Ski-photo trips

[deadkenny]

Guess this could go in the meetings but this is more of an enquiry on the possibility at the moment.

Looks like for the first year in 9 years I'll be without a ski buddy this season so I need to find people to ski with. However I was thinking about combining it with photography on a more serious level. I take my camera usually anyway but it tends to just be holiday snaps.

What I was wondering is if there are any specialist holidays arranged aimed at ski/boarder photographers (amateur in my case), or if people would be interested in this kind of thing (e.g. just get a group together, get tickets and accommodation and off we go).

I'm a fairly competent skier, though draw a line at stunts, but would be great to shoot people doing some of the more extreme stuff (though if it involves heliskiing to get to the good stuff, that's an unknown with me as I've never done it).

I tend to aim for North America these days for a 2 week trip, which probably puts most people off due to the length and expense. However I just prefer it so much over Europe (better snow, better resorts, better food, better manners! ). Europe isn't ruled out though. Though I keep considering Japan which is supposed to be the ultimate for snow

The other thought is just to go out somewhere and find local groups into photography. Or do it as a business, maybe joining a local business or doing some kind of freelance thing hooking up with others doing the same or find a group of skiers or boarders who are looking for a photographer. Maybe more of a thing to do over season though.

Not sure really.

 

[nbt]

YOu might want to head over to snowheads.com. There's plenty of opportunity to join different groups over there, although most people are there for the skiing. There's a real mix of abilities, and you'll no doubt find some people who are happy to try certain lines for a photographer. It's hard though, you have to be a good skiier as you need to be able to ski into the right position to get the shot

 

[Goody13]

I only ever take a compact on ski holidays. Don't want to fall on my SLR if I take it out, and don't want to leave it in a chalet!

I'd like to take some decent snow shots but don't for the reason above, and when I go away to the mountains, I do it for the skiing. Will be boarding this year for the first time, so definitiley don't want to take the camera out!

Hope you manage to get the shots you want. I may be up for a trip in March when I go with a couple of mates, after I've got my January trip out of the way, so could let you know if we are sorting out something like that and you are still looking for someone to travel with, as I have a feeling we may have 3 people this time. Still a bit too early to plan for that trip yet though.

 

[deadkenny]

It's hard though, you have to be a good skiier as you need to be able to ski into the right position to get the shot

Yeah, could be the tricky bit. On piste, I'm fine with anything. Blacks no problem generally. Off piste is something I've been doing more recently (again, North America is great for this as they include a lot of off-piste within skiable boundaries in their resorts). I can get around okay, but I'm not going to be jumping off cliffs to get that shot of someone jumping off cliffs . I'd be starting off simple I think.

Cheers for the snowheads tip. I came across them before but forgotten about them.

I only ever take a compact on ski holidays. Don't want to fall on my SLR if I take it out, and don't want to leave it in a chalet!

I'd like to take some decent snow shots but don't for the reason above, and when I go away to the mountains, I do it for the skiing. Will be boarding this year for the first time, so definitiley don't want to take the camera out!

I've got used to taking the SLR and it's been fine in my little backpack with a little padding. I've had the camera for quite a while now anyway so I guess value isn't so much of an issue. Plus going to North American resorts, it's mostly hotels with safes in each room for storage. Still, I've taken it on European trips too. Not really had problems with security, though again tends to be little hotels I've been in rather than chalets.

I've taken tumbles a few times without breaking the camera or myself by falling on it. Then again, I'm skiing. I know what you mean about boarding. Tried it myself and in the first few days there's a lot of falling over involved! (unfortunately I bust my wrist in the process so gave it up).

 

[Goody13]

Oh good! That fills me with confidence! I've been skiing for about 13 years now and, having borrowed a mate's board for a few hours on a trip, I think it's time to start falling over in earnest again!

This trip for me is in now way a camera trip for that reason. I agree that it is safer in North America. I just think that in ski resorts there, there a fewer people that want to nick your stuff.

 

[deadkenny]

Don't worry, I did break it doing what the instructor told me not to do, so was might fault . I think if you've not skied before, it's easier to board though. Once you've got past the initial falling over you should be fine.

 

[specialman]

I second snowheads.com - great site that I've been involved with for several years.

I'd hazard most major resorts will have their own businesses that cover photography and I expect they'd guard their business territory pretty well so Johnny Foreigner turning up to start up wouldn't be welcome. Plus, like you say, it might be better done over a season...


...but getting contact with skiers through sites like snowheads, fearofthepark and the UK skiers peeps might get you up and running with a group of like-minded peeps who don't just want a standard holiday.

I went to Val D'Isere the other year and fortunately hooked up with some good skiers (I'm a boarder) who were up for doing crazy stuff in the trees at Le Fornet, rather than eating up the miles. I didn't get many good shots but it was different and exciting and gave me a better idea of what I needed to do to get good shots. Boarding/skiing with your kit is sketchy through; get a good backpack with loads of padding, don't do anything crazy and take plenty of drying items for out in the snow when lenses get wet etc.

I went to ADH in March and did the monster blacks with a D200 and 18-70mm wrapped in a jacket in my pack; it worked well and survived some massive slams but it can be a pain stopping every time you see something you think will work and getting gloves off etc to press the shutter and whatnot.

It's deffo something you'll either take to or you'll think better of but it's worth the try nonetheless....