Watch this video to go behind the lens and into the mind of award-winning ski photographer Oskar Enander. 

Enander is based in Engelberg, Switzerland, but travels around the world chasing high contrast in nature and deep snow. What sets the photographer apart from others in his industry though, beside being the first to be awarded Photo of the Year from Powder magazine three times, is the fact that he is color blind. “It’s pretty simple,” said Enander. “It’s darkness, and its white.” 

Rather than seeing fully in color, Enander seems to see more so in tonal ranges, which sets his ski photography and artistic style apart from others in the field. When looking at his portfolio it’s hard not to be captivated by the simplicity of his images and the beauty of skiers in high light contrast slicing through deep powder. 

What I love about this video is the photographer’s personal story and path to success as well as sharing real insights about being an outdoor photographer. Rather than shoot in the relative safety of a photo studio, Enander is often in hazardous conditions and difficult-to-navigate terrain. He constantly has to battle weather conditions while also directing his talent.

In the photography industry I personally think that photographers who choose to spend their time in the outdoors are often overlooked or seen as less talented than those shooting in a studio or on a production set. I enjoy in this video that Enander helps give light in breaking this notion: “A lot of people might see the photography part of skiing as paradise where you ski powder and it looks all good and sunny, but it takes a lot to actually create these moments. You’re dealing with weather. You’re hiking for a long time and have early mornings or late nights,” he said. “Maybe you get one good photo during a day, and that’s a really good day.” 

Watch the video above to gain more insight into and go behind the scenes with a professional ski photographer. 

Lead image taken by Kevin McAvey.