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The glacier of Folgefonna on the Norwegian west coast is known for its everchanging weather. It can be blue skies, and suddenly, the fog rolls in. That’s what happened when this photo was taken, but fortunately, I had my most powerful flash with me. I turned the exposure down a few steps and lit pro snowboarder Ludvig Billtoft from behind.

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The glacier of Folgefonna on the Norwegian west coast is known for its everchanging weather. It can be blue skies, and suddenly, the fog rolls in. That’s what happened when this photo was taken, but fortunately, I had my most powerful flash with me. I turned the exposure down a few steps and lit pro snowboarder Ludvig Billtoft from behind.

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FRAMED
8 min

Bernstål’s Bangers

Dramatic imagery keeps the Swedish snowboard heritage going.
Photos by
Daniel Bernstål
Words by
Mattias Fredriksson
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With his headlight, Niklas Mattsson looks up at Sweden’s only halfpipe in Kläppen, Sweden. Many people who have seen this photo think it looks like an ultrasound; I believe they are right.

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With his headlight, Niklas Mattsson looks up at Sweden’s only halfpipe in Kläppen, Sweden. Many people who have seen this photo think it looks like an ultrasound; I believe they are right.

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The idea with this photo was to have a snowboarder riding down the pipe, lighting it up with a headlight, and then doing a trick at the end. Honestly, it didn’t look like this in my head. Niklas Mattsson was supposed to be riding in a straight line, but he misunderstood me and rode on the walls, which turned out better than I had envisioned. Then the flash missed him and hit the pipe wall a few meters back. That created a silhouette of Niklas and made him pop even more. This is the pinnacle of the creative process and what I thrive on as a photographer.

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The idea with this photo was to have a snowboarder riding down the pipe, lighting it up with a headlight, and then doing a trick at the end. Honestly, it didn’t look like this in my head. Niklas Mattsson was supposed to be riding in a straight line, but he misunderstood me and rode on the walls, which turned out better than I had envisioned. Then the flash missed him and hit the pipe wall a few meters back. That created a silhouette of Niklas and made him pop even more. This is the pinnacle of the creative process and what I thrive on as a photographer.

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This is another long exposure shot with Niklas. Some guys from the US who had been on the TV show “Shark Tank” with their LED lights asked me if I wanted to try their products, and I couldn’t say no. I had seen similar photos before and decided to try it myself. We taped the lights onto Niklas’s board and headed to the pipe at night. I set the camera on a tripod with a shutter of four seconds and put three flashes on the top of the pipe. Now, it was all up to Niklas. It didn’t take him long to start throwing backside alley-oops in almost complete darkness and the iciest of pipes, mad skill!

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This is another long exposure shot with Niklas. Some guys from the US who had been on the TV show “Shark Tank” with their LED lights asked me if I wanted to try their products, and I couldn’t say no. I had seen similar photos before and decided to try it myself. We taped the lights onto Niklas’s board and headed to the pipe at night. I set the camera on a tripod with a shutter of four seconds and put three flashes on the top of the pipe. Now, it was all up to Niklas. It didn’t take him long to start throwing backside alley-oops in almost complete darkness and the iciest of pipes, mad skill!

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With a dramatic and well-defined style, Swedish photographer Daniel Bernstål has made a name for himself as one of the leading shooters on the global snowboard scene. The 36-year-old Bernstål, a self-taught photographer, often works with portable studio light on location, creating an almost surrealistic setting and then adding impeccable snowboarding into his scenes.

“I build up scenes, almost like how it’s done in the film industry, and create images that stand out and pop. I want people to think — how the hell did he do that?”
Daniel Bernstål

Bernstål’s toolbox includes machines to create smokescreens, flashes mounted on drones, torches, LED lights, smoke grenades, slow shutter speeds and multiple flashes. He likes to paint with light and create unique, theatrical images — definitely not standard catalogue shots.

