Dealing with Wind

[Kirk Gittings]

I'm curious about any tricks people have for dealing with wind. I was out today on the edge of a storm with fantastic clouds shooting in gusty 50 MPH winds. I have been able in the past to get sharp images on exposure up to about 6 seconds in such conditions. Some of my tricks.

1) decide aesthetically whether I can live with movement of trees grasses etc.

2) if the potential image passes #1, I......

3) Carry a small Lite Disk (handy for other things as well, I get them black on one side and silver on the other). I hold this disk upwind of the camera pined between my head and shoulder and clasped with my right hand (the right hand also holds the readyload darkslide so it doesn't vibrate). I hold the disk at an angle so it doesn't block the wind so much as redirect it over the camera. I try to hold it as close to the camera as I can without touching it. With my left hand I trip the shutter etc. This is what I have found works the best. It may not work as well with 8x10 and larger formats as the size of the disk would need to be larger and much harder to hold without folding in a strong wind. I have also.....

4) Sometimes hang my bag from the center column letting it touch the ground slightly so it doesn't swing.

5) Park my truck up wind right next to the tripod and shoot from its wind shadow.

6) use a shorter lens so the bellows is not so extended.

7) put my light meter soft case under the bellows so it doesn't vibrate.

8) tied a length of cord to the bottom of the center column and stepped on it to steady the tripod.

[Andrew O'Neill]

Wind can drive you nuts, especially when you are under the cloth trying to compose. I like to let leaves and branches go blurry because I think than can add something to the composition.
I wrap my dark cloth around the bellows and use an umbrella over my shoulder, with the back to the wind. I also do the string tied to the centre column and held taut with my foot, thing. The light metre case under the bellows thing is a great idea. I saw Rob Skeoch do this.
I try to expose between gusts, but sometimes that is impossible if the moment is fleeting.
I prefer to shoot headon into the wind than wind from the side. One morning in early September I was shooting up on the Fraser River. The wind was blowing fiercly, head on. I had a 600mm lens on, I could see the camera bouncing up and down! I was thinking "well, this isn't going to work!" I waited for a slight lull, pulled down on the front of the camera bed slightly, and made the 3 second exposure. The negative looks terrific.

I was shooting a detail of an Arbutus tree trunk and a little leaf...during the exposure a gust of wind blew the leaf away...I didn't have any tape to hold it down...but I did have some chewing gum. That did the trick! The wind was coming in from the side. I didn't have my umbrella with me, but my dark cloth really help shield the camera.

Sometimes I'll give up a bit of DOF to get a slightly fast shutter speed.

So, I think if you have something to shield your camera with, and weight the tripod down with, you'll do okay.

[Capocheny]

Hi Kirk,

So, how did the shot turn out in the 50 mph wind using all the tricks and techniques you wrote about?

That's pretty darn blustery! :)


Hi Andrew,

An umbrella, especially one of those large golf ones, sounds like a great idea! Then, if it starts to rain... :)

Cheers

[GPS]

I made my cameras so that I can put them on 2 tripods. You can laugh at winds then... I take a lot of meteorology pictures, sometimes in high mountains, no problem with wind with this setup.

[SteveL]

I carry a large, black golfing brollie, which makes a great windbreak, and doubles up as a walking stick and er.........a brollie :)

[MJSfoto1956]

My IR-land photos (done with a BetterLight scan back) were a nightmare -- each exposure took from 5 minutes up to 10 minutes and wind was a constant battle in the Emerald Isle. I used a bag of rocks attached to the tripod AND I held an umbrella downwind of the camera to prevent gusts from upsetting the scan. Didn't always work I can tell you -- especially with a 500mm Nikkor! What I've come to realize with a scan back is that you also need to weight the camera itself (unless said camera has no bellows). This is one of the reasons I purchased the Gaoersi -- solid metal, nothing to move. Of course, with such a camera you can kiss that 500mm goodbye. :(

[j.e.simmons]

1. Orbit (heavy) version of the C-1 Black Beast
2. Zone VI standard (heavy) tripod
3. Include the word "Wind" in the title of the print.

juan

[Bruce Barlow]

I moved away from Chicago...

[Kirk Gittings]

HDC, I'll let you know! I was shooting at from 1-3 seconds. I have pulled it off in the past.

[David A. Goldfarb]

I'll sometimes stand with my darkcloth spread out as a windbreak.

