the great Snow Ghost hunt

                               The great Snow Ghost hunt

Or so it seems as I slowly walked off the lift & strolled over to an area away from what seemed to be about 50 to 100 skiers & snowboarders.
it was about 10:00a.m. on a Tuesday-January of 2013 & the skies were just a tad
painted with high clouds as the sun was hanging low on the horizon just a smidgen from due east and not yet at due south but the view was amazing as the sun lit up not just the valley floor but Glacier National park to my left-all of Columbia falls & Kalispell &Whitefish yet a low level fog was lit up by the filtered sun light.
  From a photographers point of view-this was going to be a sweet day for hunting Snow Ghosts.
Before I get into the actual hunt & what it takes to capture a shot of such wonder & awe-let me start with the basics:
As a pro photographer I check my equipment & then check it several times hours before the photo shoot & the morn of the shoot I double check everything from Batteries to cards (including grey scale cards as they will be needed to check the exposures being we will be shooting snow).
I check the camera & lenses & take only the gear I will need to get the job done.
 On this trip I will condense my main photo bag to 2 lenses-a 18mm-55 mm wide angle lens & a 70mm-200mm lens ,a Nd filter ,both lenses have polarizers & uv filters.

A Manfrotto tripod for eliminating camera shake & support is a must for this journey & I will bring a hi-def camera for added footage for dvds later.
I also make sure I have the essentials in my bag & on my person before I start the hunt-hand & feet warmers in place.
Snow shoes to get around in deep deep snow which are a must as well if your planning on hiking through snow of any depth.
I always travel with a gps just in case & carry garbage bags to lay down on the snow in case (and I will)I have to lay on the snow & without these you might as well get ready to freeze as the bags keep the snow off of your gear & cloths.(which will melt onto your clothes).
(make sure you read the basics from the winter photo woes blog as far as what to carry in your backpack).

So the journey begins several hours before as I plan my mornings events-what to expect with weather conditions,possible dangers & possible issues with camera gear,weather,health,lenses & snow shoes.

Big Mountain or Whitefish Mountain(as it is know now) is home to one of northwest premier ski resorts.
Resting high above Whitefish lake & the lil town of Whitefish where there is always something going on.(We do torchlight photography here as well as 4th of July fireworks on the lake-it is a must see if in the area.)

The air very cold as I think we are hovering around 11 degrees.With temps this cold it will surely be a drain on your cameras batteries & on the lenses.I put hand warmers in my pockets to keep extra batteries warm & also to keep my legs warm as well as these temps will run the chill through you several times over if your not wearing proper protection & can wreak havoc on your camera gear if they also are not protected from the elements.Use caution in everything you do when shooting in extreme conditions-check everything over and over again.Getting it right will make for a safe but fun photo experience.

 

The Snow Ghosts could be seen from the lift going up to the summit which added to the excitement of photographing the mammoth structures of ice,snow & somewhere hidden inside was the tree that just a few months back stood tall in the sun lite.

Snow shoeing whether in shallow snow or deep snow is a must as you just never know what the conditions are-one minute you may be walking through snow that is a foot deep and then you find that your having problems in snow that is 3 feet or deeper.Play it safe & use equipment that gets you to your destination safely-know your limits.

 

 

 Glacier National park & surrounding areas were beaming with beauty as the sun hit the peaks just right & cast a light that made the scene seem so surreal

but the gentle breeze froze everything in a second.

My fight today would not be the severe temps that kept this area so cold but the bone chilling sting of the breeze on my cheeks made for a rather tough go of it.

I brought with me a scarf to wrap around my face but somehow the winds were able to untie the piece of cloth about every 60 seconds or so leaving this photographer rather peeved as I had to put down some camera gear or set the tripod aside for a moment to retie the scarf.

At one point early on in the photo shoot I found that a runny nose & a loose scarf wasn't a bad thing but worked out good to my favor but after reaching into my jacket pocket for a kleenex I found out that even a second of cold air was murder on the hands.