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It was the season’s first photo session, with heavy fog all over the mountain in Sälen, Sweden. My buddy Johan Nordhag was out riding, and I asked if he was down to do something in front of my lens. I looked for something that could frame a beautiful trick and found this lift that was out of order. As often, I placed my flash behind him to create a moody silhouette. We discussed what trick would look the best and concluded that a crail could look cool.

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It was the season’s first photo session, with heavy fog all over the mountain in Sälen, Sweden. My buddy Johan Nordhag was out riding, and I asked if he was down to do something in front of my lens. I looked for something that could frame a beautiful trick and found this lift that was out of order. As often, I placed my flash behind him to create a moody silhouette. We discussed what trick would look the best and concluded that a crail could look cool.

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Creating unique sets with my flashes has always been a big passion of mine. But it is heavy to carry all the equipment. On this shoot, we were lucky enough to have a snowmobile. Unfortunately, that is not always the case; most times, we must carry everything ourselves.

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Creating unique sets with my flashes has always been a big passion of mine. But it is heavy to carry all the equipment. On this shoot, we were lucky enough to have a snowmobile. Unfortunately, that is not always the case; most times, we must carry everything ourselves.

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Bernstål’s photos are spectacular, eye-catching, and powerful — but not necessarily shot for mainstream commercial appeal. Instead, Bernstål has focussed on defining his style; if you know his work, it’s easy to identify a “Bernstål.”

“I like to shoot simple, distinct photos. For some reason, I often end up shooting silhouettes of various kinds. It creates a powerful type of imagery where the action is clear from distraction.”

Bernstål found the passion for snowboarding early, but in his teens, he was realistic enough to understand that he would never achieve the dream of becoming a pro snowboarder. Instead, he eventually picked up a camera, more or less by accident.

“I was driving a delivery truck, but the company was struggling, so they did not have enough jobs to keep me on. At that time, I decided that my next job must be something I enjoy,” Bernstål recalls.

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Looking at this shot, it might appear like we are in the middle of a deep forest, but we are not. This was just next to a groomer in a ski area, and all the snow came from snow-making equipment nearby. I like this about shooting with flashes; you can create a small set and make it look cool, even if it’s not that dramatic in real life.

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Looking at this shot, it might appear like we are in the middle of a deep forest, but we are not. This was just next to a groomer in a ski area, and all the snow came from snow-making equipment nearby. I like this about shooting with flashes; you can create a small set and make it look cool, even if it’s not that dramatic in real life.

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It took a few years, but he decided to try photography and eventually was drawn to snowboard photography. He studied all snowboard magazines and carefully analyzed every photo for what made it special. Then he went out to shoot with his friends back home in Gävle, a town located a few hours north of Stockholm and better known for hockey and coffee than snowboarding.

As he progressed, he reached out to the best riders in the region and asked them to join the shoots. Initially, it was a lot of trial and error, but Bernstål was a fast learner and quickly got the hang of it. After a short stint as a photo assistant for Anders Neuman, a well-established Swedish snowboard photographer at the time, Bernstål gained more confidence, and his connections in the industry grew.

“In 2016, I got invited by a few Swedish pro snowboarders to follow along to Folgefonna Glacier in Norway. Even superstar Sage Kotsenburg joined this trip, and it turned out the best way possible with amazing weather and epic sessions.”
Daniel Bernstål
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We’ve seen this kind of photo from Folgefonna many times, but it never gets old. This shot of Sage Kotsenburg – captured in the middle of a Cab 12 Japan – is from my first time going there. I remember how thrilled I was to be shooting with legends like Sage. It’s one of my best memories from that place.

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We’ve seen this kind of photo from Folgefonna many times, but it never gets old. This shot of Sage Kotsenburg – captured in the middle of a Cab 12 Japan – is from my first time going there. I remember how thrilled I was to be shooting with legends like Sage. It’s one of my best memories from that place.

