Going to extremes

A guide to shooting in unfriendly conditions
If the Features article about Simone Moro has inspired you to get out with your camera when conditions are less than perfect then this article will help you take the best photos. Rain can add reflections, snow and ice can change a landscape, and even the harsh, hot rays of the naked sun can alter a scene. But can your camera cope with these extremes?

 

Hot stuff and cold snaps
The specification of your Canon digital camera will probably say that its operating temperature range is 0°C to 40°C. But this is actually the range in which the lithium-ion (Li-ion) battery gives optimum performance. There are many reports of digital cameras working well at temperatures well below this. Click here to learn more about Simone Moro’s use of a range of Canon products down to -40°C. Similarly temperatures above 40°C are not unknown in parts of Europe and in many holiday destinations worldwide.

The trick in both extremes is to have a spare battery for the camera in an internal pocket of your clothing. As soon as the battery in the camera starts to affect the camera performance, you swap it for the spare one; you can alternate the batteries in this way for quite some time. In the extreme cold, some photographers use small hand warmers (which produce heat by chemical reaction) to keep the battery active.