As a Photographer -whether it be how you frame a shot or how you apply a filter to how you approach a subject-I tend to remove the right glove when shooting photos for one:I am right handed and for 2 I need to feel the cameras buttons and you just can't do that when wearing gloves.

On my cameras each slight push of a button means something so you have to be able to apply certain parameters to the shot while shooting of the subject so with that said? I tend to let my right hand take the brunt of the cold but at least the glove that will eventually cover my hand is equipped with a hand warmer.

I stop over on the corner or ledge if you will and observe my first Snow Ghost of the season towering over some lesser ghosts sitting off to it's right and below it.

The sun hits the beast as it curls to the right as if enjoying the cold-the backdrop is of snow capped mountains & the valley floor where you can see for  miles and miles-hey thats a song!!

 It is amazing how the Ghosts seem to have a life of their own almost like a slow moving creature.
The colors swirl all around as light bounces off the mountains,the valley floor & colors of light dance all around...surely this is real.
I can see Snow Ghosts everywhere I look as winter is truly their wonderland.
Taking the photos are the easy part as I dabble with several shots of different exposures after checking with a grey scale card to see what the proper exposure would be considering the light reflected up here is so bright.
Several filters are used esp a polarizer to bring out colors and to remove glare.
Without a polarizer one may have to settle for shabby photos.
A neutral density filter is used periodically when shooting into sunlight as your shots will be blown out if you don't consider the light source-the sun will drown out everything.
I make my way down a slope and tackle a few more shots of various Snow Ghosts of different sizes trying to capture not just the beauty but how the light hits the mammoths and what kind of shadows the present.
The Sun is carrying a halo this morn as it will add to the overall appearance and hi-lights of the shots making for a great added compliment.
My journey takes me farther down the hill towards the west which overlooks Whitefish lake but getting to a family of Snow ghosts proves a bit tricky as the snow starts to push one way or the other under my snow shoes.
I adjust my footing & get back on a more solid trail & in the distance I can see a lone Snow Ghost soaking up the rays of the sun.
All by her lonesome she sits as if calling out to other Snow beings out there.
The Sun has shifted a bit to the west as I drop to  one knee & survey the lighting effects off of the surrounding snow & the giant Ghost in front of me.
Behind me & to the left are several giant Snow mammoths with curious looking structures connected-it only gets better & better for the photo shoot as all of the elements are coming together-light,wind speed,color & texture to the snow.

Gods beauty is everywhere & as a photographer you just want to stand up & high five the creator-awesome-simply awesome.

After  about 2 hours of wandering up & down the mountain side looking for Snow Ghosts-changing filters & lenses,fighting with my kleenex & battling the wind/scarf combo I decide that I need to head out but this is where it gets tricky.







Extreme cold or extreme weather conditions can wreak havoc on cameras and camera gear including Lenses.
Follow the manufactures directions for your brand of Camera and in case your not sure-here are a few important things to consider:
taking a camera,lens or any electronic item into severe cold can cause condensation to build up on terminals & components.
Batteries becomes non working after a short amount of time if not handled right.
I use hand warmers in my pants pockets to keep batteries fresh.A lot of pro photographers will wear a vest with pockets & keep hand warmers in the vest pockets so they can store their batteries in the vest pockets along with filters.

Once you bring a camera,lens or electronic item out of the cold without protection & into a heated area:car,home,ect ect-condensation will build up on your camera sensors & components which will destroy your gear....so?
Zip lock bags come in handy when bringing frozen camera gear in from the cold-before you put your gear away place your camera(cameras)& lenses(separately)into a zip lock bag and seal the bag.
The air around the bag will build up condensation and not the camera or lens.
Once the condensation is gone & and the camera/lens is at room temperature then you can remove the gear from the bag.

It has been said to keep your camera warm by putting it under your coat when out shooting in frigid temps but your body creates heat & this may not be a good thing to do when out shooting.

The Snow Ghosts were amazing as Each family I visited seemed not to mined at all that I was photographing them.

