A Different Vision

For many — it would have been a complete deal breaker — but for one of the world’s best ski photographers, it was just one of many hurdles he had to overcome in learning his chosen profession. Oskar Enander is color-blind.

Oskar Enander

Now at 46 and residing at the top of the competitive world of professional adventure photography, it’s evident that Enander managed to turn what many would perceive as a disability — especially for a photographer — into a strength: “Not being able to see colors properly doesn’t affect me in the snow environment, where everything is blue and white already,” he says.

His photos are instantly recognizable and have left an indelible mark on ski imagery in recent decades. He did this by developing a unique style that was highly graphical and contrasted, most often in two-tone or even black and white. It was different and arresting, powerful and dramatic, and it got him noticed.

Like many others, Enander’s way into the ski industry kicked off in Chamonix, where he spent a winter in the late 90s, just as freeriding began to take off. In the French ski town, the Swedish native got his first taste of real ski-bum life, sharing a one-room apartment with eight other Swedes and skiing hard every day. He took some photos that winter, and even though he did not have professional ambitions then, it sparked a keen interest.

After a few years of ski bumming in the Alps and Canada, Enander decided to spend the following winter in Engelberg, Switzerland. Immediately, he felt at home in the classic Swiss resort and made friends with locals and other ski bums. During the winter of 2002/2003, his passion for photography grew, and he bought his first professional camera. One winter led to another, and although his initial plan was to go back home and study, Enander stayed and eventually made Engelberg his permanent home.

On a cold, beautiful afternoon in March 2003, Enander took a picture that would change his life. Shot from below, with a fisheye lens, shows the Swedish skier Kalle Eriksson in the air, framed by icicles and illuminated by a low-angle backlight. Happy with the result, Enander emailed David Reddick, the director of photography at Powder Magazine, asking if he would be interested in reviewing his photos. Powder was the undisputed benchmark of ski photography then, and Enander wanted to know if his work was up to standard. Reddick responded positively, so Enander selected a sheet of slides and sent them with FedEx to Powder’s office in California.

Then, Enander waited for feedback. “In those days, we shot on film, which was expensive and precious. A big day represented four rolls of film (with 36 images per roll), and each slide was unique. Submitting them to magazines was a long and stressful process; you had to mail the slides and wait for the photo editor to send them back before submitting them further.”

In the fall, he finally received an email asking if he could travel to Aspen for the Powder Awards in January 2004. It was an expensive trip for him then, so Enander declined, but Reddick insisted: “It’s important that you come,” he said, and so Enander did.

“In Aspen, I was surrounded by all the famous skiers I’d seen in films and other photographers and filmmakers. I recall being very intimidated and shy”

That evening, Enander was called up on stage to receive the finest award a ski photographer could image at the time: Powder Magazine’s “Photo of the Year.”

Oskar Enander

A few weeks later, the late Jamie Pierre came to Engelberg to jump the area’s enormous cliffs, filming for a ski movie. After discovering Enander’s work at the Powder Awards, Pierre asked him to be his photographer.

“Back then, there weren’t as many photographers as today. It was important to be in touch with well-known athletes and have your photos published in magazines so the brands would ask you to shoot their ads and campaigns.”

In the mid-2000s, Engelberg had become one of the new places where athletes, filmmakers and photographers gathered. As the classic Swiss resort slowly became a freeride Mecca in the Alps, Enander was on location, with a locals’ knowledge that is always so important, and looking for the best skiers to photograph.

Oskar Enander

Rather than copying other photographers, Enander capitalized on what could have been a severe handicap and turned it into his style. He has gained significant recognition for his work, winning the Powder Magazine “Photo of the Year Award” three times. He has hundreds of cover shots to his name and has shot numerous commercial campaigns for some of the biggest brands in the ski industry.

He credits much of his success to his surroundings. More than just a cliff zone, Engelberg is also a place where a few lifts provide access to 2,000 vertical metres (6,000 feet) of freeride terrain, mainly north-facing. This means plenty of shade and just hints of sun. This challenging environment contributed to the development of Enander’s eye and his unique style. He is known for magnifying powder turns with a touch of light through darkness, shades of blue and white, or even black and white, edited with very high contrast.

The relationship was a sweet one. Engelberg gave Enander what he needed — access to some of the best skiers in the world, fantastic snow and a stunning backdrop. And Enander gave Engleberg what it needed — a steady stream of compelling images perfectly placed in the most influential ski industry publications.

Many agree that Enander’s work elevated the image of the resort town to a degree that was not possible through traditional tourism marketing campaigns — no matter how big the budget. His photographs generated a global buzz about the big lines, deep powder, and word-of-mouth did the rest. Destination ski tourists wanted to ski where the photos had been taken — and the central Swiss resort welcomed them with open arms, seven-mile runs, and 100,000 acres of accessible terrain.

With both his reputation and that of Engleberg firmly established worldwide, Enander is not one to rest on his laurels. Instead, he still gets out with local athletes to shoot on the best powder days and continues to pursue his quest for the perfect combination of action, snow, light, and shadow.

The symbiotic relationship between Enander and Engelberg represents photography at its finest, as defined by the famous French photographer Henri Cartier-Bresson, who said the ultimate goal is sharing our vision with others rather than simply capturing the decisive moment.