How do you deal with snow / inclement weather?

[DrTang]

blanket, hot toddie, fireplace and maybe a die hard movie (save for #2)

[Bruce Barlow]

I have found that photographing in lousy weather usually doesn't yield worthwhile images, because the light is so flat. I wait until the sun comes out, and then usually only have to deal with the cold. Snow and ice in bright sunshine - now yer talkin'!

In the meantime, comfort food, good wine, a fireplace, Bill Evans on the stereo, and a blonde.

[Jody_S]

How do I deal with snow? I freeze my ass off and keep shooting. There's nothing like lying on your side in damp snow for 15 minutes trying to compose and focus a low-level shot, when you forgot to bring the mini tarp you usually bring for just this purpose.

Reminds me, late last year I was shooting in one of my favorite spots, a park right next to my house. I broke through the ice and fell into 3 ft of water. The only thing that saved my phone was that I fell slightly forward and my hip pocket stayed out of the water long enough for me to grab the phone and relocate it to a higher pocket. My gear was ok, I dropped it on the surrounding ice as I fell. I had to use my tripod as a support for my upper body weight so I could extricate myself, and then had to walk about half a mile around the swamp to get back to the road, because I didn't dare retrace my previous route.

Winter is fun!

[adamc]

I always give my camera some time to cool off in the porch or the car before going out. I made a mistake once by taking a room temperature camera out in a snow storm, the flakes melted on the surface and re-froze making the whole thing unusable within a few minutes. If everything's nice and cold, most of the flakes will just bounce off.

If it's snowing heavily, I'll use my Speed Graphic and not really worry about it. Just giving the whole thing a thorough wipe-down when I get home, and leaving everything open and extended for a day or two afterward. I'd still use my Toyo if I didn't have the SG, but it's nice to have the "beater camera" option for these situations.

[ROL]

I didn't know dark cloths were water tight?

Fell right into my trap again. You guys are just soooo easy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAwIWZ9H3ZU


I've never worried a tenth as much about getting my VC wet as I ever did with other less easily dry-able smaller cameras.

[StoneNYC]

You guys have given me some excellent ideas!

So does that mean my Harrison changing tent is also waterproof?

And in that picture example, it doesn't look like you followed your own advice :-p

I don't remember seeing anything like the ultra bounce you described on set, usually they just cover the camera with a plastic bag lol!

Though that does give me an idea about just using a plastic bag. But I think ultimately the best thing for me is to get some Velcro strips, and I have some extra duvatyne (sp?) cloth, it's red actually bright, so it'll make me look really cool haha, and attach the cloth to the camera covering the Bellows etc. that way it's easy to take on and off, when I'm taking the camera part without having to fiddle and getting water droplets everywhere? How does that sound guys? Or do you think the weight of the duvytine (sp?) cloth will push down on the Bellows too much?

I've got the compendium bellows shade, so I think I'm all set on that front, except when using the 75 mm lens, which is recessed, and already difficult to adjust without having to add something in the Way, but I'm sure I'll figure it out.

Judy, BE CAREFUL! Also, remember your iPhone is not as important as your legs when it comes to hypothermia...

I'm still open to hearing more ideas of course, I really like being able to think about what is the best option.

I have one of those dark cloths that you can put your arms into, but it doesn't seem to fit right for me as far as using the arms, I've never quite understood how to get it right and be in it at the same time. I'm not a big guy, so it should be fine, but maybe I'm using it wrong somehow?

The elastic cord is so ultra thick, that it doesn't really bend enough and let's a lot of light in on the sides of the edges of the camera, and doesn't really stay stuck to the camera and often falls onto the Bellows which always makes me worry that I'm going to bend them, or it falls off the other direction and then I have to re-hook it back on. Sometimes I feel like I'm missing something entirely. I've also thought about taking the handle off the side of the Toyo45a. I do actually use it to grip and lifted up, but it wouldn't be too bad to just pick it up by itself with two hand I suppose, and the strap not being on the side would then not get in the way of doing other things, has anyone done this?