They all have their own qualities about them & the experience is truly a awesome one at that whether your a photographer looking for work or just an admirer longing to see these giants of tree,snow & ice.

you can follow photographer Patrick Booth on facebook-  mysticcreekstudios-all one word or visit our web site at www.mysticcreekstudios.com

 

winter photo woes

Isn't it interesting that this time of year is really a headache for those that have to endure severe weather like Snow,cold,freezing fog etc,etc but for this photographer-I welcome it.
Bring on the snow I say but with that being said and knowing just how much of a klutz I really am-Winter can be just as much of a headache for this photo dude who loves to get out and hike and shoot(that's photograph) things as I see them.

With the woes of winter on many of us & for the photographer who needs to get out & get the right shots in a world of everything winter (including the bone chilling temps,the blizzards & the protection of camera gear)I find it interesting that most folks who endure the season really don't venture out with the right protection for themselves or for their camera gear.

Today's blog will touch base on two things:
protecting your camera gear and getting out and using that gear in extreme
conditions.

When people ask me about photography, the first thing they want to know is "how did you get that shot?" without asking the real question-"what did it take to get that shot?"
Winter in Northwest Montana can be brutal with temps below zero & road conditions being dangerous at best so when you have to get from point A to point B & the only way to get there is by foot then your options are limited & the once easy road of packing camera gear into a remote location just got a lot harder.
Lets take the basics first-Protecting yourself from the elements.

Whether your a pro or a amature or a newbie wanting to get into the field there are a few things that you either learn from the get go or will learn from trial and error-research,try it out,research,try it out and research until you get it right.
1st off-you need do some homework & study the area your going to venture into-not just from a whats the weather going to be like? but what season is it?
What are the dangers ?
What are the pros carrying with them?
What are the locals saying about the area?
Do you have the right equipment(heavy coats,sweaters,boots,hand/feet warmers/ ect,ect.)
You can never have enough protection simply because you will be facing the elements(rain,snow,ice,wind,bone chilling temps,fog,wildlife) on a outting and no you may not  have to deal with a bear on one outting but if it is winter you may be faced with brutal cold air and visibilities at zero or maybe a clear day but you forgot the chap stick or maybe a scarf or face mask to protect you from the cold.

It may seem like a lot but to ensure a great photo shoot you will need to make sure that you have what it takes to be comfortable while dealing with the elements.
Here is a simple list of things to consider when heading out on a winter photo shoot &this really is the basics at least for this photographer:
(of course plan wisely as these are suggestions & the list will change if it is a overnight event or a 2 hour shoot/hike).

.heavy jacket
.long johns or plenty of layers of insulation to keep your legs warm
snow pants or thick pants to reflect the cold
(keep in mind that if it rains your cloths if not water resistant will absorb
the water which will make your efforts even more of a challenge).
thermal shirts/water resistant clothing
face mask/goggles/sunglasses/scarf/hat/stocking cap/ear muffs/ect,ect

all of these are great as the elements can be cruel-nothing worse then getting to your destination & the heavens have dropped rain & snow on you & your gear &
your now soaking wet & freezing & still have to hike back-plan ahead!!
.foot warmers
.toe warmers
.hand warmers
all of these I highly recommend as they have saved my feet & hands from what could of been a bad case of frost bite.
.wool socks
.heavy outdoor socks
.waterproof hiking boots-yup...don't leave home without them as they are great in the spring,summer fall seasons as well.
I don't do a outdoor shoot without them.
Let me stress this one piece of equipment if your going to be hiking on snow &
Stabil-icers or boot enhancers-these are a rubber sole that has little springs or sheet metal screws drilled into the sole of the rubber piece that slips on to the bottom of your boot.I found out the hard way when carrying a $1500 lens-ice is very slippery & even the best hiking boots cannot stand up next to a solid sheet of ice-in this case...mr.camera lens meets the ice coutesty of me falling onto my back-yup it hurt.

Gloves & not just any old pair of gloves-cold weather tested -highly insulated
thick gloves that will keep yer hands warm and even warmer when using hand warmers-this is a must!!!

