SNOWSEEKERS
As opening days for mountain resorts across Western Canada start to roll in, our Instagram and Facebook feeds are showcasing a flurry of ski and snowboard action. Not everyone wants to lug around a fancy camera to capture their day on the slopes – here are some tips including a few from SnowSeeker and Instagram influencer PhotoJBartlett on how to take better photos of ski/snowboard action.
Share your snow snaps with us by using the hashtag #IAmASnowSeeker!
Show off interesting terrain
Get your skier/rider cruising through swathes of terrain that have some visual interest – twisted tree trunks, rocky cliff bands, enormous snowy boulders.
Plan the turn with your skier/rider
Make sure your "model" knows where you plan to shoot and which way they should be turning. Using a "burst" of photos can also help you nail the precise moment when the rider hits your zone.
Focus and set the exposure – @photojbartlett
Too often with mobile phones, we tap the brightest part of an image to set both the focus and exposure because it immediately establishes a pleasant exposure that looks great on the phone screen. The issue isn't the exposure; it's that the focus point isn't ideal. Instead of doing that, it's better to set the focus and exposure independently.
iPhone: Tap where you would like to focus, and then slide the small sunshine icon up (brighter) or down (darker).
Android: The exposure compensation option is usually hidden in the menu, but look for the +- sign and take a few minutes to familiarize yourself with how it works.
Try it in black and white
Getting the white balance can be tricky, especially when you don't want to hold up the posse by fooling around with settings. Try shooting in black and white and pump up the contrast and brightness later in a photo editing app.
Keep it steady - @photojbartlett
We all recognize camera shake in SLR or point and shoot cameras, but we tend to ignore it with our smartphones. It's so important to hold the camera as steady as possible. For a handheld shot, try tucking your elbows into your sides. It'll be a little awkward, but the photos will be much stronger for it.
Showcase the steepness
Make sure you capture the steepness of the terrain by shooting up the mountain, towards the skier/snowboarding coming down at a 45-degree angle.
Share the snow stoke
Don't forget to share your snow snaps. Some great hashtags to include include #Iamasnowseeker, #skiBC, #winterwithin, #skicanadanow, #explorealberta, #explorebc
For more tips on taking great smartphone photos check out this video with SnowSeeker / Instagram influencer Jeff Bartlett
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