6 tips for an Outdoor Camera Setup

As you may have noticed I love to take photos. Specifically when we're outdoors doing fun stuff. Taking photographs outside when hiking, snowmobile driving, canoeing or anything that challenges your gear a bit more than the typical studio set up.

So if you're looking for a new camera or camera gear and thinking about shooting outside, take a look at these six things to consider.

Now, I'll not name brands or models because it's personal. All brands have their own models that would work really well in an outdoor setting.

1.

It's good to have a camera that won't crash on you as soon as you take it out in winter or if you get caught in rain and can't cover the camera right away.

2.

Make sure you have enough batteries to cover your trip. Some cameras are incredibly sensitive to cold and that will drain your battery in minutes of use. Keeping extra batteries warm (i.e inside your jacket) will help you when the temperature drops.

3.

Having a good tripod or a Mcgyver mindset is a must. It's not that often I'll bring a tripod when hiking. Mostly because I haven't found a light enough tripod yet. So the last year and a half I've used my back, my gloves, a knife, axe, a snowmobile v-belt and a bunch of other things to keep my camera steady.

With this setup of a 'tripod' I took the photo of the northern lights in the bottom of this post.

4.

Memory cards. One of the most annoying things is to run out of memory. If you have a backup memory card, get another one. And keep them secured and organized by getting a memory card case. This will keep them safe from dirt and keep them dry if you get caught in a rain storm.

5.

A camera bag. Keeping your camera safe and snow/dirt/rain-free as much as possible is key for it's longterm survival. And it might cost you a small fortune to hand in your camera for service every time you come back from a trip. I prefer to have a small camera bag that fits my camera, batteries and the memory card case. There's the option of buying a combined hiking and camera backpack, and they're well padded.

6. A cleaning kit is always a good idea. Especially if you've been in areas with a lot of sand and dirt. That stuff will get in everywhere.