How to Photograph Skiers and SnowboardersBen Grunow hits the slopes with his Tamron SP 150-600mm VC lens. |
Article by Jenn Gidman Images by Ben Grunow |
Professional photographer Ben Grunow loves taking pictures of landscape, nature, and astrophotography scenes, both near his farmhouse in Vermont and globally (he's traveled around the world to take photos and videos for various skiing/snowboarding brands and publications). But once the colder months prevail, you'll mainly find Ben on the slopes, capturing the high-flying antics of winter sports athletes as they perform their moguls and Indy grabs. |
Ben has been testing the new Tamron SP 150-600mm VC lens for his snow sports photography. "I really love this lens," he says. "It's got terrific fast autofocus, and the focal-length range is perfect for what I do. I haven't had a chance yet to do any images on a tripod, so it's all been handheld. The Vibration Compensation (VC) has helped eliminate camera shake while I've been shooting." The 150-600's new eBAND coating helps eliminate ghosting and flare, and its moisture-resistant construction helps keep the lens safe from external moisture. |
Because he's typically taking pictures in cold, harsh environments, Ben makes sure to keep his equipment insulated from the elements. "Number one is keeping your camera warm," he says. "When I'm not using it, I make sure it's cozy in my backpack. If there's precipitation, I'll use a plastic Ziploc-type bag to wrap it up and keep it protected. I also make sure I have enough batteries, since those can be drained really easily in the cold; I keep those in my jacket or backpack, too, to keep them warm." |
The 150-600's range allows Ben to get action-packed shots whether he's in the stands or close by on the sidelines. "I typically like to be as far away as possible so I can get the full perspective of the scene in the image," he says. "Of course the skier is the focus of the picture, but it's helpful to be able to get a zoomed-out, environmental shot where you can see more of the mountain, for example, or the other people at the event. If you can, walk around the venue before the event starts to scout out the best places to stand and to see how the light will hit the skier from a particular location." |
Seeking out appropriate backgrounds and the right angle to shoot from can be challenging depending on the particular event venue, how crowded it is, and the cooperation of the weather. "A lot rides on what I want in the background of each shot," Ben explains. "A clear blue sky with the prevailing mountains on the other side is often a nice background, with the skier in front of that, but it can sometimes be hard to get that on a sloped ski run. It also depends on what the skier is wearing: If he's in dark clothes, try not to set the shot against a darker background (look for those mountains covered in snow or the sky); if he's in lighter-colored gear, photographing him against a bunch of dark trees on the side will work to make him stand out." |
Because he wants the focus to be on the athlete, not on distracting background elements, Ben often relies on the 150-600's bokeh abilities. "I'm able to get a nice, shallow depth-of-field that blurs out the background and isolates the skier or snowboarder," he says. |
To maximize a skier or snowboarder's high-flying antics, try to get down low and shoot up at them instead of always at eye level. "Your images look a lot more dramatic, especially when the skier reaches the highest part of his jump," Ben says. "Zooming in close and going as wide as you can also shows off how wide a jump is. Shooting down on a skier or through the trees offers other interesting perspectives to mix up your images." |
The camera's meter can often be confused by the bright-white snow and underexpose the photo, leaving the snow gray. Because he's dealing with athletes in constant motion who require fast shutter speeds (1/1000th of a second is a good baseline to freeze motion), Ben shoots in Shutter Priority mode and lets the camera choose the exposure. "I just set the exposure compensation dial to +1 to avoid this issue," he says. |
Ben anticipates where and when the skier or snowboarder will be up in the air to get the sharpest image. "Always prefocus on the spot where you think the skier will be, like the entrance or exit of a jump, then click the shutter button as soon as he or she enters the frame," he says. |
Another technique many sports action photographers use is tracking, where the photographer is able to follow the subject with his camera and keep them in focus the entire time. "What's great with the 150-600 is that I've been able to get a lot of action in the air tracking with it," he says. "It tracks really well, which I was pleasantly surprised to find." |
To see more of Ben Grunow's work, check out his Vimeo page. |