Posted by Brian Vance on November 11, 2009 at 2:48 PM
This is another shot from the wild morning of Oct. 13 in the Hiawatha National Forest of MI's UP. The light and the snowy conditions were among the best I've ever experienced, but the weather was also wreaking havoc with my gear. The conditions were moving between rain, snow, storm clouds and sun, with wet snow falling from the trees overhead. C&c on the photo are welcome, as always.
I had problems with condensation forming on my lenses, back and front, rain/snow on my circular polarizer and a viewfinder that was fogging over. I was using a plastic garbage bag to cover and uncover my camera and lens during the rain, but feel that overall, I missed the better part of an incredible and unique photographic opportunity.
I don't want to run into this situation unprepared ever again, and I'm wondering what others in the forum are using in similar situations. I've looked into disposable plastic covers at 2 for $10, Kata DSLR covers for around $60 and Aquatech covers at $200 for each lens category (wide, short teles and zooms and long teles). I've also looked into umbrella clamps that hold golf-sized umbrellas via the tripod as a possible solution.
The Kata bag looks good and durable, but it doesn't allow for an attached speed light and flash extender (for birds) and you still have to look through the clear plastic exterior to get to the viewfinder. The Aquatech system solves both problems by offering rubberized/weather-sealed openings at the hot shoe and the viewfinder.
I'd appreciate it if anyone has either a good solution or a link/thread that might help me make a decision or solve my dilemma.
http://www.aquatech.net/c--46--sportshields.aspx
http://www.kata-bags.com/kata.asp?Version=Photo
(click on the e family)
Posted by Bruce Palla on November 11, 2009 at 11:00 PM
Brian, first this is a beautiful shot, great light. Second, what's that thing floating in the water?
Here's my two cents: I shoot high school football(both kinds) for a local paper in all kinds of great Chicago weather. Always use a lens hood. Always carry a towel and lens wipes. If you're hand holding, or standing w/a monopod, I've used a golf umbrella stuck through my belt. Don't crouch or move too fast!! With a tripod and landscapes I use the umbrella and a cable release. I'm kinda cheap I guess. I've never had any fogging issues, except going into a conservatory in the winter. Sorry about that.
Try posting this question in General Discussion. Good Luck.
Posted by Philip Schwarz on November 12, 2009 at 9:30 AM
Brian
I was also out that day and it definitely offered some challenges. Rain, snow and the worst of all was the wet snow globs dripping from the trees. I usually carry several things to protect against the rain and snow. If it is intermittent or light rain/snow
I use a plastic grocery bag that I can cover up the camera and head with. This keeps everything dry while I’m getting ready to shoot. When I’m ready to shoot I use a bandana to cover the equipment for a brief time. The bandana is also useful to wipe things down if they do get wet. I also carry a lens cloth to clean the lens.
If the rain/snow is heavy I use a rain cover produced by PhotoSharp. I attach this to the lens hood and it keeps everything dry. It can also be closed up so I can use it to keep everything dry while the camera is on the tripod and I’m walking on the trail. PhotoSharp offers a 15 day trial and encourages you to order multiple covers to try out. Just send those you don’t need back. They are based in Seattle so they should know something about bad weather. I actually purchased this for use when shooting waterfalls because the camera was always getting wet when I was working close to the waterfall. It keeps the equipment dry but it is obviously more cumbersome than shooting without a cover.
http://www.fotosharp.com/
I’ve also experienced fogging on the viewfinder usually in cold weather when I get excited and accidentally exhale on the viewfinder. The bandanna comes in handy for fixing this problem
PS
Nice shot. Were you there with the Gerlach's?
Posted by Brian Vance on November 12, 2009 at 12:18 PM
Thanks for your input and comments, Bruce and Phil!
Bruce, the thing floating in the water is a snow covered log of some sort. I had a towel and a couple of lens cloths, but both became soaked before long and I needed something more. The cold and wet conditions were causing my lenses to fog over with condensation and I thought that I needed something designed specifically for wet conditions.
Phil, thanks for the fotosharp link. I had a garbage bag and two lens cloths and a small towel, and they eventually were all too wet to keep the lenses and filter dry.
I was not part of the Gerlachs' workshop this year, but I am an alumnus of their superb fall workshop (2007). I was shooting with a few friends that morning, and the entire Gerlach crew were there as well. A lot of people were complaining about wet gear issues, and I did see a couple people using the Kata bag, with some success. I would say around 75% of the shots I took that morning had some weather issues, either condensation, water droplets or smudges and I'm determined to find a solution before I run into those conditions again - challenging, but extraordinary!
Beautiful shot. I'm afraid I can't help much about the weather issues. The most I carry are two garbage bags. One is to cover everything if it's just absolutely terrible out and I don't feel comfortable taking pictures, and the other one is more of a "camera poncho" with an extra hole in it for the lens to poke out of for light drizzle.