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Outside Falun in Sweden, a tiny ski resort called Källviksbacken hosts one of the sickest snowboarding events yearly. Last winter, they had built a crazy pump section, and I knew I wanted to shoot that from above. I hooked up with Nils and asked him to throw some shiftys when the light was right to get that shadow where I wanted it to be.

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Outside Falun in Sweden, a tiny ski resort called Källviksbacken hosts one of the sickest snowboarding events yearly. Last winter, they had built a crazy pump section, and I knew I wanted to shoot that from above. I hooked up with Nils and asked him to throw some shiftys when the light was right to get that shadow where I wanted it to be.

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We were in Stockholm shooting some street features, and at one point, I wasn’t too pumped to shoot what the guys were riding. So, I went for a stroll and found an architectural viewpoint. When Nils was done with his other spot, I asked him to do something on this magnificent piece of concrete. I froze the action with three flashes, which is my standard setup—usually one rim light and then two others I aim from each side towards the object.

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We were in Stockholm shooting some street features, and at one point, I wasn’t too pumped to shoot what the guys were riding. So, I went for a stroll and found an architectural viewpoint. When Nils was done with his other spot, I asked him to do something on this magnificent piece of concrete. I froze the action with three flashes, which is my standard setup—usually one rim light and then two others I aim from each side towards the object.

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When Bernstål started distributing the photos from the Folgefonna trip, he quickly realized he’d hit a home run. Several of the athlete’s sponsors licensed pictures for their marketing campaigns and the photo editors at the magazines he worked with were stoked about his results.

“This trip changed everything for me. It was my breakthrough and set me on a great path forward,” recalls Bernstål.

Bernstål was soon drawn into shooting rails, prominent features, and urban snowboarding. He enjoyed controlling the light and the scenes rather than constantly relying on natural light. It was also more accessible to him, given that he struggled with mobility due to an old motocross accident in 2010 when he seriously injured his right knee and thigh muscle attachment.

Over the years, Bernstål has shot with some of the biggest names in the sport, lined up cover shots for the most respectable magazines, and been recognized for his work in events like Red Bull Illume and the X-Games photo category. But in the early years, he struggled.

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While on location in Kläppen, Sweden, together with Sven Thorgren, we decided to head up the mountain late at night when the fog rolled in. While up there, we found this side hit by the road. I decided to go for a classic backlit shot, and to get the light right; I had to put one flash on a nearby house’s porch. I knocked on their door to ask for permission, and it turned out to be the kids in the house who built the hit. They were so excited when I told them their biggest snowboard idol would like to throw some tricks in their front yard. During a two-hour session on the jump, the kids were helping me out with my flashes and watching some impressive snowboarding go down in front of their house. On top of that, we also got an epic shot.

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While on location in Kläppen, Sweden, together with Sven Thorgren, we decided to head up the mountain late at night when the fog rolled in. While up there, we found this side hit by the road. I decided to go for a classic backlit shot, and to get the light right; I had to put one flash on a nearby house’s porch. I knocked on their door to ask for permission, and it turned out to be the kids in the house who built the hit. They were so excited when I told them their biggest snowboard idol would like to throw some tricks in their front yard. During a two-hour session on the jump, the kids were helping me out with my flashes and watching some impressive snowboarding go down in front of their house. On top of that, we also got an epic shot.

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This is a classic trick on classic ground. It was the 20th anniversary of” King of The Hill” in Riksgränsen, way up north in Sweden, and all the big names in snowboarding were there. The weather was changing all the time, as it does in the Arctic, and this was just moments after the snow hammering down. Nicolas threw a massive backside air over the crowd as the sun broke through. Goosebumps!

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This is a classic trick on classic ground. It was the 20th anniversary of” King of The Hill” in Riksgränsen, way up north in Sweden, and all the big names in snowboarding were there. The weather was changing all the time, as it does in the Arctic, and this was just moments after the snow hammering down. Nicolas threw a massive backside air over the crowd as the sun broke through. Goosebumps!