Sure-a thick beefy pair of gloves is the last thing a photographer wants to wear when out on a shoot but trust me-this will save you a finger or two if not a hand in low temps & with the aid of hand warmers you will be more comfortable knowing that you have some heat.(there are gloves out there that have peel away fingers so you can expose the fingers when shooting-check your local ski fitter or sporting store or online).
.Flashlight!!!(if not for emergencies then how about a lil painting with light?)
of course always have one handy and make sure it works.

.Snow shoes
.umbrella
.blanket(in case your snowed in or lost)
.gps unit(better to know where your at & whats around you)
 if wandering into back country-get a permit!!!
.avalanche beacons-a must if your snowshoeing,snow mobiling or hiking out in the back country-Spot makes some great gear-check into it.
Food-take what you can carry & plan for how long your going to be out.
This includes plenty of water!!!!
I take bottled water,somethng for energy & something to naw on while hiking or planning the next shot.
Always prepare!!

these are the basics & it may seem like a lot but we are talking about staying safe/playing smart & not putting yurself into a situation that puts you or someone else into a hospital or even worse.
a great backpack is also essential to carry the important things.
Like I said earlier this sounds like a lot but when you break it all down-you will be wearing most of the gear listed hear and the extra stuff will be in a back pack.
Better safe then sorry
of course the list can go on & get more involved depending on the conditions/locations/elements & the what if's.
 Our next blog-Snow Ghosts!!!

opening day-Going to the sun road/Logan Pass

July 13th-2011-7:35 a.m. the anticipation was growing as winter held on to this area for a very long time.
Longest time on record for the Going to the sun road to open.

Usually the road after it gets plowed is ready for tourists from both sides (the west side of Glacier National Park and the east side of the park from St.Marys) on the 15th of June but deep snow in the mountains which set records left and right made even getting up to Logan pass a chore & a half.

The crowd started to grow as vehicles started to slowly make it's way towards the gate.I spoke with several people about a time that the caravan would begin & 7:45 was the time or when the pilot car arrived as it was coming from the east side of Logan Pass.
I walked around watching the crowd grow more antsy about this big day & then the horn sounded-the pilot car had arrived & the mad dash to the cars began -7:45 a.m.

The scenery was going to be a bit different from times past as the higher we rose in elevation on the drive up the landscape would start to be spotty with snow & not just a dash of snow here or there but deep snow-snow bridges & rivers of water would be seen all the way to the top but also with the sun coming up over the mountains,the cold from the snow would clash with the heat of the day & provide us in most cases going up to the pass with fog & thick fog the closer I got to the top.

I watched as a few cars in front of me would slow down to check out the view as it was stunning to see & a trail of cars could be seen for ways down the mountain.
The easy part was going up but the fun is coming down.

I arrived about 8:30 as Logan pass was covered in dense fog but one could see the outline of a mountain in the distance.

The parking lot was filling up fast & it is said that if you come to Glacier National Park esp Logan pass it is best to be on the going to the sun road no later the 8:30 as parking this time of year is hard to find up here because you have thousands of people visiting this area in a weeks time so plan ahead.

The bus were starting to arrive & the Jammers were over full of visitors racing to be the first to walk about the park.Visitors were leaving their names in the deep snow walls that engulf the visitors center-people were snapping photos & a lot of folks were making their way to see the winter landscape that surrounds Logan pass with Mt.Reynolds & the trail to Hidden lake which is all buried in deep deep snow.

The view is staggering as the line of traffic can be seen building up down the side of the mountain.

I passed two fellows who were getting a photo taken by the welcome to Logan Pass sign-I know this because they ask me to take it which I did-the older fellow held his mountain bike over his head as to say-I HAVE DONE IT!! they conquered the mountain or at least was one of the first to get a shot like that.
I made my way away from the crowd & walked down to the overlook-here usually this time of year big horn sheep will be lurking in the brush or laying along side the overlook walkway just enjoying the heat of the sun.

