PHOTOGRAPHY

How to Film the Perfect Winter Sports Action Shots

Whether you’re on skis, a snowboard or a sled, keep every rad jump and sick shred in frame and in focus.

A snowboarder zooming down a snowy mountain on an overcast day, sending up a thick plume of perfect powder as he leans to turn. Master it. Creator classes. A snowboarder zooming down a snowy mountain on an overcast day, sending up a thick plume of perfect powder as he leans to turn. Master it. Creator classes.

In winter, there's nothing more thrilling than hitting the slopes. But between the subzero temperatures, the glare of the snow and the breakneck pace of the action, capturing the perfect powder run or snowboarding video can sometimes be a meaner trick than nailing that triple cork.

That's why we asked professional photographer Mason Mashon (@mason_mashon) to take us out into the Canadian backcountry and show us how he uses the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G to immortalise his winter sports adventures around Whistler Mountain.

Store your S Pen
The Galaxy Z Fold3 5G Flip Cover comes with a protective pocket perfect for keeping your S Pen handy when you need it.

Just two skis and an S Pen

When you're out in the elements, you don't want to be pulling off thick snow gloves to use your touchscreen. That's why Mashon loves the S Pen Fold Edition for snowy shoots. "The S Pen is incredibly handy for controlling the manual camera functions when it’s too cold to expose your bare hands," Mashon says.

A skier in mid-air after taking a jump off a precipice, surrounded by a cloud of snow. A skier in mid-air after taking a jump off a precipice, surrounded by a cloud of snow.

Never miss a fleeting moment

The window to capture a perfect jump in a snowboarding video happens in milliseconds. To save time when it counts, Mashon uses his S Pen to drag the camera features he uses the most (like Pro Video mode, Super Steady, and Slow Motion) to the bottom toolbar in the Camera app, so they're only a tap away. And Mashon has another pro tip for capturing those fleeting moments on the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G. After turning on the ‘Quick launch camera’ option in Advanced Settings, you can double-click the power button to automatically open the camera to your last used settings without unlocking your phone first.

Smooth as ice

There's no need to drag a tripod through the drifts to capture a steady shot. Just open the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G in Flex Mode and place it on a nearby rock or tree trunk to get a shot of your next 1080°. Mashon even has a killer trick for using Flex Mode to create a cinematic effect in your shots: put the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G on a snowboard to create a makeshift dolly that you can slide across the snow as you film.

A snowboarder slides down a snowy mountain with other misty peaks in the distance. A snowboarder slides down a snowy mountain with other misty peaks in the distance.

Lose the rumble, keep the excitement

There's nothing more exciting than racing down a black diamond, but Mashon warns that if you're not careful, any footage you shoot could come back very shaky. That's where the Galaxy Z Fold3 5G's built-in video stabilisation features can help by making even the most frantic powder ride rumble free. And if you need some extra help keeping things in frame, just tap the Super Steady icon to make your footage feel so smooth, it glistens.

A snowboarder wearing reflective goggles takes a selfie while rushing downhill on a snowy day.
A snowboarder on a snowy mountain filmed from below against a pure blue sky, sending up a wave of powder.
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Slow it all down

When asked about his top Galaxy Z Fold3 5G feature to use on the mountain, Mashon gets excited. It's all about Slow Motion, which allows him to appreciate all the detail of a winter action shot. "My favourite was a slow-motion video of skier Mark Abma, where I used a tree as a foreground element to reveal the action using a handheld 'dolly' move," he says. "The snow was incredibly deep, and Slow Motion allowed me to capture all the subtleties of riding through such high-quality powder."

Ready to hit the slopes?

Bring the right snow gear.

A bearded Mason Mashon with long brown hair and reflective snow goggles A bearded Mason Mashon with long brown hair and reflective snow goggles

FEATURING

Mason Mashon

Canadian adventure sports photographer

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