Let's face it....Photography is an inconvenient avocation. I often find myself wondering why Sunrise can't come a little later in the day or Sunset be some time other than supper time. Why does rain have to be so damaging to lenses and cameras? Unfortunately, the best times to create the highest quality images are usually the most inconvenient times especially in the depths of winter.
If you're one of the folks that leads photo workshops in ultra cold weather places, Bosque Del Apache for cranes, Churchill for polar bears, Yellowstone in winter, or some similar location...if you're a working photographer on assignment to Antarctica or some such location, you already know about the cold weather tricks. Your lenses have been tuned up by your repair facility of choice and are chock full of cold weather lubricants. You have external battery packs for all your camera bodies so you can keep the battery pack tucked warmly inside your jacket. You probably have a sponsorship for some world class cold weather clothing. If that's the case, this won't be of much interest to you cause you already know this stuff.
But what if you're a weekend or vacation shooter like me and most of my photographer friends? What do you need to know about shooting in abnormally cold weather? I spent a couple of hours on New Year's Day 2011 shooting at Castlewood Canyon near Franktown, CO, and have spent many a cold morning or evening with cameras in tow when visiting relatives in the Black Hills for Christmas past and I'm going to share a few of my tips for successful cold weather photography.
First and foremost you have to keep yourself warm. It's no fun being out in the elements if you're not properly dressed and if it's not fun, why do it? So let's concentrate on clothing first. And keep in mind, I don't have an unlimited budget for clothing so I'll share some of my secrets along the way. So let's get started and talk about clothing first.
Living in Colorado we talk about layers. Winter temps can go from single digits early in the morning to 50 degrees or more in the afternoon so we learn early to dress in layers. On a trip to Bosque Del Apache to photograph Sandhill Cranes last January I started layering with silk long underwear followed by a basic cotton t-shirt, a long sleeved flannel shirt, and a bulky fisherman's sweater. I added some thick wool blend socks then donned my Columbia ski/wind/snow pants. I didn't skimp on the price of these pants but was able to buy them at a tremendous discount one year at the end of March when sporting goods stores are trying to clear out all their ski gear. These kind of pants are a must. They're windproof, waterproof, and the gore tex allows moisture to escape. I can't stress enough...wear the jeans when you go out to eat or for kicking around town but they aren't worth a darn in really cold weather. I top everything off with a no-name parka I got at Kohls. It has a zip out liner so it's actually 3 jackets in 1. If you're a fan of North Face or the other elite outdoor clothing companies, be my guest but I try to save money without sacrificing warmth and quality whenever I can.
For footwear I have a pair of gore-tex lined hiking boots for most situations but if it's really cold I have some Sorrel winter boots that are cozy even in sub-zero temps. I don't advocate multiple pairs of socks because every time I've tried it I get blisters but whatever works for you is what's best.
Once I get outside I have several different configurations of gloves. For cold without snow I have a pair of wool mittens with a flap that lets me expose my fingers without taking off the whole mitten. These work well when there's no moisture on the ground or in the air and I can add a pair of silk glove liners to make them usable in very cold temps. Not too great if there's a lot of wind or a possibility of getting wet. For those conditions I have some inexpensive ski gloves. I've bought them large enough that I can use the silk liners with them if it's really cold. The trade off is that these are my warmest gloves but also bulky. I have to take them off to make camera adjustments. Finally, I recently picked up a pair of thin thermal gloves at Costco that seem to be pretty good in moderately cold temps. They have some rough surfaces which makes it easy to hold onto slippery photo gear like cameras and lenses.
Finally one of the most important part of your winter ensemble...headgear. You lose body heat through the top of your head quicker than any other spot and if you're follically challenged like I am, it becomes even more critical to keep your coconut warm. I have an assortment of hats that includes ball caps and wool ski hats but if the weather is really frigid there's one hat I own that is head and shoulders (pardon the pun) above everything else. Call it a trapper's hat, call it a Rocket J Squirrel hat, call it what you will. It's a goofy looking contraption and I'm sure I look like a fool wearing it but I've never let that be a deterrent for me. The nylon shell with goretex lining keeps me dry and the fake rabbit fur ear flaps keep me toasty warm in the coldest of temperatures. It truly is worth it's weight in gold.
So there you have a description of my attire. There are other things you can add like chemical hand warmers and boot warmers, face masks and bandanas. There are some really nice insulated coveralls that are usually worn by snowmobilers but they are a little too bulky for my taste and make me feel like the Michelen man. I'm sure there are lots of options I've overlooked but this is what works for me. If there's something out there you know about please leave comments...I'm always looking for new ideas.
I haven't talked at all about gear and how to winterize it but that's also critical and I'll share some of my tips and tricks in a future blog. For now, though, don't let the cold keep you inside. Dress appropriately, get outside, and make some world class images.
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