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Subzero

PHOTOGRAPHY BY JEFF DEINER

For some photographers, the secret to shooting is not found in megabytes and file sizes. More often it’s being in the right place at the right time. For Jackson photographer Jeff Diener, capturing the beauty and grandeur of the Tetons dipped in the deep of winter produces artful photographs, a change of pace from his usual work shooting outdoor gear and products.

“My natural eye as a photographer is drawn to soulful, powerful compositions that pull a viewer into the shot,” says Diener, whose commercial work appears in Backpacker, Skiing, and Runner’s World. “I love to create shots with depth, texture, and mood. The deep shadows and those amazing pastel highlights help with elevating mood and drama.”

When he’s out scouting locations for product and gear shots, Diener zooms in on details that make the darkest time of the year interesting—from hoar-frost-laced landscapes draped in warm light to foggy, subzero mornings.

“No matter the time of day, it’s always key to simplify composition,” Diener says. “Zoom in or get closer to the most dramatic and important parts of the scene. Snow, fog, and clouds are great for simplifying a composition, and our winters offer a great palette for that.”

Diener has a few tips for when you’re out in the Teton winter, when average temperatures are 5 degrees and an average of eighty inches of snow falls on the valley floor. “Definitely carry an extra battery in a warm place [if it’s subzero] and a tripod for that golden-hour light,” he says. “Wear thin liner gloves inside warmer gloves or mitts so your skin is never exposed when dialing in the camera.”

He adds, “Whoever said, ‘Don’t shoot into the sun,’ was wrong. Shooting into the sun can give you some of the most dramatic, dynamic light with the sun star just out of frame or in your composition. Some cameras’ automatic sensors will underexpose, so be prepared to correct for this and have a lens hood to guard against flare when the sun is just out of the frame.” – Jeannette Boner