If I know that wind will be a problem, I tend to shoot my Tech V, which holds up better to the wind than my lighter or bigger cameras.

[Ed Richards]

If you are in the truck, having a heavy tripod available helps. I have a Gitzo telestudex 5 series that I keep for shooting over fences (it extends to 100+ inches) but at normal working height it is like a rock in the wind. I also use an old technika like David, at least with normal and shorter lenses is very stable because there is not a lot of exposed bellows and the camera is rigid. We tend to only have high wind along with thunderstorms and hurricanes, so there are other limits on taking pictures that tend to make the wind less important in south LA.

[Frank Petronio]

I find a couple of Beano tablets take care of all my wind problems.

Seriously though, it may be time for a rigid medium format (Fuji 6x9) or dare I say a digital SLR. Given the camera shake, shooting smaller, at a faster shutter speed, may well be sharper in the end.

[Andrew O'Neill]

I find a couple of Beano tablets take care of all my wind problems

...I was waiting for a comment like this to come about. No beans on toast before an outting.

[Eric Woodbury]

1. All the things you said.
2. Stay home in the Spring.
3. Use a medium format.
4. When making a long exposure, use the darkslide in front of the lens as the shutter. When the object is still, let the light pass. When the object is moving, block the light. Keep a mental count of the exposure.
5. Take pix of rocks and buildings.
6. For the 57, I have a brace than slides between the camera and the tripod and supports the front of the camera.
7. Work in deep canyons, under heavy trees, etc., where the wind is low.
8. Take pix of the wind.
9. Work in the darkroom.
10. Cry in my beer.

[paulr]

wind is always a bitch, but i've had more trouble with it in Kirk's part of the world than anywhere else. i'm hoping blurry pictures with extra dust in the sky come into fashion someday.

[Andy Eads]

I sometimes try to damp the vibrations in the camera/tripod by simply touching the camera lightly with my fingers. By feeling the vibrations and watching the wind patterns, I can judge when best to release the shutter. This seems to work about 2 out of 3 times.

[Capocheny]

HDC, I'll let you know! I was shooting at from 1-3 seconds. I have pulled it off in the past.

We'll keep our fingers crossed for you. :)

Cheers

[Eric Woodbury]

Besides...what are the odds? How many pictures do you take to get one good one? This has been written about here before. For all of us, it is quite a few. 10. 100. Hard to figure. So if you take a few pix in the wind, chances are low that you'll lose anything.

[Graham Patterson]

Perhaps it is time that colleges offered elective courses in weather magic.

I try to work as low to the ground as the setup permits and try to get one tripod leg aligned against the wind pressure. Once the wind hits 50 mph you have to take care not to be blown over yourself.

[Ben Crane]

I actually got a decent image in about 50 MPH wind using this technique:

http://www.benjamincrane.com/CameraInCar.jpg

http://www.benjamincrane.com/CameraInCar2.jpg

[Struan Gray]

I haven't scanned my N.W. Scotland shots from this summer, but allowing the ever-present wind to shake the camera a bit - as described in this older thread (http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/showthread.php?t=15950) - is a standard part of my abstraction repertoire.

[Alan Davenport]

Include the word "Wind" in the title of the print.

LOL!

I keep a cheap folding umbrella in my camera bag. It makes a good windbreak, may be able to stand more wind than a lightdisc, and in the event can also be used to keep the camera dry.

Hanging something from the center column works as long the something doesn't start swaying in the wind. Using an appropriately-sized bungee cord to connect the camera bag to the column, so the bag is firmly on the ground, seems to help.

I've even been known to use two fingers to press down on the top of the tripod (where the legs meet, below the head) when hanging the bag isn't advised. Yes, it helps.