Today with all of the deep snow there wasn't a sheep to be found.


The snow covered the garden wall which this time of year is busting with wildflowers & hikers & photographers looking for that scenic shot-the only thing bustling along this morning is the crowd growing & growing.

A great day for the Park & a great day to be a tourist or a local as the treasure of Montana is open for all to see.After I spent some time doing a variety of photo shoots I headed back down which in one word can explain it all-crazy.

The traffic could be seen winding it's way all the way down the side of the mountain-a few cars were leaving but for every one car leaving the park there was 30 more cars to replace it.

What would take a mere 45 minutes to get here would take longer to get back to the main road.

Jammers & buses & people on foot & on motorbike & people out of their cars waiting for the traffic to move would be snapping picture after picture.

The fog was long gone & the beauty & awesomeness of this grand ole place was coming alive.

It was a long wait but even tho the snows are slowly melting ,the road leading up to Logan pass is now open & hundreds of thousands of people will enter the park this year making it their temporary home & what will be on a lot of peoples wish list while in Glacier will be to travel the Going to the sun road & be swept away in all it has to offer.

You can check out more of Photographer Patrick Booths images at www.mysticcreekstudios.com

where is spring?

Hello,been a while since I have been able to write a blog but yesterdays journey was more then fitting.

Our journey takes us into the Tally lake area which is north and west of Kalispell.

This mountainous area is home to Bear,deer,eagles,hawks,owls and more.

Our journey always begins with the packing of the back packs and to make sure that we have all of the gear we will need for the hike.

On this day I took the following:

2 cameras-we use Canon * Nikon

lenses-a variety of prime,super zooms and wide angle

camera bags with goodies

food and drinkage(or we thought)

bear spray

cell phone(in case of emergency)

normally we take a gps unit but being I wasn't going to be hitting any trails persay it wasn't needed.

I try to plan out a assumed route and guesstimate what I may encounter when I am out.

The weather could be nice here but full blown winter conditions once I get to where I am going so getting a good idea of what the weather may be like-are there bear sightings-are the roads bad in this area ect,ect-it is good to cover all of your tracks and with that said MAKE SURE you have everything you need.

There have been hikes when we have been in the heart of a hike and forgot to bring batteries and such so prepare.

Bags are packed and the car is full of gas which you better do if your traveling hundreds of miles without a gas station in between.

I leave around 7 in the morning-the plan is to photograph whatever God brings my way but really looking forward to getting some killer shots of owls,eagles or awesome scenic shots.

The mood on the west side of the valley is overcast and looks like rain or snow possibly in the mountains.

I head to a area that I have heard is great for seeing owls-I drive for a bit and find the location but no owls this time...

I head north towards Whitefish and run smack in the middle of a snow storm.

The time is 7:45 and for the next 4 hours will be either in thick snow or a mixture of snow and rain.

I travel in the snow along three mile drive which will run through west valley and to a nice place where many people come to watch the eagles dance on the winds and birds from all over will settle down for a breathier.

Snow continues to fall but it has lessened somewhat.

Making the turn towards the star meadows area I drive slowly past a pond or what really is a ton of snow melt that has filled a pasture.

Sitting in the waters are several ducks,canadien geese and a blue herron who in most cases will take off the first sight of seeing movement in which I grabbed a camera and he headed for the hills.

Got a shot away but I rarely will post the tail end of anything wild.

Heading up the Star meadows road I do notice that the road is wet and the snow is not falling to bad at this point but just a lil ways up the road the weather takes a turn for the worse-snow and lots of it.

I am able to travel at a slow speed but the car begins to lose traction and what use to be just a coating of snow on the road is now becoming a slippery 3 inch coating of wet snow.

I am able to make it up to logan creek but my car is saying dude-we can't carry on at this rate and even tho we have 4 wheel drive capabilities unless you have snow tires or a snow mobile you are not getting to much farther then I.

I turn around just past logan creek and head back down the road.

