The idea was to shoot during the night because the client already shoots the look book in the studio with some colors and a “star wars” backdrop. I had to find something to connect my outdoor shooting to those photos.
So I started to think about putting some color on the dark snow, and then to think about how to realize it in the best way. When a client asks you to be creative for a shooting, your brain starts to think about the best results in the best possible conditions. At the same time, the weather sometimes decides not to cooperate … and it happened.
A great winter, with interesting snowfalls on the Alps, made a good base for the shooting.
Unfortunately, the temperature started to rise the days before the shooting, hence everything you planned had to be changed to the plan B. Because you always need a secondary plan… don’t you?
I usually prefer to work with a light set up, a couple of Siros L are usually enough, but for this shooting, I decided to go out with 5 lights: 5 Siros L, 5 statives, 10 batteries, and 5 reflectors.
How did you get the shoots?
The location was the 3Tre ski track in Madonna di Campiglio, a prestigious and historical slalom stadium, a theater of epic night ski challenge for the Ski World Cup. The subject were once again big names on the ski scene: the Olympic Gold Medal Daniela Ceccarelli, the fastest Italian skier ever Christian Ghedina and the big slalom skier Giorgio Rocca.
My idea was to shoot straight to the subject with some backdrop with different colors. Unfortunately, the snowflakes changed in the latest 28 hours, due to the high temperature.
What does it mean?
Basically, a different speed and different lines possibilities; as to be “safe first” is the motto for this kind of shooting, my first concept was not possible. Thus, I decided to change the point of view, and the angle of the action as well.
A drop at the end of the ski stadium was the best solution possible in that condition. Not a big spray turn, as it was in the original concept, however, a full speed turn over the drop.
To be able to shoot at night means mostly to get the illumination from my broncolor Siros L, 3 colored lights for the ambiance and 2 natural Siros L for the subject. RFS 2.2 on my camera and HS mode ON.
Also if it`s dark, you need to freeze the action of these fast skiers. The turn made big acceleration. A final speed of 70km/h was not simple to freeze only with the flash. The shutter of the camera needed to be set at least at 1/1250 s.