[Eric Leppanen]

I shoot mostly 8x10 these days, so these thoughts are primarily oriented around that format:

1) Shoot from the wind shadow of the car when possible.
2) Use two tripods. Set the tripods as low to the ground as possible, and spread the legs of the primary tripod at a wider angle so that it is better braced. Also, exploit any nearby natural or man-made features to better brace or shelter the camera; I recently placed my second tripod (which holds up the front standard) on top of a low rock wall, which allowed me to get several shots in a heavy headwind which would otherwise have been impossible with an 8x10.
3) Use a focusing cloth which affixes to the rear standard using a strong elastic band. My Blackjacket (with the arm holes) works very well in high winds.
4) After focusing, set long postal rubber bands between the front and rear standards (so there is tension between the two); set another rubber band between the front standard and the hook under the tripod center column; and set another rubber band between the rear standard and the hook under the tripod center column. These all help to more quickly dampen vibration so that, when a wind lull does occur, you can release the shutter almost immediately.
5) Use a golf umbrella as a windbreak when the wind is coming from the side or back.
6) Keep fast films around for windy conditions (I use HP5+ for B&W, 400NC or pushed Fuji chrome film for color).
7) For color shooting in particular, rely on your lens coatings and lens hood to eliminate glare rather than using a polarizer (and losing 1 2/3 stops of shutter speed). The new color saturated emulsions actually help here; in high glare, windy conditions I was recently able to use pushed Velvia 100 (without polarizer) to achieve comparable color separation versus my usual pushed Provia with polarizer.

[ronald lamarsh]

On a recent trip to eastern washington I found the wind to be a horrible distraction, particularly when facing directly into it and trying to keep my darkcloth closed in enough to allow me to focus.
However I was facing a constant 10-15mph wind and found that my cambo monorail, and berlbach tripod gave plenty of stability with a 90mm SA. The negatives and prints show no evidence of vibration. My Linhof TechIII with 150mm xenar wasn't as stable though.
I found seeking the shelter of a grain silo and using a 330mm lens to compose a number of images in a 6x12 format to work very well. It also proved to be artistically stimulating.

[john borrelli]

This won't answer your question but here in New England, I've noticed the most beautiful clouds come out on the windiest days (sigh!). I will definitely be reading everyone's suggestions.

[Bart Nadeau_6607]

High wind is where a Graflex excells. Grafmatics make it easier too. A Super D gives you auto diaphram; a older model, an Auto Graflex, gives you a rising lens board.

[Alan Davenport]

I'll have to try your #7, the lightmeter case under the bellows. I hadn't heard that one before, thanks.


I use a cheapo folding umbrella, the kind that collapses down to about 8" long so it fits right into the camera bag. And it really is a cheap one; I don't remember if I bought it at Harbor Freight or the Dollar Store but I know I won't feel any great loss when the wind eventually destroys it.

I have also, in lieu of the cord-and-foot thing, simply put two fingers on the top of the tripod legs (just below the head) and pressed down enough to provide some extra stability.

[Gordon Moat]

About the only thing not mentioned was running a longer exposure. I seem to have better results avoiding vibration wind effects when doing that, though it would obviously not work with shots of trees. One little helper I use is a two way level placed on top of the rear standard; if I see the level bubbles shaking or moving, then I know I have a problem.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio (http://www.allgstudio.com)

[lee\c]

one of my favs it to drive a tent stake into the ground and set the tripod up on top of the stake. Then I hook a bungy cord to the bottom of the tripod and run it to the stake then back to the tripod. That will really drive the legs of the tripod into the ground. If the wind is above about 25mph I stop at Starbucks on the way back to the house.

lee\c

[Shen45]

About the only thing not mentioned was running a longer exposure. I seem to have better results avoiding vibration wind effects when doing that, though it would obviously not work with shots of trees. One little helper I use is a two way level placed on top of the rear standard; if I see the level bubbles shaking or moving, then I know I have a problem.

Ciao!

Gordon Moat
A G Studio (http://www.allgstudio.com)

Excellent tip with the levels Gordon. Also carry an empty bag that can be slung under your tripod and you can fill it with "local" rocks just for the time you are in the location. Sling it low so that it is out of most of the wind.

[paul stimac]

I use a portable tent/hunting blind. Works great in strong winds and only takes a few minutes to set up.

The one I use is called a penthouse. It's made for bow hunter's so it's tall enough to stand up inside. I bought it to shoot in the snow and rain but also use it when it's windy.


http://www.amazon.com/Ameristep-810-Tangle-Penthouse-Blind/dp/B000BSZDTE

[Diane Maher]

I'm curious about any tricks people have for dealing with wind. I was out today on the edge of a storm with fantastic clouds shooting in gusty 50 MPH winds. I have been able in the past to get sharp images on exposure up to about 6 seconds in such conditions. Some of my tricks.

7) put my light meter soft case under the bellows so it doesn't vibrate.


