Ask an Agent / Twitter Competition / Keeping Warm on a Photoshoot

Ask an Agent is a regular monthly column tackling all your dilemmas about the photography industry – the photography industry’s first Agony Aunt! For the last Ask an Agent this year we are tackling how to stay warm on winter shoots. We turned to Twitter for some help from the LPA followers, offering a Christmas Hamper to the best idea!

If you have any questions you’d like to ask a photographers agent please send them to askanagent@lisapritchard.com.

Dear Ask an Agent

I’ve been commissioned to shoot a large group of people for a big client over the Christmas period. It’s a three-day outdoors shoot and some shots need to be taken at night. I want to make sure everyone on set is as comfortable as possible, so I was wondering if you have any tips on how to keep warm on a winter shoot?

- Malcolm Clark, photographer, Derby.

Thanks for the question Malcolm. Here at LPA we’ve braved all manner of weather conditions on set over the years, and as producers we’ve organised few similar outdoor shoots this winter for our photographers. Shooting in cold temperatures can be tricky and involves a bit of foresight when it comes to making sure the crew and clients are comfortable and your equipment is fully functioning.  Warm clothes and hot drinks are a good starting point but we have a few more handy tips courtesy of some of our Twitter followers.

Thanks to everyone that got involved, we had a great response and it was hard to pick just one winner but eventually we decided on this suggestion from photographer James Lightbown. Well done James, a Christmas Hamper is on it’s way to you!

“Making sure there’s hot food. I’ve been known to make enough chilli for double helpings and took a slow cooker. Happy team…oh & another…Don’t let the team who are wrapped up warm complain about the cold in earshot of the talent in summer clothes!”

- @jameslightbown

 We thought James’ answer was really original and we particularly like the second part – it’s really important to consider the comfort of the models who may not be wearing weather appropriate clothing!

© Jonathon Nixon / Behind the scenes on a chilly Julian Love shoot.

Here’s a few more of our favourite tips for shooting in winter, starting with Wayne Lennon who came in a very close second with these clever technical tips:

“Hand warmers in the camera bag do wonders for keeping batteries charged…Sticky back pain pads (that heat up) are great on the @Profoto B1 battery to keep them warm in harsh conditions…Transition equipment between heat extremes slowly, to stop condensation forming inside the kit.

- @WLennonPhoto

“Obligatory star jumps every ten minutes.”

- @emilyphoto

“Fingerless gloves and dancing to the music while shooting.”

- @BeQuirkyBeYou

“Make sure caterers know you’re out in the cold so appropriate warming menu! And that the crew know details of shoot so wrap up!”

- @davebirdphoto

“For assistants, fingerless gloves with mitten attachment so you can do the fiddly little bits. 2 pairs of socks & a wooly hat”

- @EdwardFuryPhoto

“Double up on socks, thermal undies, a toasty woolrich jacket, hand warmers and lots of tea and I’m good to go!”

- @Claire_Portman

“Production team equipped with never ending supply of tea/ coffee and melted cheese based snacks…and windproof trousers”

- @thisisdanross

“From a stylists point of view I always take hand warmers and hot water bottles! And not just for the models!”

- @emmalightbown

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