Ski Photoshoot Ideas: 15 Shots Worth Planning on Your Next Ski Holiday (2026)

What makes a good ski photoshoot?

A good ski photoshoot follows the real rhythm of a ski day instead of interrupting it. The pictures people keep are rarely the stiff line-up at the top of a lift. They are the ones where someone is laughing at a fall, a child is concentrating on a turn, or a couple is sitting on a terrace with their helmets off.

Three things make the difference: light (when you shoot), faces (whether you can see them under helmets and goggles) and movement (whether the skiing looks like skiing). Everything below is organised around those three points, from the first coffee in the chalet to the end of the afternoon.

Which ski photoshoot ideas are worth planning?

These fifteen shots cover a full day and work for families, couples and groups of friends. Pick five or six rather than trying to do them all: a relaxed session with a few strong ideas gives better pictures than a rushed checklist.

If you want a location to go with each idea, our guide to the best photo spots in Courchevel covers where to stand.

Want someone else behind the camera? Here is how a ski photoshoot in Courchevel with a photographer who skis works, with prices for the 2026-2027 season.

What time of day is best for ski photos?

Early morning and late afternoon give the most flattering ski photos, because the sun is low and the snow shows texture. Around midday, light from high overhead flattens the slope and puts shadows under helmet brims.

Morning

Plan the action shots for the first runs, when pistes are freshly groomed and quieter. Low side light picks out the lines in the snow and gives faces some shape.

Midday

Use the middle of the day for the moments that happen indoors or in shade: lunch, a terrace, a break with a hot drink. A parasol or the shadow of a building gives soft, even light on faces.

Late afternoon

Keep the last hour for portraits, silhouettes and the run home. Warmer light suits skin tones and makes the scenery look less blue.

Getting the snow right

Cameras tend to make bright snow look grey. Nikon's cold weather advice is to use exposure compensation to overexpose the scene, starting at +0.3 and trying +0.7 if the snow still does not look white. On a phone, tap the subject and nudge the brightness slider up slightly.

How do you plan a ski photoshoot with children?

Keep it short, schedule it when they are fresh, and build it around something they already enjoy. Children give their best expressions in the first part of a session and lose patience quickly once their hands are cold.

• Morning beats afternoon. Energy and patience are higher before lunch.
• Play, do not pose. A race to a marker, a snowball, a game of follow the leader. The posed portrait can come at the end, as a reward.
• Warm hands first. Mittens are often the better choice for younger children, as the ski school Oxyski points out, because they are warmer and easier to put on.
• Let them lead the line. A child skiing towards the camera with a parent behind gives a natural story in one frame.
• Plan a hot drink stop. It resets moods and gives you shot number nine on the list.

For more ideas on the family side of a stay, see our guide to Courchevel with kids.

How do you keep phones and cameras working in the cold?

Keep batteries warm, carry spares, and let equipment warm up slowly when you come back inside. Cold drains batteries, and sudden temperature changes cause condensation.

• Phones have a limited range. Apple states that iPhone and iPad are designed for use at ambient temperatures between 0 and 35 °C, and that using them in very cold conditions outside that range might temporarily shorten battery life or cause the device to turn off. Battery life returns to normal once the device is back at a higher temperature.
• Carry a second battery. Nikon advises starting with a fully charged battery and, for long sessions, bringing one or two extras kept in an inside coat pocket.
• Avoid fogging. Nikon recommends putting the camera in its bag and zipping it shut before going indoors, then letting it warm up gradually. If it warms too quickly, it fogs up.
• Gloves and touchscreens. Nikon notes that some photographers use thin gloves while shooting and warmer gloves or mittens in between. The same approach works with a phone.

How do you get good portraits with helmets and goggles on?

Show the eyes. The single most useful habit on a ski photoshoot is to push goggles up onto the helmet, or take them off, for any shot where you want to recognise the person. Goggles down is fine for action, but a gallery of mirrored lenses quickly looks like the same anonymous skier.

• Helmet straps fastened and adjusted. Loose straps and tilted helmets show in every frame.
• Neck warmers pulled down for the portrait, then back up straight after.
• Hair tucked or deliberately out, decided before the session, not mid-run.
• Clean lenses. Fingerprints and dried snow on goggles are very visible in close-ups.
• Sun protection. The World Health Organization notes that UV levels rise by about 10 per cent with every 1,000 m of altitude and that fresh snow almost doubles a person's UV exposure. Apply sun cream before the session rather than in the middle of it.

What you wear matters as much as how you stand. Our guide on what to wear skiing and for ski photos covers colours, matching outfits and logos.

Is it worth hiring a ski photographer in Courchevel?

It is worth it if you want everyone in the pictures, including the person who usually holds the phone, and if you want action shots that are hard to take while skiing yourself. A photographer who skis can follow you on the piste, shoot from ahead of the group and choose the light for you.

Riva Photography Courchevel connects visitors with private photographers who ski. Sessions run from one hour (30 photos, 590 € including VAT) to a full day or a weekend, and for sessions on the slopes the photographer's lift pass is added to the quote at the public price. You receive a first selection within 48 hours and the full gallery within 7 days. If the weather turns, a session can be moved free of charge when you ask more than 72 hours ahead.

The Courchevel ski area is scheduled to open from 4 December 2026 to 18 April 2027, subject to snow conditions, according to Courchevel Tourism. For a broader view of how a session works, read our Courchevel photographer guide.

Ready to plan your ski photoshoot?

If a few of these ideas appeal, send us a message on WhatsApp with your dates, the number of people and the kind of pictures you have in mind. We will suggest a format and a time of day that suits your group. You can reach us through the contact section.

Frequently asked questions

What is the best time of day for a ski photoshoot?

Early morning and late afternoon. The sun is lower, the snow shows texture and faces are more flattering. Midday light is flatter and harsher, so it is better used for lunch, terrace and shaded shots.

How long should a ski photoshoot with children last?

Keep it short and plan it in the morning, when children have the most energy. Build the session around games and a hot drink break, and leave the posed family portrait for the end.

Why does snow look grey in my photos?

Cameras tend to underexpose bright snow. Nikon advises using exposure compensation to overexpose slightly, starting at +0.3 and going to +0.7 if needed. On a phone, raise the brightness slider a little after tapping the subject.

How do I stop my phone dying on the slopes?

Keep it in an inside pocket close to your body and carry a power bank. Apple says iPhones are designed for ambient temperatures between 0 and 35 °C and that very cold conditions can temporarily shorten battery life or switch the phone off.

Should we wear goggles in ski photos?

Goggles down suit action shots, but push them up or take them off for portraits so that faces and eyes are visible. Clean the lenses before close-ups.