Conquering weather conditions

After Dave S posted his blustery shot it prompted me to post this question? If I go out into normal cold/windy conditions I can rely on every orifice from the neck up to start leaking immediately. This is to the point where I cannot see through the blur of tears. Nose running is not so much of an issue and I can tolerate that, but if I can't see clearly it's kinda hard to take a shot. If it's really cold my hands and feet turn to blocks of ice beyond feeling. Eventually the tears may clear after I run out, but I am truely miserable in these sorts of conditions. Needless to say it inhibits many photo ops for me. I doubt I could do a workshop without standing in the pre-dawn light with tears streaming from my eyes. I bundle up well, wear insulated boots, good socks, all the logical stuff. I ask in all sincerity, what do you do to combat this so you can go out there, stay out there, and shoot? Todd, Stan... post your comic responses if you must Thanks for any responses.

I cry too and use AF more than usual. With leaky nose and eyes you can only wipe, blow, dab, sniffle, snort etc. often and duck for cover whenever you're not shooting - even if it means pulling your coat/hood over your head - anything to get a break from incessant wind. It's the hardest condition to overcome, which was part of the draw for me this am. I remember a shot that Jesse posted of the Tetons once - cloud motion and waves of grass - it was powerful to see how he pulled it off.

The other stuff - pure cold is another thing altogether. My feet generally suffer the most and I just put up with it. Sitting in a blind for hours is the worst. I've recently gone to a thin liner sock under medium-warm socks with pac boots and it's made a big difference. (too thick is colder than medium weight) Neck gaiters are invaluable, cheap, and another way to protect most of your face from wind. I also have the burliest down parka that Mountain Hardwear makes - purchased for Rainier and now used for sitting in a blind. I put the hood up the other day when it was ~ 10 degrees and had a hot flash! ...or whatever it is when a middle-aged man has one. Use mid-weight liner gloves with fingerless gloves from the army surplus for shooting and big mittens over all of that wehn you're standing around. Another thing you might consider is ski goggles. You could wear those while composing, remove to fine tune, then shoot away.

Oh, and if you're moving - xc skiing, snowshoeing or hiking, always put a down coat on as soon as you stop and drink some water. You can size up the shot while putting the coat on. Once you get cold, it takes too long to warm up.

For the tears, try ski goggles, Pam. For the nose, a face mask. Your activity level while out shooting will determine how you dress overall (snowmobile suits, boots, and mittens, work great for standing around. Those dry chemical hand/boot warmers are great too.), but you can pretty much wear goggles and face mask for a wide range of weather and temps.
Check Sierra Trading Post. They often have good deals on ski/snowmobile gear.

I was going to say ski goggles and glomitts, but there would be an echo.

You need to move to the tropics, Pam.

That is some great advice, Dave!

That is some even better advice, Stan!

Only if she sends back some self-portraits from the beach.

Mind over matter. You get used to the punishment, if you do it enough.

There’s no such thing as bad weather, only unsuitable clothing. — Alfred Wainwright

Photography isn't cheap, and camera gear is only part of the equation! If you really gear up with serious clothing, the discomfort to the extremities will be MUCH less noticeable. And you learn how to adapt your shooting habits. My hands are on my camera/shutter release about 2% of the time during a cold winter shoot. Otherwise, they are wrapped around hand warmers in my pockets. And I'm doing a LOT of mental shooting with my brain, before fumbling with gear.

I was just about to say its all mental, then saw Jesse's post. I think this is a huge part of it, you can endure some incredibly harsh conditions/pain if you really want to. I also work outside for the majority of winter so I have sort of gotten used to it, but still.. Same thing applies to pushing your self physically, hiking long distances etc..

Jesse is right on about clothing, and chemical hand warmers are an essential part of my winter kit!

Foot warmers are a must for me since my toes are the first to go and subsequently turn me into a cranky person.

Goggles are also great in any windy condition, especially somewhere with a LOT of sand. Last thing you want is sand being extracted from your eye with a needle while your eyelid is inverted! Trust me, it's as much fun as it sounds

I wear fleece glove liners inside of ski mittens with hand warmers stuffed in the mittens. Now my thumbs still get cold so I stop every so often and pull my thumbs into the mitten part. Below 10, I've been wearing a balaklava, long johns and thick woolen socks in heavy hiking boots. This is only my first winter in CO and I'm still learning. The coldest I've been out in is 5 degrees. My feet did get cold after a half an hour but it was great being out. My nose runs a lot, but most of the time I just ignore it or wipe it on my gloves. I wear glasses and I wonder if that keeps my eyes from tearing.

Or, you could just move to where I came from, Northern CA. There, 32 degrees was a very cold day.

- Dan

I wear my snowboard gear - thermal shirt and pants, snowboard wind proof pants, I even have a complete face cover balaclava type thing (after shooting in Chicago in the cold and wind I soon picked one up). I usually take 2 pairs of gloves - my thick ski gloves and my thin thermals which are easier to operate the camera with. You can also get gloves/Mittens that you can fold back the ends to operate a camera with. Snow boarding boots are like Moon boots and are warm too.

Lots of great suggestions here! Think I'll refrain from a move to the tropics...too many bugs and heat rash Thanks very much and keep 'em coming if you've got 'em