Feeling somewhat defeated I tell myself that we will just record as I see things-thats all I can do so I break out the camera gear and start putting lenses on cameras and going through the gear.

After doing some shots a lil ways down the road my wife calls and lets me know that mr. lets not forget anything has forgotten a vital piece of equipment-the supply bag is sitting at home loaded with food and drink.

Now cell phone service up in these areas or any mountain area is nearly none nill-none-zero-do not rely on it.

After losing the call I had to walk over to a pond and wella-there my wife is on the other line.

I headed back to town but the snow had turned to a spittering of drizzle here and there.

Passed several deer on the way but as I closed in on Kalispell the weather turned yet again-it was like winter had returned.

The spittering of drizzle now was a full blown snow storm and the closer I got to town the worse it was.

It was nearly noon and half the day was basically driving through the snow and rain without really to many shots to take yet I wasn't to disapointed as I knew God had stuff planned.

After arriving back home to pick up my supply bag I headed back out towards the Tally lake area.

The sun was out with a splash n dash of rain and snow but when I got back into the Tally lake area it was basically cloudy with a spit of snow or hail here

and there.

The temperature also warmed up as when I was in the area 3 hours ago the temps were below freezing-we were above that as the 3 inches of snow was gone from the road.

The trip up to the Star meadows area and beyond was now looking promising as what I encountered earlier this day was just a fraction now as there was no real trace of any wild weather yet it was a different story just a few hours before.

The view from the meadows area was pretty surreal as you could see the bands of snow in the distance and every now and then a break in the cloud cover.

Could the sun actually break out and give me some great shots?

I followed the once snow packed road past the cabin which over looks Star meadows and slowly watched the roadside for any signs of wildlife.

The road comes to a end where a 3 foot wall of snow tells you that your not going any farther unless your on foot.

Blue sky appeared and I was watching pockets of snow fall off the trees.

This was starting to look like a great shoot.

Other then forgetting the supply bag I did have all the camera gear ready for anything and whether you shoot weddings,senior photos or maternity which I do-as a photographer you have to be ready for all of the elements.

The name of the game is to be ready and to know what to do with the light and how to compose a shot properly-I have spent a lot of time in the mountains doing just that-composing a shot and looking for the right angle-it is all about light and the eye.

It was nearing 2 p.m. and I got a break in the clouds that will provide me with some great shots.

At first I change the i.s.o. on my camera because it is much to bright out here when the sun is beaming off the snow.

800 i.s.o. will be to much light for the sensor so I cut it down to 200 and 400 bouncing back and forth.

A polarizer is a must to cancel out glare-it also enhances the colors.

I shoot with a tripod 99 % of the time.

If your a beginner or a advanced shooter and want to bring up your A game then use a tripod.

Regardless of what kind of camera you have-a tripod will eliminate camera shake and will steady your shot 100 % and even if you use a tripod you may want to invest in a remote which will prevent any kind of movement from you pushing the shutter button.

I Wandered into the trees to get different angles from the creeks that run through this area and off of the beaten path the snow was easily 3 to 4 feet deep.

I even walked over a snow plowed wall of snow which was deep in itself and over to a bridge and at the base of the bridge the snow was 1 to 2 feet deep but once away fron the bridge and you are looking at 3 to 4 feet deep and thats not even out along the banks of the creeks-it is deep stuff.

I set up several shots and spun around to notice that the wind was picking up.

The trees started to sway and blue sky was giving way to blackness.

I wasn't to far from the car but I would have to run in 3 foot deep snow-over a wall that was another 3 feet and then to the car.

The race was on as I knew that in the mountains the weather can change on a dime and it was about to get nasty.

I ran as fast as one could in deep snow-scaling the wall of snow and before I even got within 20 feet of the car it hit-the storm blew snow sideways.

I looked back and the bridge area was now a grayish color from blowing snow.

The wind could be heard blowing snow in every direction and by the time I got back to the car my hair looked like I lost in a dandruff fight.

