Winter Photography Tips and Tricks/ Part One

Ski Tracks, Mount Shuksan

Here we are at the beginning of November, fall photography is wrapping up for most of us and dreams and plans for next years photography trips are taking shape on the calendar. But what about the next four or five months? There's plenty of photography opportunities and subjects during the winter months too, and I'm not talking about heading down to the Southwest for desert photography. I'm talking about the cold snowy areas of National and State and Provincial Parks, nearly deserted in the winter months. Winter photography is definitely more more difficult and challenging than working in warm summer weather, but with a little preparation and the proper gear it can be safe comfortable and extremely rewarding.

In this post I'm going to outline some tips on gear, safety, and getting around in winter. The key here is to not skimp on quality, get the best you can afford.

Ski Tracks, Mount Baker

Clothing:

• The rule in outdoor safety is, Cotton Kills. When it's wet it has no insulation properties, leaving you vulnerable to hypothermia, and besides that it's not very warm in winter. Leave cotton at home except for towels for drying off.
• Merino Wool is you best bet these days for long underwear and shirts, it's warm comfortable and doesn't smell as much as synthetics after a few days of wear.
• Waterproof shell jacket and pants. Look for features such as built in gaiters, suspenders, articulated knees, hood, and deep pockets with zippers.
• Down jacket or parka, absolutely nothing beats down for insulation, keep it dry and it'll be your best friend. I wear my down jacket only when standing around camp or when waiting for light, it's too warm for heavy exertion and you risk getting it wet from perspiration.
• Insulated high top boots, like Sorels, make sure they're not to tight.
• Two pairs of gloves or mittens. I have insulated ski gloves with leather palms and finger and a thinner set of synthetic gloves for better dexterity when working.
• Hat, sunglasses and or ski goggles. Goggles are great during winder conditions, they provide better visibility and help keep your face warm.

Telemark Skier, Manning Provincial Park, B.C.

Getting around:

• Unless you plan on photographing from your vehicle or on well packed trails, you'll need an efficient way to get around in deep snow. How you do that will depend on your goals and location. If you're photographing in the mountains you're most likely going to encounter deep snow of varying consistency. Here in the Pacific Northwest the snow can be heavy wet and over 10' deep, in the Rockies it tends to be very dry and powdery. Regardless of which it's no fun trudging through deep snow in just boots.
• Snowshoes are you best and cheapest method of getting around in a great variety of conditions. They don't require special boot, are relatively inexpensive, and are easy to learn. However don't assume that you'll be floating on the top of the snow, unless you're on a packed trail you'll definitely be sinking to some degree and working up a sweat.
• Cross country skis are an option only if you're on a groomed trail or have lots of experience. They're generally too narrow for deep untracked snow and they don't turn very well.
• backcountry, Alpine Touring (Randonee), Split-Board Snowboard, and Telemark skis are in my experience the best and most fun ways to access subjects in deep mountain snow. You'll get around much faster, to a greater variety of subjects than snowshoes and with much better flotation, plus you'll have a blast sliding back to your vehicle. The big downside to these options are they can be expensive to get into and have a much higher learning curve than the others.

Kulshan Ridge Washington

Camera Cases and Packs:

• Your camera gear of course must be cared for to a greater degree in winter. A good backpack style case is a must, and a camera in a chest harness will keep you from unloading your main pack in the snow whenever you come across a subject. If you're going out for more than a few minutes close to your vehicle you'll probably want to invest in a backcountry ski pack. Most camera backpacks don't have enough room for extra clothes, water, snacks, and other essential items necessary for winter travel. I suggest finding a quality pack of at least 2000-3000 cubic inches of storage. Ski packs have the advantage of being designed for winter backcountry travel with essential safety equipment, are generally more waterproof, and are easier to access zippers and fasteners with gloved hands. Keeping some extra Ziplock bags and a drying cloth in the pack is a good idea.

Backcountry Warning Sign, Mount Baker Ski Area

Safety:

• if you've already invested in good winter clothing items listed above then you've taken the first and most important step towards safety.
• Never ever leave home without a set of chains or other traction devices for you vehicle.
• Jumper cables and or a portable jump starter are also a must. Imagine charging up camera laptop and cell phone batteries while waiting for the snow to stop then finding out your car battery is dead, not a good feeling.
• A backcountry style snow shovel is also a must. They're strong lightweight and can be used for everything from digging out your car to making a bench or shelter in the snow to extracting an avalanche victim, it's main purpose.
• Avalanche transceivers and probes are essential if you're planning on snowshoeing skiing or boarding to subject matter in questionable terrain. However these items are of absolutely no use if you are not trained in using them or if you're traveling alone. Always travel with companions and make sure everyone is trained in avalanche rescue and awareness!
• Any time you head out in the winter it's a good idea to pack extra food and water in your vehicle along with extra dry clothes a warm sleeping bag and a reliable camping stove.

Clearing Storm Over Kulshan Ridge

The next installment will discuss planning an outing, weather, and other tips. If you've become interested in learning more about winter photography I will be hosting one day workshops and tours in the backcountry adjacent to the Mount Baker Ski area this winter. Check our website for more details and dates.