Cold Weather Photography
Tips and Techniques

Cold weather photography can be fun and challenging at the same time. Befor you head out into the cold, rain and fog, there are a few things you can do to protect your equipment at the same time make your picture taking experience more fun.

Batteries

First, cold temperatures are hard on batteries. A fully charged battery can become discharged in as little as two or three hours. Always keep one or two fully charged extras with you when you head out.

A good place to keep them is in an inside pocket of your jacket. They'll stay warm and fully charged. Nothing worse then coming upon a great opportunity only to find you have a dead battery and no spare.

Protecting Your Equipment

We all know that water and electronics don't mix, but don't let a little fog, rain or snow put a damper on your photography! There are many good camera rain protectors on the market. Stacy and I use a product called "Rain Sleeve" available at B&H Photo or Adorama. They come two to a package and will cover your camera and even a telephoto lens. But you can use something as simple as a plastic bag. We always keep one or two plastic bags in our pockets, just in case!

There is another good reason to keep some plastic bags handy when shooting in very cold weather. Have you ever brought a cold object into a warm room and watched water droplets form on it? Condensation! The same thing can happen to your camera and lens.

When taking pictures in very cold weather, your camera and lens are going to get cold. And if you bring them into a warm building or car, there is a very good chance condensation will form. Even a small amount of moisture in the wrong place can cause serious damage. To protect your expensive gear, place it into a plastic bag before entering a warm area. The condensation will form on the plastic bag and not your camera.

Protecting Yourself

I know most of you reading this from colder climates already know how to dress for the cold, but it never hurts to go over some of the basics.

Nothing can spoil a great day outdoors doing what you love, photographing nature, then being cold! Make sure you have proper footwear and warm socks! The one thing that will make me head for shelter faster than anything else is cold feet.

Wear gloves! It's hard to press the shutter when you can't feel your fingers. A warm hat is also a must. I usually wear a wool watch cap or in really cold conditions, a full face ski mask with my favorite camo boonie hat.

Dress in layers. I usually start out with thermal long underwear. Then a comfortable pair of pants and wool shirt. Next a pair of rain pants and a fleece jacket topped with a rain jacket or breathable windbreaker.

When you and your equipment are properly prepared for the conditiond, cold weather photography can be a rewarding experience!

I hope that you have found the first edition of Duane's Tips and Techniques helpful. If you have any questions or comments, please use the form on the Contact Us page.

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