I first started photographing skiing in 2011 with my buddies back in Iowa.
I hope this piece will be something that others can benefit from.
As ski photographers, we do not always have the luxury of getting close to the features being photographed.
I currently shoot with aCanon 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II.
If you have the budget for this lens and is a Canon shooter, get this lens.
If you don’t have a large budget, I would suggest aTamron 70-200mm f/2.8.
Liner Gloves
There is a saying that photographers are more creative when they are comfortable.
That being said, it’s very difficult to shoot with large, bulky mittens and gloves.
I recommend a solid pair of liner gloves to shoot with.
The ones I currently shoot with areNike Lightweight Tech Running Gloves.
These gloves also allow you to use touch screens on phones and cameras.
SD Card Case
This is one of my favorite pieces in my camera pack.
It is a waterproof casing for SD cards.
In fear of card failure, I use smaller sized cards and more of them.
This card wallet keeps them all together and safe from almost anything.
Having the ability to shoot for hours-on-end is great.
However,do notcut corners by purchasing off-brand batteries.
Buy the same exact one that came with the camera, from the manufacturer.
(Canon, Nikon, Sony, Fuji, etc.)
In my experience, the trueCanon Batterieslast way longer than off-brand cheap ones for Canon.
Front the money and thank me later.
Headlamp
Whether I am shooting skiing or landscapes, I always carry a headlamp with me.
Having the ability to have a light and two free hands is great when working in the dark.
I use aBlack Diamond Storm Headlampthat I picked up at the local outdoor gear store.
Depending on the power of the lamp, it could be a secondary light for shooting if need be.
I currently use twoYongnuo YN560IVspeed lights.
With a price of about $68.00 USD, I hope these at least raise an eyebrow.
A Yongunuo flash set-up is cheap and very useful on and off the snow.
I also find these very useful for weddings in the off-season.
Every ski photographer needs to have a solid hard drive.
Don’t sleep on this one, I have had my fair share of hard drive malfunctions and crashes.
I suggest getting aLaCie Rugged Hard Drive, and a online cloud-based storage service.
I am currently in the process of finding an online storage service that fits my needs.
Do as I say, not as I do.
Murdered-Out Outerwear
This is by far the most over-looked on this list, Murdered-Out (All-Black) Outerwear.
The onlypersonalbenefit for the photographer is that he or she will look bad-ass, like Jossi.
However, this is more of a courtesy gesture to our film-maker comrades.
As ski photographers we are often shooting along side film crews.
As painful as it is to say, their work trumps ours in that situation.
By murdering out one’s outerwear, the photographer is less of a distraction to the film viewers.
All of this is not limited to jacket and pants however.
Nobody knows how they got there or where they came from, they’re just there.
The amount of face tubes that I have accumulated over the years is ridiculous.
Most of them are thin, cheap and are freely given out at events.
(X Games, Dew Tour, SIA, etc.
They double as impromptu lens cloths and protection for gear in a small bag without camera inserts.
Extra beanies also work in the same fashion.
I do recommend at least onerealmicrofiber lens cloth for gnarly lens smudges and moisture.
- Business Cards
If you want to take ski photography seriously, have business cards.
The ski industry is smaller than you might think; making connections is huge.
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Got a question?
Want to say hi?
Hit me up,here!
I would love to help out if I can!
