Shooting outside in canada impossible??

Nikon AF-S DX Zoom-Nikkor 18-55mm f/3.5-5.6 ED

03/24/2008 05:44:48 PM · #1

I tried shooting outside in Canada today...and it's IMPOSSIBLE. I don't understand how Canadian photographers do it during the winter. I'm in Quebec and the snow is about 6 foot high. It's freezing. I can handle some cold, but this was impossible. My fingers were freezing every time my hands were out of my pockets for more than 30 seconds. I bought gloves and they kept my hands warm for a minute. -10C!!!! with wind none the less.

Canadian photographers please explain to me how you do it and what you do to keep warm??? I don't want to waste a trip to quebec.

BeeCee

Nikon D40

03/24/2008 05:54:52 PM · #2

Layers. Final layer, something wind can't get through.

Then again, I live in the part of Canada that doesn't get hammered, so what do I know? :)

zeuszen

Canon EOS-1Ds Mark II

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/24/2008 05:55:59 PM · #3

Well, you have to be prepared. :-)

A good pair of thin wool gloves, a warm hat (I use a sheep skin that covers the ears, too), a nice expensive down jacket or knee-long coat (preferable 1 or 2 sizes too large) to hide camera and lens under, thermal long johns, heavy woolen socks (100% wool), a pair of warm boots would be a start. For extreme cold (-20ÂºC - -40ÂºC) there are pocket warmers you can buy, too. These help keep your batteries warm.

If the snow is 6' high, ya need snow shoes. If you get the smaller high-tech ones (vs. the cow hide ones you see in the movies), you can dance on the snow.

Message edited by author 2008-03-24 18:32:04.

Canon EF 100-400mm f/4.5-5.6L IS

03/24/2008 06:28:26 PM · #4

haha...I guess it's my fault for not checking the weather before I left. Normally I travel expecting to go snowboarding, but i figured it wouldn't be this cold. The only thing that was cold was my hands and my face. I could handle the rest. I'll have to give it another try on Wednesday.

That and I may just shoot mostly indoors..lol.

Strikeslip

Canon EOS-5D

03/24/2008 06:48:55 PM · #5

I just drink lots of whisky before I go out shooting in the winter. I usually do OK, but have to be sure to keep the lens on Autofocus.

soup

Canon EOS-30D

Canon EF 17-40mm f/4.0L USM

03/24/2008 06:53:26 PM · #6

what zeuszen said - and you sort of get used to it after a while. cold seems colder until you've been out in it for a couple weeks.

strikeslip is lucky he's alive - everyone knows yagermeister is what you drink to keep warm in the winter...

kirbic

Canon EOS R5

Canon RF 24-70mm f/2.8 L IS

03/24/2008 06:56:35 PM · #7

Hee hee, -10C, that's a cakewalk... our GTG in Wisconsin on March 08 started out around -21C. The problem is that when your hands first get cold, your body reduces circulation to them, making the problem worse. Circulation gradually returns, so you'll find that after a time you'll notice the cold a lot less. Still, care needs to be taken to avoid frostbite.

LVicari

Canon EF 24-105mm f/4.0L IS

03/24/2008 07:51:20 PM · #8

What do ya mean cold.I wore my banana hammock for this one.

Message edited by author 2008-03-24 19:51:56.

cpanaioti

Canon EOS-40D

Canon EF 70-300mm f/4.5-5.6 DO IS USM

03/24/2008 08:21:36 PM · #9

-10C? That's a heat wave in the middle of winter.

I wear mini gloves inside flip top mits. Hands stay nice and toasty, even when holding a cold piece of metal.

Message edited by author 2008-03-24 20:23:19.

03/24/2008 09:28:48 PM · #10

Originally posted by cpanaioti:

-10C? That's a heat wave in the middle of winter.

I wear mini gloves inside flip top mits. Hands stay nice and toasty, even when holding a cold piece of metal.

I knew those were womens gloves!! The woman who sold me those is probably still laughing!

03/24/2008 09:30:09 PM · #11

Originally posted by kirbic:

Sadly i was here when it was -25C at some points too...so I thought -10C was warm...but still too cold to shoot. I got a couple of photos but none that i can say i took time to compose. If I had received my zoom lens then I would be okay...prolly wouldn't have even left the hotel...lol.