It's been a while since I've written anything, but I haven't found myself inspired to write about something, even about cameras and the advances that are coming out. Instead I've been finding myself dreaming about the sporting events that I was taking an average of 400 photos a game for bite your lip, palms are sweaty tournament action. Cloudy, sunny, total darkness (ok, there are the field lights), hell even down pour... I have my inspiration.
Digital SLR cameras have one thing that can make them really unreliable in bad weather, electronics. That is if they aren't environmentally sealed, or covered by a plastic bag and duct tape or a specially designed sleeve made to go over the camera and lens to keep the rain, snow, mud, etc. out and the camera dry and functioning.
Ryan McKernanThe big guns, and some of the smaller guys have really stepped up their game in seeing what photographers want and the conditions that they shoot in. Some of them are absolute crap, I mean literally. National Geographic and conservation photographer Stefano Unterthiner uses D2X series and D3s (not to be confused with the unreleased D3S) which are top of the line Nikons and weather sealed. He has gone to some of the most rugged places on Earth to capture amazing nature photography.
...Well those months of tournament time have past, but oh crap, there is now snow on the ground. That's right, snow. I was out walking around Keene and thinking to myself well, I guess this is going to cut down on MY shooting, but not with those that have the wonderful sealing. There was a recent post about another photographer that went to Antarctica and didn't cover his body, just to see what would happen, madness, I know. Only cover the lens not his Canon 7D, I can't believe it.
This is why I cover my camera.
If there is anything that can be gained from this, remember that when the weather turns even remotely bad, find something to cover your equipment, it is well worth it, as ridiculous as it may look, that "Thank you for shopping" bag could be the difference between a pricey fix and a dry day at the fields.
