 Poster: A snowHead
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Hubby and I got some photos taken up Blackcomb today by the photographers that hang around at the top of some of the lifts. The deal is that they take a variety of photos of you in all your gear with a pretty mountain backdrop, you don't pay anything up front and then go down to their shop after the day is done, see what you like and pay if you want the photos. We had decided that some photos with both of us in would be great as souvenirs so figured we would give it a go.
Well, when we got to the shop this evening we were in for a bit of a shock. The cheapest printed package was CAD$70, for which I think you got two 4x6 prints, and one 5x7 - that seemed expensive but not blow my brain expensive. The big shock was the cost of digital copies. They wanted CAD$70 for the first file, and CAD$50 for each after that. Although, if you bought more than 5 they would charge them all at CAD$50. So, 6 digital photos would have cost $300 - about £200  We could both do a three hour snowmobile trek for that!?!?!
We were just wondering, are these prices normal? I'm assuming that there are similar things running in other resorts too, so we were interested in how much other places charge to see if our reaction was justified. Also, does anyone know how much you can haggle? Is there a chance they just reckoned we were good for it and figured they would have a go? Normally we would try to haggle, but with prices that high we didn't think we could knock them down to a price we would think was worth it! For the convenience of not hauling our camera up and having to be careful with it we were probably willing to pay CAD$100 for all the photos (if pushed) as there were some reasonable ones but to only be offered two files out of around 15 for that... Is there something we're missing here that would make the photos worth that much?
Needless to say, we're now planning an early morning trip with the tripod to see what we can do ourselves!
KT
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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kaoticturtle, dunno about the pricing but a good tip for taking your own pics is not to use a tripod. Lie on the snow and if possible get the skier against a clean uncluttered background. Sky or snow. The angle seems to emphasise the impression of movement - especially if there's any spray kicked up from the skis.
(Not my own work - learned it from a professional photographer taking unsolicited pics on the piste in Serre Chevalier years ago - before digital - the prints were expensive even then but of course they had to cover the cost of the proofs you saw before deciding to buy... )
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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kaoticturtle, IIRC 7 euro from the photo company in Baqueira for a digital file of a single pic.
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kaoticturtle, nowhere near those prices in Switzerland
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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It doesn't matter what you or I think, the price is the price. There will be plenty of punters [with more money than sense] who'll probably buy a box set of their photos. Make them an offer - you've got nothing to lose.
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The price is a little higher than i would have expcted, typical 6x4 in uk is around £5-£6 with a 7x5 about £7. Digital price aain is steep, but remember there is nothi stopping you going down to tesco and getting 5 10x8 prints from the same file, so I can understand that the digital price is so much higher, but perhaps not really justified in being that high. That being said I have no idea of their costs or their typical market. I dont recall prices being quite that high even in Courchevel 1850.
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I bought a really nice photo of my daughter on a jump at Les Deux Alpes a couple of years ago. A decent size print (8 x 6) with a copy on CD was about 30 euros. The digital copy was a maximum of 10 euros of that perhaps less.
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Here it is.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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We saw a photographer with St Bernards in Verbier (over New Year this year), and stopped to ask how much – iirc it was 60/70CHF for 1 printed photo!!!
We didn’t get one…
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The price is what people will pay, I suppose, but no way would I pay the kind of prices quoted by the OP. But then when I hear about the price of private ski lessons in Canada I wouldn't pay those, either. There's a photographer here who does the same sort of thing but I don't know what the cost is; nothing close to that, I'm sure. Sounds as though there's scope for some competition up there!
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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... what are people wanting to use these photos for? I don't see much of a point in taking a massive dslr (or getting one of the pros to take a pic) up a mountain unless it's for a portfolio. If it's just snaps for family and friends, my old point and shoot does more than adequate ones (and bet newer cameras are even better). And it sits in my pocket, so easily got if you (I) suddenly see something cool/interesting.
I even have a couple of shots taken of friend back flipping over stuff. (Or whatever some snowboarding terminology it's called.) It wouldn't have been taken with a proper camera, as it wouldn't have been to hand ...
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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Camera phones are significantly better than they used to be, but still lack a degree of control and speed. compact and Bridge cameras do give some really fantastic results, but for me it has to be my DSLR on those days when I think i may just get the shot, this may be one or two days in a 7 day skiing holiday or every day on a family summer holiday.
I dont do it for pose or snob value I do it because I know and trust the gear. I have said this before but I have been on the mountain with 300mm 2.8l , 70-200 f2.8 50mm 1.2l and a 1 series body. For those that know that it is not exactly a light setup. It would mostly be in the rucksack but when a situation occurs the camera comes out on a black rapid strap and i will ski down with the camera out, either stopping and shooting or shooting from the hip if appropriate and safe.
My wife carries the compact camera for the snaps btw.
The pros on the slopes use those bodies for a reasons, reliability, repeatability, speed and control. And of course from a marketing perspective you most likely wouldnt even bother to go and look at the shot if the guy was using a compact camera, even if, in the right hands he could get the shot.