Once inside the car I knew that it was going to be tricky heading back as in some areas along the 9 + miles it was nearly whiteout.

I stopped at Star meadows to get a shot of the wind blown snow coming up over the snow bank and then a lil voice said-ummmm you just wanna drive?(isn't it funny that you talk yourself either into trouble or out of it?)

My inner voice said don't be stupid but my photographer voice said:all for the shot...lol bad practice.

I headed down the road which was tough to do because you couldn't see the road in some cases and the farther down hill I went the worse the storm got.

I thought to myself-man it will be nicer weather once I get out of the mountains...ummm yeah right.

I pulled off of the Star meadows road and the storm was just plastering heavy snow everywhere but my eye caught something in a tree.

Two eagles were waiting the storm out.

Snow just hammering everything and here they were.

Waiting and waiting and well...you get the just of it.

Now the finding of 2 eagles is not as rare as it sounds in northwest montana as we have a nest of eagles over by our home but to have a day where the weather is anything but fun-the travel is rough and the wildlife has been reduced to nearly nill-God was smiling on me and he knew I was looking for a great shot and here it was.

Now you probably thought I got out of the car and did a paso or a jigg but come on...I did no such thing.

I did a rhumba!!!!!

Right there in the front seat and then I took photos.....thats the photographers code-dance and then take the photo.

It is not every day that you capture such awesome creatures and they are enjoying the weather like I have all day....thats sweet.

Once I got my fill of shooting the scene with both cameras and a variety of lenses I headed home with the feeling of : you know you came out here and changed the plans as you didn't go into glacier.

You took the attitude that you will record what ever God sends your way and you did that.

You planned for a trip that was going to provide something and you excelled.

Even trips that have a big question mark on them produce something.

Be prepared for whatever and you will achieve it even if it is the smallest of things- it is a achievement.

All photographs by Photographer Patrick Booth

the deep freeze

January 7th of 2010-Winter has it's hold on most of the Country-the Mid West is suffering from deep snow & bitter cold.

The deep South is seeing frozen temps that it hasn't seen in a very long time and the East Coast is digging out from record snow fall.

Here in Northwest Montana, we are seeing some rather cold temps but Winter has been very slow bringing the snow needed in the Mountains.

The Artic cold has been around for sometime & today is no exception as I head out bright & early with the temperature dropping to a painful minus 11 in West Glacier.

The Sun has been out for about a hour & as I drive through The small town of Columbia Falls the weather begins to change some-the temperature here is a balmy 3 above zero with roads semi covered in snow.

Not much traffic to speak of but I did stop along the way & grabbed some hot chocolate,a hot dog & gas up the car.

The skies are clear, but as I look towards the the Bad Rock canyon area,the weather seems to be some what questionable.

The Wind is light but with temps around zero the pain sets in right away on your face & hands.
You do not want to be out under these conditions as severe winds will create rather dangerous driving conditions.

As I hit the road headed to West Glacier-the winds come out of nowhere.

Nearly white out conditions paint the road ahead but just for about five minutes. then it is like driving through the eye of a hurricane-everything is calm.

Bad Rock canyon is covered in ice-ice blankets the trees,the road & rock.

The Sun never shines in this area as it is hidden by a large mountain- the Flathead River twists it's way through a narrow Canyon.

The Wind pulls up moisture from the River & splatters tiny ice crystals leaving the scene a brillant display of ice & snow.

I arrive at Apgar(a campground on the west end of Lake McDonald) only to find that some things don't work like we think-Ice crystals replace snow fall here as the temp is minus 11 degrees.

I can see blue sky but it is very far in the distant & I seem to be the only one up here now (there is a crazy idea).

Ok lets look at some facts-Camera gear is not designed to operate logically under extreme temps-just like with anything under severe conditions-camera bodies,lenses & tripods will bog down.

Even your body says that things are not normal-please go home.


On this day I was packing a Canon camera, a Nikon Camera & a variety of lenses big & small.

Regardless it all amounts to one thing-it is very cold & even the best gear is going to have issues.