Thanks for this tip, Kirk. I used my meter's soft case plus my Lee filter holder case on Friday afternoon while using my 19 in. Artar (and other lenses) on my 8x10 in some wind. I haven't developed the film yet, but the bellows wasn't flapping around. I'm hoping to get some decent shots.

[David_Senesac]

Wind through slight breezes depending on the target has always been the greatest natural impediment to getting many important images I've tried to shoot. From near wildflowers to water reflections to fall leaves in trees to stable targets in strong camera shaking winds. I've made some enormous efforts lugging huge weight backpacking into wilderness areas or long expensive road trips to Utah only to be shut out by wind or foul weather for that matter. Shooting through a car window or behind some windbreak is about the only thing that will work in strong wind if the location works haha.

There are times when wind will make getting a shot impossible. One just needs to know when to bag it and when to go out and gamble. At times the weather may look hopeless but the choice is either certainty missing a changing condition like peaking wildflowers or gambling the weather will surprise. It took me a half dozen 50 plus mile each way trips this spring to nail one image of wildflowers on ocean shore dunes. Five times over a period of about three weeks the wind or fog got in the way even though I was totally tuned into all the weather graphics and info possible. Understanding the weather can save a lot of wasted efforts as in my example I chose the best days to gamble out of many that would have been hopeless. ...David

[Robert Hall]

Has anyone seen this?

http://www.filmholders.com/wskit.html

I use this on my 8x10 and 12x20, it makes a huge difference.

[Janko Belaj]

3. Include the word "Wind" in the title of the print.

LOL :)))

advice of the week. at least. so funny but so true!

[Kirk Gittings]

Robert, I worked out a similar solution some years ago on a very rickity 4x5 Tachihara. I put loop velcro on the top of front and rear standard and a strip of hook velcro down the length of my analogue Pentax lspot meter case. After focus was set and the light was metered, I simply put my light meter in its case on stuck it on the top of the standards. It worked like a charm.

[TLGG1]

I scout around and decide where I really want to shoot from and then set up an ice fishing tent. It has velcro windows I can pull out as well as zipped covers behind them. The velcro windows are large enough I can keep the lens on the 8x10 back a foot of so and still do well with no tent wall in the way and keep the camera lens well out of the wind. Inside it has a very nice 'plastic tray' to stand in or set a camera bag and stuff of. Protection from the mud, snow and water as I shoot. I am protected and can compose & focus with no problems. A lot easier than fighting the wind which can really sap ones enthusiasm, especially in cold from freezing to 44 below... not to mention I am out of the wind chill from the breeze.

The ice fishing tents set up quickly and take down quickly. Fit in the trunk or back of the truck easily and are a life saver. I like them better than backpacking tents because their height works better for the way I photograph. Nice and roomy and comfortable.

By getting the composition in mind first it saves a lot of time setting up and then having to reposition the tent a few times though I still do that from time to time.

[Doug Pollock]

I often shoot storm shots of the Los Angeles Basin from atop the Santa Monica Mountains. Lots of wind. I use a golf umbrella, my truck, weights hanging from the tripod, and the AWB Wind Stabilizer Kit (no connection to me) which ties together the tops of the front and rear standard. Installation requires screw holes in both standards! I use the kit when using my 720mm Nikon on my DLC45 also!

[Rodney Polden]

One suggestion I found interesting was from Christopher Nisperos in a related thread from 2006 :

http://www.largeformatphotography.info/forum/newreply.php?do=newreply&p=142255


.........
A long time ago a friend of mine did something like this, even though he was only shooting 'little' 4x5 (therefore, I don't know how much of a difference it made).

Basically, he set-up a kind of open-faced tent by sticking four poles into the ground and surrounding three sides AND THE TOP with some cloth (I don't remember what kind it was or how it was attached). He also used tent pegs with guy-lines to keep the whole thing upright...........

........He swore it was great, even citing the advantage of easier focussing and less chance of flare due to the shading effect of the thing............
........... I once told him he ought to commercialize the idea, but he was never interested. Then, I thought about it too, but there didn't seem to be a need at the time....

Though it might be time-consuming to set up, I guess that in some circumstances this would be the item of gear that made a shot possible. Now the question is how to come up with rods, pegs, guys and connectors holding a cloth/sheet material of some kind that's compact and light enough to be worth taking along on the hike.

