10 tips for shooting in this awful heat:
- Allow time for camera to defog. Keep the camera in the same temperature to avoid fogging. If you have to shoot outside and only have a limited amount of time, keep this in mind.
- Paper towels are your friend. You might as well take stock in bounty. You’re going to need plenty of towels. Make sure you have some, your assistant, in your bag, in your pocket, and every member involved that’s going to be in images has some! No one wants that sweaty sheen.
- Shoot in the shade – A LOT cooler there.
- Shoot in shade by AC. Try to find an area you can shoot in that’s next to a door that they can wait in the AC until you’re ready for them. NO ONE wants 15 people at a time mad at them bc they are dying of heat… so if you’re not shooting them have them wait inside until you’re ready.
- Explain poses prior to going outside. If you have a pose that takes longer than normal, try explaining it in the AC before you send the couple or bridal party outside. That or take your totally fab cards, whip them out & they will know exactly what to do. (plug). lol
- Keep the clients informed. If you’re camera fogs up, have them go back inside and wait, don’t just keep clickin’ through fog, just let them know this is part of having your wedding in JULY, then have them wait inside. If you have a pose that you want to shoot thats directly in the sun, tell them you’re going to save that for last, because you want to try and keep them cool as much as possible.
- Dude photogs – take an extra shirt. If you’re anything like Pedro… you sweat a lot… yuck, take some extra clothes. Actually this is a good tip in general, never know what can get spilled on you!
- Listen to the weatherman. ALWAYS remember that if you’re shooting a session, try to schedule it for the coolest times of the day. If there’s a heat advisory, please reschedule your session. They are going to feel miserable and look like a HOT mess if they try to do it during a national heat wave!
- Flower’s are not your friend. Photogs make sure to ask the bride if the florist specified if the if the flowers could be outside. Some of them can’t. What happens? You end up having a flower funeral before the wedding even began… and guess how that thought process goes.. well the photographer had us go outside = you murdered the flowers. NO BUENO. I try to not use them much prior to the wedding, unless the bride specifies otherwise. ALL clear!
- Take a break. If you have to shoot an outside event, make sure to keep plenty of fluids in you and EAT. If you feel like you are going to pass out that usually is your body telling you, that you’re going to pass out. I’ve almost passed out twice at a wedding due to the heat, thank God, I didn’t but if I wouldn’t have taken 10 mins out… could have been a photog disaster!