Advice for Snow Ski Action shots?

[photophorous]

Sometime in March I'm going skiing with some buddies, but skiing is not really my thing. Why am I going? I can't pass up a trip to the mountains, and it's sort of a bachelor party thing too. Anyway, I plan to entertain myself by trying to get some cool action shots, but I've never really shot in the snow, nor have I shot much action besides some street candids. If you have tips on how to get interesting compositions, angles to shoot from, or any kind of logistical advice, I'd love to hear it. My plan so far is to ski like an old lady, wear a backpack, stop on the sides of the slopes, and catch my buddies flying by...maybe some strangers too. Is there a good magazine or website I could look at for inspiration? Is this a crazy idea for someone who doesn't shoot sports?

I'll be using a 35mm AF SLR with 28-105 f3.5-4.5 zoom lens, a polarizer, and probably some 400 speed film.

Thanks,
Paul

[Photo-John]

The ski season is just getting started and I have a pass. I plan to put in a minimum of two days a week on the slopes. I will be shooting a ton. Ask me questions as the season progresses and I start to figur it out. It's definitely a lot different than shooting mountain biking

[livin4lax09]

tip 1: don't rely on your camera for any automatic decisions

tip 2: do NOT rely on your camera, especially in the snow, for any decisions.

snow is a whole different beast. Shoot manual the entire time. the meter gets so thrown off by the snow, and if a person gets too close to you, it can be easily thrown off by the color of their jacket. just do yourself a favor and shoot manual.

try to incorporate the surroundings into the image. A pretty static shot isn't very interesting, but something that incorporates the landscape is much more intriguing.

like all kinds of photography, try different angles. low, wide angles right at a jump (if they're doing the park) are fun, but make sure you are confident with the skier's ability.

[photophorous]

John, thanks for the reply. I'll try to remember to hit you up again later.

Brent, thanks for the tips. I figured Manual exposure would be best. I read somewhere that I can meter off my hand and then add about 1 stop. I've also considered getting one of those lens cloths that doubles as a grey card.

I'm going to Telluride for a couple of days next week, but I'm not sure if I'll be skiing. I'll at least get a chance to shoot in the snow some. I want to shoot B&W, because I'm confident in my ability to control the contrast, but I think color would probably make better photos. I guess I'll try both and see what I like.

Got any tips on a good color film for something like this? I have some Fuji Superia 400, but that stuff may be too contrasty.

Thanks,
Paul