Progressing ski photography

While winter may be well and truly in the rear view mirror, the month of June is one of the busiest for ski photographers and photo editors. Tens of thousands of images from the 2014/15 winter season are currently being transferred across electronic delivery systems, dumping terabytes of image files on servers across the continent and the world.
Wading through these images to choose which ones to edit and submit (and which ones to shortlist for publication) is often considered the bane of the action sports photographer profession. Hours, days, even weeks are spent in a dimly-lit room (affectionately referred to as the “pain cave”), gently adjusting dozens of little sliders in editing software, all in the name of bringing breathtaking images to the pages of magazines and the occasional billboard poster.

Many in the ski photography profession enter in similar ways. Skiing around with a group of friends with impressive abilities, they wonder if someone should take one for the team, spend their meagre savings on a capable camera and spend powder days burdened with heavy backpacks full of metal and glass, snapping the most visually-inspiring moments of the day. As these photographers hone their craft, they begin working with more and more capable skiers, in some cases receiving an invite to join ski film crews as the designated stills-provider for the production, helicopters and all.

Sounds easy, right? Well, it’s unfortunately not as easy as it used to be. With the digital photography revolution kicking in around 15 years ago, high quality and inexpensive digital cameras – both SLR and new “mirrorless” designs – have broken down the barriers to entry that previously kept professional photographers as a group of skilled and committed artists. Vis-a-Vis, the throngs of photography enthusiasts trying to get their name out there.

In the brutally competitive world of ski photography, the only way to making it a full-time profession is to stand out from the crowd. Talent is of course a necessary ingredient, having what’s referred to as “a good eye,” but the rest is made up from hard work, dutifully looking for fresh angles both with subjects and composition. Ski and mountain bike photographer Reuben Krabbe draws inspiration from industry veterans such as Grant Gunderson and Jordan Manley, but over the years has managed to develop his own distinct style.

But it’s not just about taking photos. Growing a successful photography business takes as much – if not more – business skill than photography skill. There’s a plethora of online tutorials on how to get started with photography, but a great learning resource for those wishing to turn their hobby into a profession should take a look at Shuttermuse.com. Run by successful Whistler photographer Dan Carr, this online resource offers everything from reviews of the latest equipment and software to a comprehensive review of your portfolio website by Carr himself.

Becoming a ski photographer isn’t impossible, just be ready for a lot of competition. For a look at one of the world’s best action sports shooters, check out Lorenz Holder’s winning slide show from the 2015 Olympus Pro Photographer Showdown and get inspired.