Quixdraw Loc: x

Don't think I'm alone wanting to keep myself and my gear generally out of the cold. Won't be flying anywhere again this year, so after the next forty or so days, will be looking for some activities to keep me busy photographically. I always shoot a bit from the house and car, and when the weather is unseasonably warm, will get out prospecting for wildlife. I don't care for the condensation dance, so generally don't let the cameras get very cold. This year I have a couple of old pro cameras and some second tier lenses and may push my former limits. There are always the thousands of slides waiting to be digitized, a couple of big cartons of ancient family photos to be scanned, but that wears out pretty quick for me and becomes an endurance exercise. I have film cameras, film and even chemicals for processing. Might go there, it's been too long. Indoors, of course, cooking stuff - easy to expand that. The Dogs, always glad to model. Random things that catch my eye. There may be some photo friendly events at the Arena. If you live in a place with genuine Winter, what are your favorite pursuits? I can use some new ideas.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

Finding another aspect of post processing to explore may be a possibility for you. It doesn't have to be anything big - just finding out how to make a few nudges in the right direction. I'm planning to find out how to do luminosity masking or some other way to apply adjustments to only the brights or only the darks. If I can do that I can pursue my theory that the advantages you can get from good quality gear can be simulated in PP.

Quixdraw Loc: x

Thank you, good suggestion. Not something I do much, so plenty to learn.

Sinewsworn Loc: Port Orchard, WA

Stay warm and dry! The Northern Tier is up for some wetter than normal (?) precipitation and perhaps cold as well.
I starting to explore the stuff that these expensive applications have stuck in the rear somewhere.

Curmudgeon Loc: SE Arizona

My problem of course is summer. Two or three hours in the morning to get out, both The Ghost Dog and I are less able tolerate the heat with each passing year. Deteriorating physical condition doesn't help either.

I have been slowly building a table top macro studio: Lights, macro rail, Helicon HB Tube, etc. I will be setting that up as soon as the house remodel is complete and the dust settles a little. It will be a new direction and I won't know if I like it until I try.

Quixdraw Loc: x

Quixdraw Loc: x

The other side of the coin. We were unusually hot this year, but not as bad as you experienced. This was the first year the dogs paws had issues with the heat, and we have very little paved area. Cold paws is common. I always promise I'm going the teach the next pup to tolerate boots and a coat. Maybe this time. Your tabletop sounds like a good idea for either "extreme" season.

E.L.. Shapiro Loc: Ottawa, Ontario Canada

"Neither snow nor rain nor heat nor gloom of night stays this photographer his appointed assignments."! OK sorry about the plagiarism y'all at the U.S.P.O. but it's a more polite way of saying "I'm gonna freeze my backside off AGAIN this winter.

As for the OP, I know that Montana is not a tropical paradise in the winter but for y'all in the South, those rumours about its big super cold in Canada are kinda true. In Eastern Ontario, we do not live in igloos but the Winter can be long and cold but we do have our stronger Canadian booze that can also be used for heater fuel. Some parts of the country are cold and dry but where I live it's cold and damp. So I used to try, in Winter, to confine most of my commercial work to my nice heated studio, or a nice heated architectural interior, or food shoots in a nice HOT kitchen! i. This past winter, however, was the height of the pandemic lockdowns, all my food service clients were not advertising very much except for the few that went online for home delivery and curbside pickups.

Come to my financial rescue, the construction and excavations industry. The government allowed all in-progress sites to continue on and just before the lockdowns I was working on several projects for companies that rent and sell heavy equipment, cranes, and a few construction contractors. They require still photographs for displays at international trade shows, annual reports, and brochures that detail their products, services and rates. Lots of it have to do with snow removal and drilling in inclement weather. One of my clients makes track defrosters for light rail train services.

I spent the better part of last Winter hanging off stepladders, scaffolding, Sky-Jack platforms in minus 30-degree weather and trudging around snow, ice and frozen mud on sites. The pandemic restrictions have loosened up now but the construction and destruction continue and two of my major clients have come out with new heavy equipment from Japan and I am booked up all this coming Winter with the onsite locations. Can't complain, the money's good, that's if I don't die of hypothermia! Well- there are only 10,000 cases reported in Canada- we know how to dress for the occasion!

Attached are some leftovers from last winter.

Quixdraw Loc: x

Nice! As is being paid. I can be much more cheerful about weather extremes if working in / under them helps fatten my bank balance. I suppose I've been retired long enough or too long (Monday is equal to Saturday) I just didn't think about work. Work goes on!

Gspeed Loc: Rhinebeck, NY

If you live in a place with genuine Winter, what are your favorite pursuits?

Love getting out early morning after a fresh snowfall/ice storm to shoot the up-close magic of it all.

Manglesphoto Loc: 70 miles south of St.Louis

When shooting in cold weather I have found it is much easier to keep my gear from getting to warm, eliminating the condensation problem, I just keep the batteries a bit warm until a bit before I'm ready to install them.

ClarkJohnson Loc: Fort Myers, FL and Cohasset, MA

Last winter, I got out some old Marklin HO trains that had been in boxes for several decades, and built a train layout. Since we weren’t having anyone over for dinner, I was able to take over the dining room table. Fortunately, my wife is an enthusiastic supporter of the whole project. Now that things are coming together, i can also incorporate photography, and take pictures of my progress. This year, I’ll be building a Christmas/winter theme.

Oh yeah, in January we’re going back to Florida.

DIRTY HARRY Loc: Hartland, Michigan

Cool!

anotherview Loc: California

You may wish to try the Shadows/highlights filter in the full Photoshop. It will automatically adjust them, or you can do the adjustment manually with sliders.

R.G. Loc: Scotland

I have Elements 2022. I'm looking for more than just adjusting the brightness levels of the shadows and highlights so I would be hoping that the shadows/highlights filter allows other adjustments. I've recently found out that the Range Masks in the latest Lightroom do exactly what I'm hoping for, but I have Lr6.