Glacier Skiing

This one is really helpful to look at the full-sized version. This was shot on Denali, Alaska with super modest equipment -- a Rebel XT and a slow Sigma megazoom lens (but then again, this was shot five years ago). However it turned out pretty good but very soft. But still, an image to be proud of! A little more post processing would definitely benefit this one.

Someone above thought this was fake. For sure this IS the real deal, not a composite.

Wow.... got the moment just right.

Alvin

Nice momental capture,good composition and view point...The most important thing is the camera`s place and create this shot as well.
Regards(Bobby).

I like it a lot. The composition together with the exquisite light gives a surreal feel to the whole scene. I could look at this photograph often and for a long time and always feel inspired. It is what a good photo should be about , isn´t it? Thanks Jim !! cheers Jana

ps I would like to add this: this is not a sport shot, it does not show the skier, his technique, equipment, skiing style etc. The skier is a part of the whole scene IMO. It is an environmental shot that gives a sense of place. In this way I disagree with the remarks made previous in this thread as : this shot is static, the skier should have more space in front of him etc.

Considering that Jim spends most of his vacation time in the mountains (according to his bio), and that this photograph was in his "Mountains" folder, I'm guessing that it was intended as much of an environmental/landscape shot as it was a photograph of a skier. As such, I think his composition lends itself very well to that dual subject.

Thanks to the Elves for choosing my old picture and everyone who has contributed to the discussion.

Tom, I generally agree with you and rather enjoyed the ski technique discussion. Funny you brought it up because my young friend Pat recently told me how he doesn't like some of the shots I got of him on our attempt to ski Denali for the very reasons you point out (back seat driving). You are exactly right about being centered on your skis, and carving your tips for control, but as others have pointed out that can be hard to maintain with a pack on, and it is better to sit back than take a header in that case. Judging someone from a single shot is a bit tough though, Pat is a very solid skier, but not perfect or always pretty. I don't remember him taking a fall on this 21 day trip and won't forget his impressive descent from 14,000 ti 7,000 ft. with a big pack towing a tricky rolling flipping sled. BTW he's now a certified climbing/back-country ski guide so you don't have to worry about him barreling into any little kids on ski area blue runs ;-)

Here are a couple more shots from that same run that I like better. This was a training/aclimatization day so we only made it to 16,000 ft. on The Orient Express route. We summited by the regular West Buttress a couple days later, again as training, so we didn't have our skis. As is common on a big mountain the weather/snow went south after that so we never succeeded in our goal to ski from the summit. The day I took these pictures was our best run of the trip.

Charles, no, Pat wasn't cut and pasted into the picture. I can't remember if I applied some selective brightening to him though that might have effected his appearance.

John A, you are right that I am primarily a landscape photographer. I've been trying to capture back-country skiing for many years with a hit and (mostly) miss record (I'm better at climbing which is more static). Part of the problem is that my subjects are my partners on mountains that we climb, not models posing at a ski area or dropped off by chopper. It is often hard to get them to ski where I want , and I don't like to waste time (I have a hard enough time keeping up with my younger partners - this climb was my 50th birthday present to myself), so I take what I can get. I framed this shot to capture the glacier and mist behind and was happy with how that turned out. Bergheil!

Jim, I didn't in any way mean to minimize the effort nor the opportunity. My comment was directed more at the principle someone who is serious about photography needs to consider (serious in like selling stock or actually shooting a sport for pay). Sometimes as photographers we forget that there is an audience out there that know more than we do about what we are shooting (the technique). Unfortunately, I did a whole catalog shoot for a Cheerleading Apparel company and it was interesting that shots I saw as artistic were thrown out because the technique was bad--maybe just a small issue with a finger position(don't know what I am talking about--just something really minor to me!). We had an advisor standing on set for the entire week of shooting, calling out every error! (The job was actually fine, but both the AD and myself were DONE with cheerleaders for awhile!)

And as some have pointed out here, not everyone is aware of these technical issues and will marvel at a shot like this for the other obvious reasons. It can be great for those people and sometimes the person in the shot, but a wider acceptance is going to suffer.

Beautiful compo and magic light.... Excuse me for my bad english

@Jim D - Thank you for graciously putting up with my rant on skiing technique. It "pushed my buttons" because, as I said, I really get worried about images setting a bad example, and the incredible scenery in your photo gives tremendous credibility to the technique being shown in such photos.

