If you're planning or thinking about planning a winter photo shoot in Lake Tahoe there's a few things you should be aware of. Here's a short list of tipsI tell all my clients:
Location planning needs to be flexible. With ground conditions and road conditions constantly changing some places may not be accessible. I recommend a short phone consultation so I can share some options and help you decide your top three choices.
Scheduling the time of the shoot should also be flexible, but often enough it's totally acceptable to plan the session during the warmest part of the day.
Footwear. You should have shoes/boots that are warm, can keep the snow out, and have good traction. If the snow is fresh and you can't keep the snow out of your ankles you will be sad, and sad people don't take good photos. If the snow is old and packed then it can be icy. Traction doesn't prevent slipping completely but it helps a lot on everything that isn't absolute ice.
Warm clothing. You may not be planning on waring your big insulated jacket for the photo shoot but you should definitely have it to put on for everything in between.
Hand warmers. Those little gel packs inside your jacket pockets, or back pockets, or anywhere else concealed would go a long way way for your sustained joy. I wear gloves when I'm working and the worst I have to worry about is my thumb and pointer finger going numb for a short bit. Cold extremities are joy killers on a photo shoot and we can't all fake-it-till-you-make-it in every circumstance.
A warm beverage. Coffee, hot chocolate, hot toddy, spiced wine, etc. It doesn't matter so long as it's hot and spill proof. This isn't a must have, but it's pretty close. Like a warm fire at the camp site, a hot drink warming you up from the inside out will do more for your joy than a pocket warmer ever could.
Gloves. Self explanatory. Slip them on and off as needed.
The gallery below is from Luke and Amy's engagement shoot they planned on the sunny day last winter.
If you need any help planning your winter photo shoot contact me at info@cjvarela.photo, or use the contact form on the home page. I look forward to hearing from you :)