As I wander down to the water I spot an Eagle about 500 feet away-it appears to be enjoying the morning but as I race down to the water I find that minus 11 on the body does strange things to your hands & face(at this point my gloves were keeping my hands nice and warm- my cheeks would scream out in pain & once again my brain would tell me-umm did you bring me today just for kicks?).

The Eagle decided that I was way to close but I did notice that the Nikon camera was starting to freeze up.

The lens I was using weighed about 10 pounds but it felt much heavier as I hiked through the bone chilling landscape only to find that the lake was once again hidden in a layer of cloud cover.

I would race back to the car to change out gear to see what worked best and after awhile I went back to my main camera which seemed to do summersaults as I found that the weather had a deep grip on the gear.

The Canon gear became the camera of choice for the rest of the shoot as I found with both cameras that the bitter cold interacted with the gear in different ways.

The Nikon camera as rugged and as great of a camera that it is became rather sluggish and with a variety of lenses and zoom lenses I found that I was having issues with the mounts and they were even having issues in this weather.

That battery held out pretty well but after about 30 to 45 minutes the whole body started to to operate like it was under a great deal of stress-seconds seemed to last forever as I waited for the camera to decide what it needed to do and after dealing with a normal sized lens I found that the Nikon camera was really trying to tell me to just wrap me up and put me away which is what I did.

A great camera-but under these conditions it favored well but severe is just that severe.

I use Canon gear for one main reason-the stuff works regardless of the situation.

Sure the Canon I used favored a lil bet better as I didn't have a problem with the battery(I carry extras just in case)but she was having some tough times after being in the extreme cold for three hours and my hands and feet gave out long before she did.

Now I ain't saying Nikon produces bad stuff as I love the whole Nikon line-great stuff but on a day that is minus 11-Canon is my choice for gettin the job done.

I grabbed my gear and headed over to the creek where a Eagle was perched just kinda chillin(no pun intended)above me.

The wind at this point was picking up moisture and just kind of kicking it above the water as once again ice crystals covered everything it landed on.

By this point my feet started to let me know that several pairs of wool socks could only keep the cold out for so long.

The snow on this side of the lake was about 2 feet deep in some areas and no matter where I went the Eagle would keep a eye on me.

Tourists would drive in towards the lake and I noticed that they couldn't see much of anything and I guess it was to cold for them actually get out and enjoy the balmy temps.

After about 4 hours at the lake it was time to go warm up but best beware about shooting in the severe cold-if you take camera gear from extreme temps and put it into something warm or hot you will create moisture in the camera causing damage to the sensors.

You need to put all camera gear-bodies,lenses and such into either a bag so it will warm up normally or but the gear into a zip lock bag and let the air in the bag warm up normally.

Thousands of dollars of camera gear can be wasted if you do not heed the warnings.

Think before you go out and especially when you return to a warm place.

Remember to wear the right clothing-gloves that are designed for extreme temps-hats,boots and such will keep you plenty warm if you plan ahead and one more thing-

know your surroundings as snow can appear to be just a few inches deep when in reality it can be several feet deep.

Trails will be covered so gulleys,ravines or drop -offs will be dangerous as you will not see a path.

Especially around Glacier and mountainous areas-weather can change on a dime-know where you are at all times and carry a GPS just in case.

Do not hike at night and always have a partner with you.

a life you save may be your own.

until next time-safe shooting ;)



Around noon I headed back into town-met up with my wife and mother in law and headed to Lakeside,a small lil town that sits right on Flathead lake.

The temperature came up a lil as we were looking at 8 degrees above zero.

The sun was out but the frigid temps were really a bit to much.

It is pretty amazing how the cold affects everything-water,water vapor and everything it comes into contact with.

The winds were light and with all of the snow on the ground,the Sun reflecting off of the snow just blinded you.

We made our way around the town of Somers and took some cool photos.

I recommend a polorizer for your camera lens as the glare will be to much for your cameras sensor.

It will even bring out details and darken the blue sky which you see in major photographs.