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It was at the beginning of May, and I had managed to make time for shooting some snowboarding after a busy spring. I hooked up with Niklas Mattsson in Riksgränsen, but in classic Riks fashion, the weather was not with us. The days went by, and our patience as well. Suddenly, the weather cleared one evening, and we went up to Vassitjåkka, a mountain peak close to where we lived. We began to hike, and after about two hours, the clouds rolled in again. We had already wandered so far, so we decided to go for it anyway, and after two more hours of walking in fog, it suddenly cleared again. We were now above the clouds. It was 11 pm, but at this time of year in the Arctic, it doesn’t matter cause It’s bright 24 hours a day. I saw this side hit, and Niklas executed a perfect backside air minutes later. These are the moments I breed on as a snowboard photographer.

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It was at the beginning of May, and I had managed to make time for shooting some snowboarding after a busy spring. I hooked up with Niklas Mattsson in Riksgränsen, but in classic Riks fashion, the weather was not with us. The days went by, and our patience as well. Suddenly, the weather cleared one evening, and we went up to Vassitjåkka, a mountain peak close to where we lived. We began to hike, and after about two hours, the clouds rolled in again. We had already wandered so far, so we decided to go for it anyway, and after two more hours of walking in fog, it suddenly cleared again. We were now above the clouds. It was 11 pm, but at this time of year in the Arctic, it doesn’t matter cause It’s bright 24 hours a day. I saw this side hit, and Niklas executed a perfect backside air minutes later. These are the moments I breed on as a snowboard photographer.

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When there is no contrast and low light, it is not the best condition for snowboarding or taking photos. But you can always try to make the best of it, so that’s what we did that day in Riksgränsen. Ylfa Runarsdottir found a cliff to jump from, and Niklas Mattsson made a proper turn under it. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

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When there is no contrast and low light, it is not the best condition for snowboarding or taking photos. But you can always try to make the best of it, so that’s what we did that day in Riksgränsen. Ylfa Runarsdottir found a cliff to jump from, and Niklas Mattsson made a proper turn under it. Sometimes, that’s all you need.

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“The hardest part was breaking into the scene and getting to work with the best riders. I didn’t know anyone, so it took me a while to break through and build up my reputation to get the trust of the pro riders.”

Nowadays, the income from snowboard photography is a small part of Bernstål’s revenue. Unfortunately, many magazines have been forced to close shop, and the commercial market has declined.

“It became unsustainable to travel for weeks and months at the time to shoot snowboarding, so instead, I am staying more at home, taking on all kinds of other commercial work. I still shoot snowboarding occasionally, but now it’s more about passion projects and not to make money.”

Swedish photographers have been making big marks in the action sports photography genre for a long time. Ever since the mid-70s, when the legendary ski magazine Åka Skidor was founded, the little Nordic country constantly produced standout shooters. When snowboarding became a global phenomenon in the mid-90s, many of the most prominent riders were Swedes, and some of the early ground-breaking events also took place in the country. Therefore, it was natural that some people in the Swedish snowboard scene picked up cameras and other creative tools.

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I love this photo. Skiers watching the snowboarders ride and getting inspired. Isn’t that how it’s always been? Photos like these that are more documentary are not my most vital part as I like to plan all my shots. But now and then, they also happen; maybe that’s why I like it so much.

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I love this photo. Skiers watching the snowboarders ride and getting inspired. Isn’t that how it’s always been? Photos like these that are more documentary are not my most vital part as I like to plan all my shots. But now and then, they also happen; maybe that’s why I like it so much.

