Photographing in Crummy Weather

[Diane Maher]

I was just doing this last night. Nothing like having the 5x12 set up on the tripod with a 600 mm lens all ready to fire off a shot when you feel a drop of rain. Needless to say, the 25-40 mph wind gusts weren't helping as I was facing directly into them. Given that I then proceeded to then accidentally pull the darkslide with the lens open, I decided to wait out the exposure (1 min) despite the blowing, spitting rain before I packed up. It'll be interesting to see what, if anything I get on that shot. It was pretty gloomy yesterday and this was at about 5 pm.

[Paul Kierstead]

Heh, that sounds like a bit of adventure at least, Diane.

For cold I have found the key is to dress much warmer then you are initially inclined to, especially if you "working" one area. I used to do some wildlife stuff (non-LF) and it was especially brutal.

I've ended up with some -100 degrees C snow-mobile boots, an army artic parka and ski-pants (if it is really cold). As mentioned, glove liners are great too. Now, once you get warm enough you discover you can't trek without over heating. So it can be really good to use some "technical" gear, with openable flaps, etc. to regulate heat. If you don't want to drop huge bucks on top-end specialized parkas, you'll need to be careful to regulate heat by opening your jacket, etc; scarves and the like help here quite a bit. It takes a bit of practice, but you really don't want to over heat on a bit of a hike in and then stand in the cold soaked in sweat.

[bulrich]

Diane, let us know how it turned out!
I'm out at night for some long exposures and hard to brave the -20 windchill.

[Colin Corneau]

For cold, layer. You can peel off layers as you warm up/go inside..and it insulates you against the cold better. An outer layer of a windbreaker or similar material will do wonders, too.

Those pop-top mittens are great. I found a great pair that left me mobility were these black woven thinsulate material, by Domke. They were $40 (CDN) but then I went to a running store and found joggers mittens -- exact same material and everything, only with a different logo and half the price!

Keep your head covered -- hat, whatever, but you radiate a lot of heat through there.

[Michael Rosenberg]

I suggest you invest in a waterproof pack cover for the camera. with a couple of binder clips to hold it closed it keeps the camera protected from wet weather/sudden downpours and swirling snow.

Mike

[Diane Maher]

Diane, let us know how it turned out!
I'm out at night for some long exposures and hard to brave the -20 windchill.

Will do. I was standing at the confluence of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers. The rivers are so low compared to how high they were earlier this year. In fact, the spot where I was standing had been about 3-4 feet underwater (I'm guessing) earlier this year.

[Richard Raymond]

Diane,
One of the biggest problems is the wind. Take some hiking or ski poles ... they will help you walk and by adding a painter's plastic drop cloth you can create a light weight wind break. Bury some of the bottom edge in the snow or hold down with rocks. Make sure to angle the setup into the wind to reduce wind pressure on the rig. I use a similar setup in Death Valley to protect from the winds and blowing sand.
Ric
Keep warm out there.

[Drew Wiley]

Bad weather is the story of my life. I carry Goretex everything, including the darkcloth,
plus plenty of plastic bags of all sizes.

[GPS]

Bad weather doesn't exist - only bad clothes. (A Swedish proverb).

[Kin Lau]

If there is snow on the ground, put some plastic cuffs on your tripod legs to stop them sinking into the snow...

The DIY version of this is tennis balls with an X cut large enough to put the leg in.