There’s nothing better than walking away from a long day of snowboarding or skiing proud of what you accomplished that day, but it does help brag about it if there was someone there to film it.
Whether you’re throwing corks in the park or just getting your turns down, days on the mountain are worth remembering. Thanks to newer, smaller, and more user-friendly cameras coming out every year just about anyone can film themselves or those riding with them to make a memory that will only be a click away. Still, there are several tips and tricks for filming skiers and snowboarders that will help you make memories instead of shaky shots of snow all while keeping you safe. Check them out below!
Be Familiar with Where You’re Riding and Cautious of Others
Unless you have the entire park or run closed for you to shoot on, you cannot only focus on the rider in your frame. No matter what the person you’re filming is doing, you must be aware of where you and others are on the mountain. It doesn’t matter if you’re stationary and camped out at a jump or if you’re sliding next to someone as they make their first turns on a bunny hill, keep your eyes up and be aware of other people to avoid accidents.
You can also keep yourself and those around you safe by being familiar with the run you’re filming on. Skiers and snowboarders are used to absorbing bumps in a run, but if you don’t see a bump, drop, or roller coming because you’re focusing on who you’re filming then you will fall. Take a couple of practice runs to get familiar with a run to protect yourself, those around you, and your gear.
Choose the Right Mount
If you’re a beginner or are unfamiliar with filming on the mountain, then the best place to mount a camera is on your helmet. Doing so will allow you to ride naturally while also giving you a great POV shot. Even if you’re experienced enough to shoot from other mounts, helmet mounts are great way to show exactly what the rider sees during a technical line or in the middle of a trick.
The other most popular mount is the pole mount. Not only does mounting a camera on a pole mount manufactured by someone like GoPro, or you can even just tape it to a ski pole, allow you to direct your shot smoothly and quickly, but it also reduces some of the vibrations that cause shaky shots. Basically, the longer the pole you use to mount your camera the less vibrations you’ll get in your shot. You can also find gimlets and other rigs that will help you reduce vibrations, but with a little experience and the right pole your shots will look smooth and steady.
If neither of these mounts work for you, get creative. With the right amount of planning you can strap a camera to your chest, board, ski, or just about anything.
Plan Out Your Angles and Shots in the Park
If you just want to capture someone’s first ride, then you only need to worry about keeping them in the frame. If you’re trying to film a park edit that you’ll be proud to share then you must plan out what features the rider is going to hit, what angle will look best, and your route to catching it. Most small cameras like Go Pros will have wide lenses, so stay close to the rider to make sure you can see every spin, grab, and slide in detail.