Read more
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This is probably one of the most challenging photos I’ve taken. It’s shot with a Go Pro and with two Elinchrom flashes. Since you can’t trigger flashes with the GoPro, I set the shutter to 5 seconds and triggered them manually. It must be pitch black when shooting at long shutter speeds to avoid getting any other light in the photo. I used the app on my smartphone to trigger the Go Pro, so many things were happening simultaneously. When Sven dropped in, I activated the Go Pro with my phone, and then when he was at the right spot, I triggered the flashes with a remote controller. This might sound easy, but we worked on this for a while as the Go Pro didn’t go off, or the flashes didn’t fire. And when that happened, we had to move further down the slope to get some fresh snow. Puh! But after a lot of trial and error, we finally got it.

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This is probably one of the most challenging photos I’ve taken. It’s shot with a Go Pro and with two Elinchrom flashes. Since you can’t trigger flashes with the GoPro, I set the shutter to 5 seconds and triggered them manually. It must be pitch black when shooting at long shutter speeds to avoid getting any other light in the photo. I used the app on my smartphone to trigger the Go Pro, so many things were happening simultaneously. When Sven dropped in, I activated the Go Pro with my phone, and then when he was at the right spot, I triggered the flashes with a remote controller. This might sound easy, but we worked on this for a while as the Go Pro didn’t go off, or the flashes didn’t fire. And when that happened, we had to move further down the slope to get some fresh snow. Puh! But after a lot of trial and error, we finally got it.

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Calle Eriksson was one of the first Swedish photographers who established himself on the global snowboard scene. Eriksson and his friend Anders Hagman, a pro snowboard and computer wizard, started Method Magazine, one of the first websites for snowboarding (later, it was also a print mag and an online community). Eriksson’s photos helped countless promising Scandinavian snowboarders get their first photos published in magazines, eventually leading to successful careers for many of them. Eriksson went on to become the photo editor for Onboard Magazine, one of that era’s most influential publications. One of the senior photographers for Onboard was Eriksson’s fellow Swede, Vincent Skoglund, who became known as one of the most outstanding snowboard photographers to ever grace a snow-covered slope.

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Nils Arvidsson and I try to link up at our home ski resort,” Järvsöbacken” every season. It’s a tiny resort, but you don’t need much to have fun on your board. On this day, it was frigid, so I wasn’t too hyped about going because I knew I would freeze my fingers off holding my camera. Once I reached the mountain, I noticed this crazy light phenomenon (light pillars) in the sky. I’ve seen it once before, but it’s rare and only happens when it’s super cold and there’s tiny ice particles in the air that the sunlight hits. I unpacked my drone and yelled the classic four words to Nils, “Lights good, do anything!!!”. He made a nice backside carve. I snapped the photo, and it turned out pretty nice.

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Nils Arvidsson and I try to link up at our home ski resort,” Järvsöbacken” every season. It’s a tiny resort, but you don’t need much to have fun on your board. On this day, it was frigid, so I wasn’t too hyped about going because I knew I would freeze my fingers off holding my camera. Once I reached the mountain, I noticed this crazy light phenomenon (light pillars) in the sky. I’ve seen it once before, but it’s rare and only happens when it’s super cold and there’s tiny ice particles in the air that the sunlight hits. I unpacked my drone and yelled the classic four words to Nils, “Lights good, do anything!!!”. He made a nice backside carve. I snapped the photo, and it turned out pretty nice.

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In modern times, Bernstål is holding the Swedish banner high in the snowboard media scene, but he is one of the few remaining in the country who photograph snowboarding professionally.

“The problem is that there are so few outlets these days, anywhere. Globally, there are only a few snowboard magazines left (and none in Sweden), only a couple of active film companies, and barely any vivid online communities for snowboarding. Unfortunately, there are very few places to publish your work and get paid for it.”

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Daniel Bernstål is a freelance photographer based in Gävle, Sweden. Losing his daytime job in 2009 made him pick up a camera to pursue one of his childhood dreams: to become a professional snowboard photographer. Today, he shoots commercial assignments to make a living but occasionally points his camera toward some of the biggest names in snowboarding just for the fun of it. Besides photography, he loves being on two wheels on his dirt or mountain bike.
Bernstål’s Bangers
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