Neither Rain, Nor Sleet, Nor Snow: How To Protect Your Gear From the Great Outdoors (page 3)

An avid skier, I've frequently witnessed people learning this disappointing lesson the hard way: in freezing temperatures, even fresh camcorder batteries have a short life. When the temperature hits 32 degrees, both nicad and lead-acid cells can lose 50% of their battery life or simply quit working all together.

Avoid this problem by keeping the batteries warm. Carry them inside your jacket, next to your body if possible, or wrap them in flannel or wool. Don't put a battery on the camcorder until you're ready to start shooting. Another common mistake is setting the camcorder on the frozen ground while removing gloves or otherwise preparing to shoot. This not only leads to moisture accumulating in the camcorder; it chills the battery very quickly, shortening its life. It's also a good idea to put batteries in a waterproof Ziploc bag at all times. There's always that out-of-control skier behind you or that melting snow in the branches above.

At high mountain elevations, there's more UV light in the atmosphere, which can make your video appear blue or very washed out. Use a UV filter--a good idea, anyway, to protect your lens--and avoid wide shots. Close ups and medium shots mean less atmosphere between the subject and the camcorder and the effects of the UV light will be diminished.

Finally, plan ahead how you'll manage your gear in snowy terrain. I carry my camcorder in an insulated front pack when I ski. This allows freedom of movement, keeps the camcorder warm, and doesn't interfere with riding the chair lift as a backpack or shoulder bag could.

You can't predict the weather--or can you? A cool service every production manager should have is Metro Weather. This 24-hour service will, for a fee, give you live, up-to-the-minute weather forecasts and climate data for your specific location. If the sky looks threatening, you can call and find out if rain will hit before you get your next shot. They'll check the satellite and let you know when and where those clouds will burst. Call 800-488-7866 for more information.

You can also check your local phone listings and the Internet for frequently updated automated weather reports.

Some of the most satisfying video you'll ever get will be in unexpected places. Plan for the unexpected and the whole world can be your location.

Janis Lonnquist is an award-winning writer/producer with credits in video, television, and film.

• Amphibico
  9563 Cote de Liesse
  Dorval, Quebec, Canada H9P 1A3
  514-636-9910
• Location Sound Corp.
  10639 Riverside Dr.
  North Hollywood, CA 91602
  818-980-9891
  www.locationsound.com
• Cambridge Camera Exchange
  119 W. 17th St.
  New York, NY 10011
  212-675-8600
  www.cambridgeny.com
• Helix
  310 S. Racine Ave.
  Chicago, IL 60607
  800-33-HELIX
• Ikelite
  50 W. 33rd St.
  Indianapolis, IN 46208
  317-923-4523
  www.ikelite.com
• Markertek
  4 High St.
  Saugerties, NY 12477
  800-522-2025
  www.markertek.com
• Porta-Brace
  Box 246
  North Bennington, VT 05257
  802-442-8171
• Photomart Cine-Video
  6327 S. Orange Ave.
  Orlando, FL 32809
  407-851-2780
• The Saunders Group
  Ewa Marine brand
  21 Jet View Dr.
  Rochester, NY 14624
  716-328-7800
  www.saundersphoto.com
• Telepak
  4783 Ruffner St.
  San Diego, CA 92111
  619-268-8559
• UnderSea Video Housings
  9560 South Canyon St.
  Orangevale, CA 95662
  916-989-5438
  www.usvh.com

This list is only a sampling and is not intended to be comprehensive.

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