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A friend currently in Lake Tahoe had one of these taken. I think he said they wanted $30 for the high resolution digital files, but the low resolution version with their logo in the corner was free, and he was more than happy with that.
It doesn't surprise me though that the digital files are much more expensive than the prints. You're probably also buying the right to make as many prints as you want from the files.
It's hard to make a living out of being a photographer these days.
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You know it makes sense.
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It's especially nice with children. I've the one above of my daughter at 15 and a couple more at 11 and 8. They hang on the wall in my hall. I've also loads taken with a compact myself but none are as good.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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| ansta1 wrote: |
Camera phones are significantly better than they used to be, but still lack a degree of control and speed. compact and Bridge cameras do give some really fantastic results, but for me it has to be my DSLR on those days when I think i may just get the shot, this may be one or two days in a 7 day skiing holiday or every day on a family summer holiday.
I dont do it for pose or snob value I do it because I know and trust the gear. I have said this before but I have been on the mountain with 300mm 2.8l , 70-200 f2.8 50mm 1.2l and a 1 series body. For those that know that it is not exactly a light setup. It would mostly be in the rucksack but when a situation occurs the camera comes out on a black rapid strap and i will ski down with the camera out, either stopping and shooting or shooting from the hip if appropriate and safe.
My wife carries the compact camera for the snaps btw.
The pros on the slopes use those bodies for a reasons, reliability, repeatability, speed and control. And of course from a marketing perspective you most likely wouldnt even bother to go and look at the shot if the guy was using a compact camera, even if, in the right hands he could get the shot. |
Oh, agree you get a far better photo. I just can't imagine your average Joe needing a far better photo. I view all my photos online, and just email a few to my parents and stick the rest on facebook. Guess with kids it might be different, as want stuff to dote over once they've become horrible teenagers (  ) ... To me a ski trip isn't like a wedding. You don't need pro photos to have things that remind you of the awesomeness. I mean - unless you're submitting to mags etc, who are you sending it to who'd really care?
I'll happily take a decent camera out for the joy of photography. But I prefer skiing to photography, so tend not to combine the two. Were I a pro wanting to sell stuff or build a portfolio, would be diff.
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Poster: A snowHead
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OliviaDB, understand and do you really need that better photo... Probably not in most cases, but taking photos is part of what I do so its difficult (much to Mrs Ansta1's annoyance at me carrying a pro body and mahoosive lens everywhere) for me to get out of the mind set. I really need to get over myself and start just carrying a decent bridge camera. I just cant.
anyone have the phone number for "Canon L series Anonymous"? I think i need professional help...
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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Claude B, Your photo was probably taken by Griffe Photos; they are based in Bourge d'Oisans. They snap cyclists climbing the hairpins of Alpe d'Huez in summer, and their prices are about €12-15 for a print, or €20 for the digital file. That's quite a fair price considering the cost of the equipment, the cost of the internet site, and the wages of the bloke stuck on the mountain all day.
Their pictures are very good quality. You need a fairly high-end DSLR to take these photos; indeed they usually use flash to reduce shadowing - even in bright sunlight. A high-end DSLR is usually too heavy to carry on a bike or in your ski backback.
A low-end DSLR won't be able to sync the flash at these high shutter speeds - typically 1/800s - though I'm sure they must have overlooked OliviaDB's point-and-shoot. [/b]
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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jellylegs, even high end generally wont synch flash above 1/250.
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Claude B, I have nearly the exact same photo except of me (obviously) the photo jump thing was great 
I remember thinking the prices were fair nd I bough two different photos.
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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ansta1, I was going to say, I'm no pro photographer, not by a long shot but I thought 1/250 was top end of flash sync, which BTW most/all entry level dslr's are capable of. Cos the flash it's self freezes the action, even in daylight, not the shutter speed
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What you are paying for is something you cant get yourself, and that whilst not priceless carries a value that you can only justify. I have had people have photos off of me, as they were (sadly) the last photos taken of people, but its not just the sad side that makes a photo valuable, could most people have got a photos like that above of the jump with their compact, point and shoot, camera phone. I would guess unlikely.
You are paying for peoples equipment, expertise and rightly or wrongly their ability to corner a market..... eg "oh no the public can not stand their for insurance purposes i am sorry"..... Its why press/media photographers are able to make a small living.
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| Quote: |
anyone have the phone number for "Canon L series Anonymous"? I think i need professional help...
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800mm prime.
go on, you know you want to
If kit like that takes up a 2nd chairlift seat, do you need to buy 2 lift passes?
Was tempted to take my dSLR out next time. Just because it's the dolomites, which are rather photogenic, and I've skied there many times before anyway. Don't need to take it out every day - only the sunny days. P+S will have to do for the other days. Now which lens to take...
edit: if I do take it with a view to take bluebird shots, it'll be -29C again and dump with snow all week. Actually quite fancy trying some more long exposure stuff / night shots.
Tenner or so per photo seems reasonably fair, especially if it's something impressive. Prices quoted by the OP seem rather steep to me.
