Keeping your Feet on The Ground

And your behind off of it!

This was my first real winter shooting off-trail and in the snow and ice.  My primary goals were to keep dry, comfortable and everything (both me and my equipment) in one piece.   Several items helped accomplish this: long underwear, good boots, winter socks, gaiters and "Yak Trax".

The Yak Trax are basically snow chains for your feet, easy to put on and comfortable to walk in.  They stretch easily around your shoe (various sizes are available) and secure firmly in place to give you increased traction in snow and ice.  I've put them to good use this past season and never once had a problem with them - work very well, as advertised.

The traction they provide on pure ice is incredible!  With these things in place, I was able to traverse solid sheets of ice with minimal effort and keep both my gear and myself safe.  I highly recommend them as a great addition to your winter hiking kit or as part of your winter emergency kit.  They're also pretty easy on the wallet and can be found at many locations for around twenty dollars.  Two thumbs up from me!!

Measure Your Work Over Time

It's easy with any new hobby (especially this one) to get discouraged rather quickly.  You won't necessarily notice your improvement from day to day or week to week (although it does happen).  I think it's similar to watching your weight everyday on a scale.  You can go a bunch of days with no change, or even an increase here and there - so you feel that your not progressing - makes it easy to give up.  However, ignore the scale for a month or two and then hop on (after doing the right things, of course!) and voila - you've made some pretty nice improvements!

Photography is very similar, it's easy to get discouraged from day to day as you don't see any improvement - check out these tips and you should feel differently!

• Every couple of months or so, go back into your archives and take a look at some of your older work, even if its only been a few months - I'm betting you'll be stunned with the improvements you see!
• Join a site such as ShutterCal and post your photos as you progress throughout the year.  I've recently gone back and looked at some Eagle shots I took at the beginning on January and compared them to my most recent captures.  I was amazed at how "bad" the early ones looked!!  Resist the urge to delete and replace them though - it's your visual record or your progress.  They weren't "bad" photos (in fact I was pretty proud of them just two months ago) - they're just a good record of your skill level at the time - so learn from them!

A Picture is Where it Finds YOU!

[caption id="attachment_42" align="alignnone" width="480" caption="Quick as a flash!"][/caption] A slow, lazy day taking pictures can get interesting real quick - make sure you're ready when it does!  We were out shooting eagles last month and they spent most of the afternoon just hanging out in the trees being lazy.  Then out of no where an eagle came shooting over my shoulder, grabbed a fish, turned around and flew off!

Luckily I had my backup camera with my 400 lens slung over my shoulder, I quickly grabbed it, focused and shot as the eagle passed over my head.  Even more lucky (or maybe you could say "prepared"!) I had setup my backup camera when I got out that morning - and reset the exposure compensation a couple times during the day.  What turned out to be a great shot could have been a total miss if I didn't keep my equipment ready for the conditions.

Lessons learned - be ready, just in case, for when the picture finds you.  The old expression holds true - luck favors the prepared.  Hey, someone tell my wife!  I really can be trained!!

A Picture is Where You Find it!

[caption id="attachment_32" align="alignnone" width="480" caption="It's Cold!"][/caption] On a very cold snowy day over the recent holidays, I went out for a wonderful walk in the fresh snow.  It was going to be about 3 miles and I was eagerly anticipating some great shots of birds in the snow.  As it turned out, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse.

Returning home I was bummed out!  What a waste of my time - not even a single shutter snap!  As I walked into the house, grumbling to myself about the poor time I just had, I happened to look out the window - and look what I saw!  This poor Dove sitting right by the heated bath trying to warm up - what a great natural shot - and it was just waiting for me!

I should have enjoyed the wonderful winter hike for what it was, if a picture presented itself - great - if not, enjoy the walk itself!  The pictures will be waiting for you when they're ready - you don't always have to work so hard it - especially if it can start to take the fun and wonder out of the hobby.

Cold Weather Photography - Lessons Learned

[caption id="attachment_20" align="alignnone" width="200" caption="iPhone shot of my morning setup."][/caption] If you properly prepare yourself, it's amazing how comfortable you can be in cold weather.  (Please note, this is coming from a transplanted New Orleans boy who now lives in northern Illinois - so yes, staying warm and comfortable is definitely possible if I can do it!!)

On a typical late fall morning this year, it was common to have day break temperatures in the low to middle twenties, warming up to around thirty-five by afternoon - perfect weather for photographing the migrating Sandhill Cranes making their way down south.  I'll be posting some specific product reviews and detailed tips on what worked (as well as what didn't) but in a nutshell, here's a list of some of the basics:

• Warm and dry feet are Number One: Ensure your boots are waterproof, even if you don't plan on being in water.  Wear hocking or hunting socks that are appropriate for the temperature.  (and keep a dry pair in your backpack just in case)
• Two pair of gloves work best: Keeping my fingers warm seems to be the hardest for me, and the needs of camera controls make this even more challenging.  I wear a pair of this UnderArmor glove liners as my first line of defense, they're thin and allow for great tactile control.  If needed, my second pair of gloves go on.  These are AquaTech Sensory Gloves that allow your thumb and index fingers to poke out when needed - really does the trick!
• Keep your butt high and dry: You're not going to stand all day, and the ground will be (at best) cold and (at worst) wet which is a recipe for an uncomfortable photo hike.  Bring along your own seating.  I prefer a packable walking stool as they are very comfortable for long stays but any local sportsman's store will also have a large selection of hunter's cushions designed to provide a little padding and some insulation.
• Pay attention to where you drop your gear:  Depending on where you are, the ground may look dry but moisture can be lurking just below the surface.  If you can't hang your pack, try laying it down on a bowed over bed of reeds, a bush or a stump.  Don't just toss it next to you on the ground and expect it to be dry when you throw it on your back two hours later!

Well, those are some of the basics on my first real month of outdoor cold weather photography. Over the next several weeks I'll be expanding on what I've learned with some deeper dives into gear, techniques and even some below zero weather tips - so stay warm for now!