tight theyre shooting you.
That will determine the tricks you do, and how they read.
Be precise with your language
This goes for both parties.
Always be precise with your language.
Right or Left is not enough.
Skiers left, and Lookers left are opposite directions.
Some folks like to talk about turns in terms of what foot is initiating them.
That’s fine, but verify you’re all on the same page on the lift.
Spins are always called in the skiers direction.
double-check youre in agreement with what you mean.
Otherwise youll be left yelling fruitlessly at each other across the hill.
Be Efficient
Shooting photos is rarely as fun as skiing for yourself.
So attempt to move quickly and with purpose.
Make plans fast, and then take a stab at execute them faster.
If they dont work the first time around, immediately reevaluate and try them again next run.
Thats what many brands want, and it makes sense.
