Tips for taking the best pictures in the snow

Snow-covered landscapes, forests, mountains, meadows with a blanket of white. The scene is beautiful and worth photographing. When you go skiing you can never be without a mobile phone or camera to immortalise the beautiful scenery. With little you can take great pictures. However, the best photos can be taken as long as you follow a few guidelines. If you follow the tips below, you will be able to remember your skiing days with the best pictures.

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Never forget the position of the sun

A snowy landscape with blue skies and the sun shining is not often seen in winter. If the weather is good, the sun can be both your ally and your greatest rival. If the sun is behind the subject you are going to photograph, you will certainly not be convinced by the result. The subject will probably appear too dark. Therefore, remember that good backlit photos are difficult to take. However, if the sun is shining on the photographer's back, it will serve as lighting. There is no better lighting than natural lighting. Then the photograph will have a unique brightness.

Watch out for shadows

If you are taking photos on a sunny day, remember to check that your shadow does not appear in them. Make sure your shadow doesn't creep into the shot.

Special effects are your ally

Many of the cameras currently on the market offer features that make it easy to take very good pictures in difficult situations. If you have a fairly powerful camera, experiment with it before going out in the snow. Take your time at home, and identify the advantages it offers. Some cameras are able to identify the situation of the scene; for example, they may be able to identify that the picture is being taken in motion. In addition, they also offer the possibility to focus and blur whatever you want. The use of focus and blur gives very interesting results.

Keep in mind the rule of thirds

A good composition of the photograph can considerably improve the result. You have to imagine three vertical lines and three horizontal lines on the screen of your camera or mobile phone, and you have to fit the objects you want to photograph into these lines. If the protagonists of the photo are your friends, make sure that they are well centred in the shot. On the other hand, make sure that there are no elements in the background or in the corners of the picture that could get in the way. Keep in mind that it is at the crossroads of these lines, offset from the centre of the photograph, where the visual attention is focused. Play with it. 

Take advantage of the lines in the snow

The eye of the viewer is guided by the lines that appear in the photograph. Therefore, take advantage of the ski lift cables of a ski resort, or the lines drawn by skis in the snow, to direct the eye to the most important subject of the composition. Besides, the lines drawn by skiers are very beautiful in themselves. If you are in company, ask your friend to make several turns in the snow, in order to make perfect and beautiful esses. If these turns are made in virgin powder snow, the result will be even more spectacular.

Experiment with different angles

Don't always take pictures from the traditional angle. Experiment, and try new points of view. You can make use of a selfie stick to take photos from a steep angle. However, photos taken at ground level never disappoint. This angle usually gives a great sense of action. So ask your friend to take a turn in front of the camera. This way, the skier's movement will be perfectly visible, and the snow in the air will make the picture more spectacular.

Approach the subject

Mobile phone cameras focus from a short distance. This is no problem if the subject is not moving; however, if he or she is in action you will have to bring out all your skills. Definitely ask the skier you want to photograph to move closer, as the result will be better.

Make use of burst mode

If your camera has this feature, don't hesitate to take advantage of it. This way you will be able to photograph all the movements. When you have some free time, you can choose the best image without much hassle.

Try different filters

Nowadays, there are many mobile phones that allow you to edit your photos by using filters. You can manipulate brightness, contrast and colour saturation to your liking. Experiment and try as many filters as you can. Snapseed, Fotor and VSCO are applications that will provide you with many filters to edit your images. Remember that the whiter the snow appears, and the bluer the sky, the more spectacular the photo will be.

Shoot in the raw

Shooting in raw or RAW format will improve the image quality considerably. Consequently, details of contrasts and colours will be more noticeable during editing. However, there is a downside, as the high quality of the pictures makes them heavier and takes up more space.

Watch for sunset and sunrise..

Although a snowy landscape is spectacular in itself, it is even more beautiful at sunset. If you are in the mountains during this short period of time, it is worth stopping for a moment to take a nice picture. When the sun starts to set behind the mountains, that's when you should take the opportunity to immortalise the scene. You will have enough natural light to bring out all the colours of the mountain in great quality.

Take photos without fear

Never forget that you don't have to pay anyone to take pictures. Take as many photos as you want, and when you have time and peace of mind, you can select the best ones. You can never know which photo is the best until you examine it thoroughly.