Cold Weather Photography Tips

With temperatures in New England and other parts of the world, down in the single digits and below I thought it would be a good idea to provide some cold weather photography tips.

There are three key items to keep in mind:

• Going from warm into the cold
• Photographing in the cold
• Coming back in from the cold

Going from Warm into the Cold

Going out into the cold has minimum issues with your camera equipment but is a problem for you if you are not dressed appropriately.  Layers of warm clothing are preferred rather than one inner and a thick outer layer.  Good boots, hats, scarves and touch sensitive gloves or flip out photographer’s mittens are a must.  Use chemical warmers in your boots and gloves to keep your extremities warm. Unless it is snowing, your camera and lenses need little additional protection.  They will survive the cold once they come down to temperature.  This is one time you do not need to worry about condensation - cold air carries minimum moisture.  Carry carbon fibre tripods as they do not get as cold as the aluminum ones.  Cover the upper legs with leg covers that can be purchased from any camera store.  You can also tape hot-water pipe insulation that you can buy at you local hardware or plumbing supply store.

Photographing in the Cold

So now you are out and your equipment is freezing as are you.  Keep your camera inside your over garment - keep it warm as in extreme conditions you can end up with a frozen shutter (it is the lubricant that tends to freeze). You will soon realize that your camera’s battery has depleted and the camera stops working.  Always bring a few spare batteries with you.  Carry them in an inner pocket so your body will keep them warm.  Swap out the depleted battery with a fully charged warm one and you are ready to shoot again. Cycle through your spares.  The first battery you thought was dead will recover a decent charge when it warms up so you can repeat the process a few times.

Take your camera out from under your clothing when you are ready to shoot.  Do not breathe on your camera, particularly the viewfinder. The moisture in your breath will condense on the eye pice and cause a loss of visibility and lost photo opportunities. If it is snowing heavily, use protective waterproof devices to protect your camera and lens.  You can use plastic bags in a pinch. Always carry a lens brush so you can brush of any snow from the front element of your lens.  It is good to periodically check for snowflakes.  If the lens was warm and some snow starts melting then use a dry lint free cloth to wipe off the moisture.

Coming back from the Cold

With your photography done it time to come back indoors or to the warmth of your car.  Stop! The equipment is cold the indoor air is warm and moist - CONDENSATION is ready to play havoc with the camera and lens. What is worse, the humid air will penetrate all openings within your camera and lens.  This condensation can be really detrimental to the electronics and mechanical components of your gear. Even if you own weatherproofed professional equipment you should still take precautions.

What you need to do is to let all this cold equipment warm up slowly while it is placed inside an air tight enclosure.  Large Ziploc® or similar bags are ideal. If you do not have any of these bags you can place your equipment in your camera bag that can be zippered shut.  Messenger style bags are not suitable.  Put the equipment in the bag before you bring it into a warm area.  Now any moisture will condense on the bag, not inside and no moisture will condense on your equipment.

Hopefully these pointers will help you and give you the opportunity for some great cold weather photography.