For many, the snow is starting to blow and temperatures are dropping. This is no reason to hibernate your camera for the winter and dust it off in the spring. Winter can be a great time to make some new photos while keeping yourself and your equipment safe. Here are five tips for keeping your camera gear safe and yourself warm!
Batteries drain faster in the cold
Our cameras are useless without power, and batteries In cold weather, water evaporates very quickly. Carrying more batteries may be an option, but realistically, it is not economical. So, how do we stop our batteries from dying in the cold? Keep them warm! I also like to keep them inside my coat or in my pants pocket. Your body heat will allow you to keep your batteries warmer, and in turn, you should reduce the drain on your batteries. Most of all, remember to bring extra batteries!
exposure compensation
Bright objects always trick your camera’s light meter, and snow is no different. If you’re a photographer who likes to use aperture priority, shutter priority, or program modes, you may already know about exposure compensation. When your camera is measuring a scene full of white snow, your camera will think the scene is too bright. When you use these priority modes, the camera will compensate due to the whiteness of the snow and darken the exposure, ultimately making your snow look gray. Increasing your exposure compensation to between +0.3 EV and +0.7 EV will allow you to correctly expose your snow, leaving it bright white.
You might be wondering, what happens if I shoot in manual mode? It is also easy. Depending on the look of the photo you want to achieve you will change the camera’s shutter speed, aperture, or ISO between +0.3 EV and +0.7 EV. A quick tip is to make sure you are looking at the back of your camera’s LCD screen to check proper exposure and try a few different exposures. Remember, if you’re shooting in manual mode, you can’t adjust your camera’s exposure compensation.
Protect your gear from enemies, moisture
In general, cold weather won’t harm your camera, but humidity will! You might have noticed that when you walk outside, your camera lens gets blurry. This is due to the lower temperature outside versus the warmer temperature inside, which causes condensation. Even though you can wipe off condensation from the outside of the camera, you should remember that condensation can also form inside the camera. Condensation that forms inside your camera can damage the electrical components of your camera and lens.
How do we combat this issue? A plastic bag or container. Placing your camera in a plastic bag or container can cause dramatic changes in temperature, and the camera should be handled with care, as condensation will form on the bag. This is not 100% foolproof, and some condensation may still form, but it should be in very minimal amounts.
What happens if there is condensation on your camera? It is recommended to use a microfiber cloth to wipe it. Be careful not to wipe too much, as we don’t want to spread the moisture around too much. While returning home, I put my camera bag inside another bag and wait for about two hours. This will allow slow and subtle changes in temperature, allowing the camera and lens to gradually warm up, and in turn, no condensation should form.
add contrast
An image full of snow lacks one thing: contrast! Images may lack color and depth; Thus, adding contrast during your post-processing workflow will help bring these images to life. I also suggest increasing the blackness, saturation and shadows in your images.
Bonus: gear, the non-photographic kind.
- promaster gloves, No one wants cold fingers while drawing, and when using gloves, they get in the way of trying to press buttons and turn knobs! I found the ProMaster gloves very useful as they were designed to be used while shooting and holding the camera in your hand. The tips of the index finger and thumb fold back, allowing you to easily access your camera controls and are held back in place with a small magnet. The material on the index finger is made of a substance that will allow you to even use your camera’s touchscreen! they come in knitting And fourteenPersonally, I prefer four-layer gloves because they are warmer!
- layers of ice, Where there is snow, there is snow. a nice pair of snow cleaning The one that attaches to the bottom of your shoes is a lifesaver. Better grip on ice is beneficial, as it will prevent you from slipping and falling, reducing the chances of damaging your camera and lens.
- hand warmers, I like these very much. I like to keep them in my pocket and they give me extra warmth. They are also relatively cheap.
- columbia boot, i love you too columbia shoesA great pair of winter boots may not always be the cheapest, but they’re an investment that helps keep your toes warm. Who wants cold toes? I love any Columbia item that features Omni-Tech material, a reflective fabric that adds warmth!
Don’t let the cold winter weather deter you from getting out of the house with your camera so you can create stunning winter photos, especially after a fresh snowfall. With a few tips and tricks, you can create amazing photos and stay warm at the same time!