Last edited by Then you can post your own questions or snow reports... on Tue 22-01-13 14:22; edited 1 time in total
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andy, For the prices quoted by the OP I think they could go and buy a decent compact camera and find someone trustworthy looking to ask them to take some photo's of the pair of them together as I have been asked to do on a number of occasions!!
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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IIRC, in Zermatt, on an airbag jump, we paid less than CHF 25 for a print and a digital copy. I thought that was reasonable
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jellylegs, It was actually a photographic place there, at the Venosc end of Avenue de la Muzelle. I looked at the Exif data and it was taken with a Canon EOS 30D (also says no flash). The guy sits in a hole next to the jump so I guess it's set up and the same settings are used all day. Might get another this Easter but I'd have to get her to vary the jump a little. However friends we were with did that, his 360 was very impressive but it didn't make for a good shot.
I took my old DSLR and lens (Nikon D50/cheap Tamron 300mm zoom) last year and got some decent shots in not great light. I'll probably take it again this year, but just take it up 1 day, but wouldn't want to lug my D90 and f2.8 zoom up the mountain.
Last edited by Ski the Net with snowHeads  on Tue 22-01-13 14:30; edited 1 time in total
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snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
snowHeads are a friendly bunch.
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andy, You on the BB too? I'll probably bring a D40 with a 16-85. It's a fairly light combination with good pic quality.
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And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
And love to help out and answer questions and of course, read each other's snow reports.
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| Claude B wrote: |
| but wouldn't want to lug my D90 and f2.8 zoom up the mountain. |
And you wouldn't want to do a few cartwheels with that in your backpack!
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| Megamum wrote: |
| andy, For the prices quoted by the OP I think they could go and buy a decent compact camera and find someone trustworthy looking to ask them to take some photo's of the pair of them together as I have been asked to do on a number of occasions!! |
You are quite correct but unless the pro taking the shot is rubbish, or the Friend taking the compact shot really knows what they are doing it is less likely (i said less likely not impossible) to be as good a shot as the one taken by the pro.
Would it capture the moment, probably, but would it be improved by someone who knows what they are doing with good equipment..... Most likely i would think, but photos are subjective.
andy, I have a 400 f2.8l, add the 1.4 or 2x coverter and its better in most cases than the 800 f5.6. Do wish i had gone for the DO f4.
If i win the euromillions one day a 1200mm prime is on the list...
http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/find/newsLetter/Mother-of-All-L-Lenses.jsp
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You know it makes sense.
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jellylegs, No the damage to me and the kit doesn't bear thinking about.
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Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
Otherwise you'll just go on seeing the one name:
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jellylegs, yup. If I do, it'll be ye olde worlde plasticky 350d. Might give the 18-85 (or thereabouts) kit lens an outing (I did use it once), and the 50mm prime deserves to be used a bit more for some arty close up stuff. CBA to ski with 300mm zoom.
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Poster: A snowHead
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| Claude B wrote: |
| jellylegs, No the damage to me and the kit doesn't bear thinking about. |
Dont fall over then 
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Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
Obviously A snowHead isn't a real person
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| Claude B wrote: |
| I took my old DSLR and lens (Nikon D50/cheap Tamron 300mm zoom) last year and got some decent shots in not great light. |
What settings? ISO? Shutter? I'm getting better at taking skiing photo's, but it's still difficult to get right - especially in flat light.
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Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
Well, the person's real but it's just a made up name, see?
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yep laying down on the piste to take a photo works this was almost too close 
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livetoski,
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Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
Anyway, snowHeads is much more fun if you do.
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livetoski, whats that buzz light year looking plastic thing on the left of the frame?
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ahhh just figured it, its the goggles.... doh!
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| jellylegs wrote: |
| Claude B wrote: |
| I took my old DSLR and lens (Nikon D50/cheap Tamron 300mm zoom) last year and got some decent shots in not great light. |
What settings? ISO? Shutter? I'm getting better at taking skiing photo's, but it's still difficult to get right - especially in flat light. |
I'd probably start with 1/3 or 2/3 +ev (over what you have already set up for). Shutter speed and aperture will depend on the subject and effect you are after, iso will add to the mix.
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You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
You'll get to see more forums and be part of the best ski club on the net.
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| Claude B wrote: |
| Exif data should be visible. |
Nice photos. I think only you can see the exif data. The pro shot is very good, they've got the white balance just right. I wonder whether it would have been better if the photographer panned the camera?
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i doubt it, panning is a real art to get right and only really works when the speed of. the subject or subjects is within reason a constant ( think f1 cars or cyclists going around the same bend) so the photographer can work out a panning speed so as not to get subject blur. not that subject blur is always wrong, just dont think for someone shooting lots of people at different speeds and hights it would work easily. Hence the tog has chosen to freeze the subject as far as possible, wouldnt take much to add a panning effect in post processing.
ClaudeB,
do. like the images but also feel they could have been pushed a little bit in terms of exposure to make the snow a little bit whiter, but the way they capture the action looks good.
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FAQ