One previous post recommended the Ameristep hunting blind, but at 22 lbs, that's more than I want to add to my pack. I'm not familiar with other duck-blind products available, so I don't know how light they are, but I'm looking for something with less weight than a tent ideally. Strong enough to resist a small gust, light enough to pack with the 8x10 and all its gear ....hmm?

[Scott Schroeder]

I had an 'invention' of sorts that came about after a trip to Death Valley. I never fully developed it but it definitely works. It's basically a wind block made out of silnylon so it's light, foldable, flexible, windproof and waterproof. I could be used as a windblock, a rainblock and even a diffuser. To get an idea of what it looks like, it's just a large sheet about 3' wide by 7' tall. Put a tent pole in the top and at the bottom. For a wind block you would compose, etc., then put your foot on the bottom pole and use one hand to hold the upper pole, essentially making a large wall next to you. This would block all the wind around the camera (sorry it can't block the wind in the grass in the photo :)), so camera movement, bellows blowing, tripod vibration, etc. can be eliminated. You would still have a free hand to click the shutter. If you are doing an intimate scene you can use it the same way but as a diffuser (silnylon is semi transparent depending on color). You could also rig up a holder to use it as a large rain umbrella. Speaking of umbrellas, many people use them for a wind break, but they don't go all the way to the ground. Anyway, I made one up but haven't had any field time with it except my backyard on a windy day :)

[Greg Lockrey]

I stay in the van and shoot through the opened side door. :) :)

[Arthur Nichols]

This is a variation of the technique that I learned on a John Sexton workshop. Get the camera all setup and focused. Insert the film holder and pull the darkslide. Now wait for the wind to subside. It never does. After 20 minutes or so make big show of giving up. Put everything that is not attached to the camera away as if you are leaving. Put the darkslide back in and then take the camera off the tripod without folding it. Leave the film holder and lens on and leave the focus where it is. Pretend that you are going to put it away. but don't do it. Leave the tripod all setup without moving it. As soon as the wind is tricked into thinking that you are giving up it will subside. When it does, quickly pop the camera back on the tripod, pull the darkslide and trip the shutter. There you have it. You gotta out-think the wind.
Seriously though I do follow this procedure when I am trying to photgraph and the wind is not cooperating. For the project that I am working on I need some wind to make waves on the top of the water. My problem is more waiting for the wind to come than for it to die down. When I feel like I am at my limit of waiting and am seriously considering to leave, I do follow the above procedure, because sometimes the wind does arrive and I can make the shot without having to set everything up again. Art

[Kirk Gittings]

Arthur, isn't it true! You've got to humor the gods of weather.

[Drew Wiley]

It's a very predictable process. The wind always stops the moment I give up and start
packing the camera.

[Noeyedear]

I could be talking out my backside here as I have never shoot LF in the wind. I would of thought film vibration would be a big problem more than movement, would not double sided tape made just tacky to hold the film in the holder help a lot?

Kevin.

[Lenny Eiger]

I'm curious about any tricks people have for dealing with wind. I was out today on the edge of a storm with fantastic clouds shooting in gusty 50 MPH winds. I have been able in the past to get sharp images on exposure up to about 6 seconds in such conditions. Some of my tricks.
1) decide aesthetically whether I can live with movement of trees grasses etc.


Kirk,
Great thread, learned a bunch....
I think that "things move" when it comes to dealing with leaves and whatnot. It's part of nature and ok in m photos... Of course, 50 mph is more than I can photograph in without doing so in the lee of my car...

I second what Robert Hall said about the Wind Stabilizer Kit. I use it on my Canham 8x10 lightweight and it definitely helps. It's pricey for what it is, but, well, so is just about everything in photography it seems.

I have a foldup windshield thing that is supposed to keep ones dashboard protected. It folds into a lightweight circle and opens up large enough to cover an area the size of a car's windshield. It's pretty light. However, there is clearly room for a new product here. I think a small "sail" with two tent pegs and some 6 foot folding tent poles would be the ticket.

Lenny

[Greg Lockrey]

It's a very predictable process. The wind always stops the moment I give up and start
packing the camera.

:) I my world of road cycling we always used to say, "if you are lost and don't know where home is, head into the wind... it is always windy going home". :D :D :D

[Mark Sampson]

It's well known that the wind will kick up as soon as the darkslide is pulled. It's like throwing a switch...