Next, know your equipment. There’s nothing worse than trying to take a shot of a skier, and you’re shot is delayed due to your flash. Speaking of flash, always use your flash when taking outdoor and mountain shots. While this may seem counter-intuitive, it will light up your foreground, which will help lighten up your subject. You can also use a filter to counteract the light as well and give the shot a little different hue.
Also, look for something that you can use for contrast. For example, if you can find a boulder that you know skiers will go around, it will make your shot easier to take and give it some color. Colorful skiers can also be used as a contrast to the white of the snow.
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Skiers usually wear brightly decorated gear. Look for one of these skiers to make a really eye-catching shot.
If you’re going for action shots, you need to lead the subject a bit. You should look for a skier coming down a hill towards you or just having passed you. This will help you avoid blurring the shot. But, you also need to keep the skier in the center of the shot. So, this may take some practice. You should take your skis off as well to give yourself a bit better balance when trying to take shots, especially these types of shots since you need a steady hand.
But, if you want to give the illusion that your subject is moving fast down the hill, you’re going to want some blurring in the shot. You can do this by changing the shutter speed to a slower speed. Then follow the skier with your camera, ensuring that you’re keeping the skier in the center of the shot. Pan the camera after the skier, and this will create the blur.
