| Let's face it, the weather in most parts of the | | | | My biggest concern with equipment is getting it |
| world is not always picture perfect. Where I live | | | | dry when I return to the vehicle or to my house. |
| on the west coast of British Columbia, Canada we | | | | I find returning to a vehicle is the easiest as the |
| have our share of rain and what I like to call | | | | temperature inside is about the same as outside |
| heavy mist. As a photographer what do we do to | | | | so I tend not to get condensation. I wipe my |
| prepare ourselves for this? | | | | gear off as well as possible, open up my camera |
| On a recent trip to Botanical Beach near Port | | | | bag so it can breathe and don't think too much |
| Renfrew on the west coast of Vancouver Island | | | | about it. As the vehicle warms up the air |
| the weather was a typical heavy mist with | | | | temperature inside slowly warms the equipment |
| occasional rain mixed in. Rather than putting the | | | | and condensation generally isn't a problem. |
| camera away and forgetting photography | | | | Coming into a warm home or trailer is another |
| completely I took this opportunity to capture | | | | issue however as condensation will form very |
| what in many ways is a unique landscape. All | | | | quickly if a damp and cool camera is brought into |
| landscapes do not look like a Tahiti beach at | | | | a warm and dry environment. A few options |
| sunset! | | | | work reasonable well. Generally I dry my |
| Keeping the camera gear dry while shooting is of | | | | equipment off the best I can outdoors and let it |
| course one of the primary concerns. While I don't | | | | sit in a covered area for an hour or so. At this |
| go overboard in buying raincoats for my gear I | | | | point I bring it indoors and haven't had any issues. |
| also don't leave it sitting out on a tripod either. I | | | | Another option is to dry the equipment as well as |
| try to change lenses under cover of trees or | | | | possible and place the items in plastic bags. When |
| cliffs or when there is a slight break in the drizzle. | | | | brought into a warmer environment any |
| Often I'll wear a baggy raincoat that I can slide | | | | condensation should form on the plastic and once |
| the camera under when I'm not shooting images | | | | that equipment has warmed up to ambient |
| and I will drape plastic bags over the camera if | | | | temperature it should be fine. I'm a little skeptical |
| needed. What I don't do is seal my camera gear | | | | on this as I have always thought I likely have rain |
| in plastic or anything else that can't breathe as I | | | | clouds forming inside the plastic bags and this can't |
| think this will just cause more issues with | | | | be good! At any rate, in my many years of |
| moisture. A little air circulation is a good thing! I | | | | shooting I have only had major condensation |
| try to have a light towel or in a pinch my tee | | | | issues a few times and while I have had anxious |
| shirt to wipe off the camera if a little too much | | | | moments watching all my lenses fog over they |
| moisture lands on it. | | | | have always dried out fine without lasting damage. |
| I'm a strong advocate of using your lens shade at | | | | Yes, I'm sure damage can be done but do your |
| all times and not just to shade the lens from | | | | best with drying out your equipment and you |
| sunlight and glare. These shades are also very | | | | likely will be OK. |
| effective at keeping rain off the front element of | | | | What do you do if the weather is just so awful |
| your lens or filter. It's amazing how a few drops | | | | that you don't want to risk your valuable |
| on your front element can make unpleasant | | | | photography equipment? I always come up with a |
| blurred areas in your photos. If I do get drops or | | | | few different options. My first is to shoot in the |
| mist on the element I wide it off with a dry cloth | | | | forest or another protected area and concentrate |
| or tissue and wait for it to clear. You have to be | | | | on close up photography and not the grand |
| patient here as it may take a while! Lens | | | | landscape. It's certainly easier to protect cameras |
| shades can also save your lens if you are | | | | without heavy rain and wind. The second is to |
| moving quickly and give the front of the camera | | | | stay at home and wait for another day. While I |
| a smack against a tree or rocks and this does | | | | hate to admit defeat, this does happen on |
| happen, at least to me! | | | | occasion. The third for me is to find a warm cafe |
| I really don't worry too much about my camera | | | | or pub and just sit the weather out for an hour |
| bag getting a little damp but try to keep it closed | | | | or two. The weather often changes hourly and |
| as much as possible. On occasion I have slipped a | | | | your photography day may have just been |
| garbage bag over my camera bag if the weather | | | | delayed a little. |
| gets extremely ugly and while this works well for | | | | Our equipment is surprisingly tough, get out there |
| the worst of it, it also makes access to | | | | and shoot even when the weather isn't perfect, |
| equipment very difficult. The harder it is to access | | | | you will be shooting memorable images that aren't |
| your equipment and shoot the less likely you will | | | | that common. |
| be shooting photographs; trust me on this! | | | | |