"...but as others have pointed out that can be hard to maintain with a pack on, and it is better to sit back than take a header in that case."
I understand completely. One technique I've seen good skiers use for situations like this is to intentionally exaggerate the tip lead with the inside ski pushed well ahead (ie, opposite of a telemark turn) and, if necessary in cruddy snow, do diverging step turns. Basically, on a LH turn, you push your left foot forward, but not past the point where your calf is touching the back of the boot cuff, or, if you aren't in ski boots, past the point at which your lower leg is making a 90 degree angle to the ski. Your right foot is then well behind your CM and pressuring the front / lifting the heel of that boot (assuming locked down heels). Having your feet separated in the fore-aft direction like helps tremendously with your fore-aft balance as you go back and forth between high and low friction patches of snow and ice, and this technique doesn't hinder your ability to make turns anywhere near as much as backseat driving does.

"... I don't remember him taking a fall on this 21 day trip and won't forget his impressive descent from 14,000 ti 7,000 ft. with a big pack towing a tricky rolling flipping sled... "

I'm impressed!

"...BTW he's now a certified climbing/back-country ski guide so you don't have to worry about him barreling into any little kids on ski area blue runs ;-) ..."

I'm even more impressed!.!.!

"... Part of the problem is that my subjects are my partners on mountains that we climb, not models posing at a ski area or dropped off by chopper. It is often hard to get them to ski where I want , and I don't like to waste time (ie, with photography) ..."

Again, I understand. This is exactly why Ihave taken so few ski / climbing pictures myself.

With respect to the photographic aspects of the image, I don't think it's been explicitly mentioned, but I really like the strong diagonal from the upper left to the lower right in the image. To add to this strength, my eye naturally also finds a strong perpendicular diagonal from the bright area in the upper right to the dark skier in the lower left of the frame. These two strong diagonals keep my eyes busy and interested. Very nice work!

Hi Jim. I love this photo! I can almost feel how cold and quiet it is. Nice job.

Hi, overall a beautifl image.
I will say that in support of Tom Mann's arguement, the actual skier crituque is as much as part of the image as the in camera technical bits. Just like the look on the face of this image - http://tinyurl.com/2plvl4 - Would this pic be as famous with a big smile on her face? The look sells the moment. In the posted case the skiing could help sell the moment... better.
To those who don't spend a lot of time skiing this may not matter but to those of us who do, it is something to be noticed. My first reaction was beautiful moment in time. But the second my eyes wondered down to the skier, my thought changes to 'set up' moment in time. For me personally (one who photographs action sports) the action is a key part of the image. And natural looking action will make or break the image.
Like I said this usually only matters for folks who are involved in the sports and even at that depends on your own personal abilities with in the sport. Every element makes the image weather technical or not.
This image does make me wish I was there. Looks like a good trip and great timing for some photography.

The landscape is absolutely great. After reading many of the responses I realized that I was having the same knee jerk reactions that many others were having. Basically about the bad form of the skier.
Upon further reflection, it is the visceral reaction of the skier, the putting on of the breaks, as it seems, that really makes it more personal and real for me. Not the energy drink 'go cheat death' life style we all imagine ourselves capable of.
I can't imagine myself doing much of what I see being done in any of the extreme sports, but I can relate to this less than 'picture perfect' moment of doubt.
There is of course an argument for the magazine shot, and photographers in the field are pushing beyond the limits, but that being said I think there is still a lot of room for the 'not a magazine shot' picture for those living in the real world.
After taking yet another look, the other worldly landscape, the eerie lighting, the isolet in the wilderness, all work together with the skier's pensive track to create an exciting sense of possibilities.
Perhaps "not a magazine shot" can be more of a complement than is intended.

It is a beautiful ski landscape and surrounding. The diffused light creates a soft appearance of the mountains, and the skier adds the human touch to nature. It is not a photo of an individual, it is a depiction of sport in these area in general. The skier has enough details,and the whole is very well presented.
Not living in a snow culture, magazine quality or not ,is beyond my knowledge, but as a ski landscape I like the composition, with its diagonal lines of both the mountains and dskier.