Thanks.

[Ari]

I just try to make sure my fingers don't freeze when working in the cold; metal-on-skin can really cut into work time.
I am still searching for that ideal pair of gloves that will allow me to keep my fingers toasty while performing the finesse movements required on a VC.
Keep the loupe around your neck, light meter in one pocket, film holders (if they fit) in another pocket, and dress warmly.

[StoneNYC]

I just try to make sure my fingers don't freeze when working in the cold; metal-on-skin can really cut into work time.
I am still searching for that ideal pair of gloves that will allow me to keep my fingers toasty while performing the finesse movements required on a VC.
Keep the loupe around your neck, light meter in one pocket, film holders (if they fit) in another pocket, and dress warmly.

I learned the hard way last night that my loupe does not like me, it's also made of metal...

I had left my camera pelican case with all the stuff in my trunk for a couple days, and so it was very very cold which was good so it didn't have to cool down or anything, and I didn't have to worry about lens distortion from temperature changing, but damn was that loupe cold!

I hadn't planned on shooting, but I was driving down the highway coming home from a trip, and saw this awesome picture of a Polaroid camera on the side of the building, and tracks down where it was in the city overlooking the highway after about two hours of driving in circles of course, ironically I got pulled over by a cop, asking what the heck I was doing trying to drive the way I was, and I explained to him what will I was and was trying to do and he said oh that's the old Polaroid factory here's how you get there... I had no idea it was the old Polaroid factory but kind of fortunate that he found me or I would never have known! I'm not that confident in the shots as I only took one, a panoramic, and I could hardly see at all, it was cold, and I was trying to balance the light of the building and the light of the highway, and not to freeze, and not to have so many headlights in the shot Crossing the field of view that it just look like a big white light mess. I find out when I develop it...

Anyway yes gloves will be necessary from now on in the winter, and I'll take a look at all the options and see how it all comes together.

I hadn't thought about film holders! God what was I thinking! Hmm... Well perhaps maybe I'll just stick a graph mattock in my pocket, and then may be the panoramic back as well and another pocket and just stick with those two, A total of 12 shots should be more than enough to get me by on a simple winter outing, I usually only shoot 2 to 4 images anyway...

[Drew Wiley]

Stone, I've got decades of experience doing this kind of thing, including a lot of mountain experience with view cameras under all kinds of conditions. Some camera and tripods are obviously much better than others under extreme conditions, but I won't go into the specifics here. I use black Goretex darkcloths, which are waterproof just like a Goretex parka, but also breathable and lint-free. Keep you meter battery warm, inside a pocket. Or have a warm spare battery in a pocket. One frequent problem is having condensation from your breath fog up the groundglass. If really cold weather you might find a skiers knit "snorkel"-style facemask useful in this respect. Or maybe your breath won't freeze if it's pickled with something 100-proof anyway! Pick the right kind of gloves and general clothing. I like working out of a real backpack that has plenty of room for personal gear and not just camera things. Have a compendium lens hood to keep your lens dry. And although skis are nice to get around in, it is far easier to maneuver a camera with snowshoes instead, and to tamp down a snow platform so your tripod legs won't sink in. ... you can also attach little ski pole baskets to them. I like my Ries wooden tripods for snow. Bully mass helps. But some cheaper wood tripods will literally
freeze shut. Otherwise I use carbon fiber tripods with a mesh bag below with rocks for weight. Spike rather than rubber feet are important if you want to grip
icy surfaces.

[smithdoor]

The video is for a sunny not cold of the day.
I have crown graphic still good shape so after a lot rain and ice. But now I got a 120 camera for rain and snow.
If some happen just get the new 120 and keep going.
Note: I have had the same 120 since 1987 just use an old cote to cover the camera. I always keep a old cote in my truck even in sunny CA.

Dave

Fell right into my trap again. You guys are just soooo easy!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAwIWZ9H3ZU


I've never worried a tenth as much about getting my VC wet as I ever did with other less easily dry-able smaller cameras.