Ahhh the annual heatwave, always such a challenge for us Brits and super challenging for those that have to do a hard day’s work in it. Wedding photographers can find themselves shooting in full sun for several hours at a time. Beyond staying hydrated and slapping on the sun cream over the course of the day, there are a few other things that you can do to look after yourself and your kit.
After The Wedding
- If you’ve been hot and sweaty over the entire day then sodium, glucose, and mineral levels can dip. This contributes to that wedding hangover feeling that you get the next day. Prevent this by having something salty to eat when you get home or something that helps with electrolytes – like coconut water or hydration salts.
- Chefs that work in hot kitchens all the time, swear by anti-chafe cream to help with any rubbing when you sweat so consider adding some into your survival kit.
- When you get home, soak your weary feet in cold water and Epsom Salts. This helps reduce any inflammation. Make time for self-care, even if it means putting a basin of water under your desk while you start your image upload.
Your Camera In Hot Weather
Also, you should take care of your camera’s health. Extreme weather can be hard on them too.
- Regularly switch your cameras off during the day to rest them. You can swap in fresh batteries every now and then to stop yours from overheating. Bring more spare batteries than you usually would. If you don’t have spares, just open the battery door sometimes.
- If your memory cards are getting a little old, consider replacing them. Your camera will generate more internal heat if the cards are not as efficient as they could be.
- Allow time for your camera to adjust to big changes in temperature. For instance, if you go from midday full sun to air conditioning. Consider switching them off for a 5 minute break.
- If you shoot mirrorless, pull the LCD screen away from the camera body when you can to alleviate heat build-up.
- You can buy anti-fog eyepieces that are specially coated to prevent fogging.
- Keep your kit and yourself in the shade as much as you can.
Stay safe and enjoy the good weather while it lasts
Lisa x