Really interesting, and very different, take on Council Lake with the snow accenting the fall colors. I've shot at this location many, many times (good to see that the partially submerged log is still there) in the fall, but I've never seen it with snow.
I rarely have anything more than a garbage bag and some sham fragments with me. Maybe Jack Graham will see this thread and chime in; he's got all kinds of low-cost solutions for weather-related photography problems like this (in fact he was the one who put me on to the sham solution when we were shooting in a steady light ran/mist this past July in the Columbia River Gorge).
Discussion
5 repliesI had problems with condensation forming on my lenses, back and front, rain/snow on my circular polarizer and a viewfinder that was fogging over. I was using a plastic garbage bag to cover and uncover my camera and lens during the rain, but feel that overall, I missed the better part of an incredible and unique photographic opportunity.
I don't want to run into this situation unprepared ever again, and I'm wondering what others in the forum are using in similar situations. I've looked into disposable plastic covers at 2 for $10, Kata DSLR covers for around $60 and Aquatech covers at $200 for each lens category (wide, short teles and zooms and long teles). I've also looked into umbrella clamps that hold golf-sized umbrellas via the tripod as a possible solution.
The Kata bag looks good and durable, but it doesn't allow for an attached speed light and flash extender (for birds) and you still have to look through the clear plastic exterior to get to the viewfinder. The Aquatech system solves both problems by offering rubberized/weather-sealed openings at the hot shoe and the viewfinder.
I'd appreciate it if anyone has either a good solution or a link/thread that might help me make a decision or solve my dilemma.
http://www.aquatech.net/c--46--sportshields.aspx
http://www.kata-bags.com/kata.asp?Version=Photo
(click on the e family)
Here's my two cents: I shoot high school football(both kinds) for a local paper in all kinds of great Chicago weather. Always use a lens hood. Always carry a towel and lens wipes. If you're hand holding, or standing w/a monopod, I've used a golf umbrella stuck through my belt. Don't crouch or move too fast!! With a tripod and landscapes I use the umbrella and a cable release. I'm kinda cheap I guess. I've never had any fogging issues, except going into a conservatory in the winter. Sorry about that.
Try posting this question in General Discussion. Good Luck.
I was also out that day and it definitely offered some challenges. Rain, snow and the worst of all was the wet snow globs dripping from the trees. I usually carry several things to protect against the rain and snow. If it is intermittent or light rain/snow
I use a plastic grocery bag that I can cover up the camera and head with. This keeps everything dry while I’m getting ready to shoot. When I’m ready to shoot I use a bandana to cover the equipment for a brief time. The bandana is also useful to wipe things down if they do get wet. I also carry a lens cloth to clean the lens.
If the rain/snow is heavy I use a rain cover produced by PhotoSharp. I attach this to the lens hood and it keeps everything dry. It can also be closed up so I can use it to keep everything dry while the camera is on the tripod and I’m walking on the trail. PhotoSharp offers a 15 day trial and encourages you to order multiple covers to try out. Just send those you don’t need back. They are based in Seattle so they should know something about bad weather. I actually purchased this for use when shooting waterfalls because the camera was always getting wet when I was working close to the waterfall. It keeps the equipment dry but it is obviously more cumbersome than shooting without a cover.
http://www.fotosharp.com/
I’ve also experienced fogging on the viewfinder usually in cold weather when I get excited and accidentally exhale on the viewfinder. The bandanna comes in handy for fixing this problem
PS
Nice shot. Were you there with the Gerlach's?
Bruce, the thing floating in the water is a snow covered log of some sort. I had a towel and a couple of lens cloths, but both became soaked before long and I needed something more. The cold and wet conditions were causing my lenses to fog over with condensation and I thought that I needed something designed specifically for wet conditions.
Phil, thanks for the fotosharp link. I had a garbage bag and two lens cloths and a small towel, and they eventually were all too wet to keep the lenses and filter dry.
I was not part of the Gerlachs' workshop this year, but I am an alumnus of their superb fall workshop (2007). I was shooting with a few friends that morning, and the entire Gerlach crew were there as well. A lot of people were complaining about wet gear issues, and I did see a couple people using the Kata bag, with some success. I would say around 75% of the shots I took that morning had some weather issues, either condensation, water droplets or smudges and I'm determined to find a solution before I run into those conditions again - challenging, but extraordinary!
I rarely have anything more than a garbage bag and some sham fragments with me. Maybe Jack Graham will see this thread and chime in; he's got all kinds of low-cost solutions for weather-related photography problems like this (in fact he was the one who put me on to the sham solution when we were shooting in a steady light ran/mist this past July in the Columbia River Gorge).