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The Well-Dressed Photographer - Summer
Outdoor photographers shoot year round. That includes the hot summer. You may be surprised to learn that the best way to tolerate the heat is not to strip down to your skivvies. Instead, using the right products and wearing clothing designed to face the challenges of summer will help you keep your cool. Safety First One of the first concerns to being outside is exposure to the sun. Not only will it age your skin more quickly, sun can cause skin cancer. Everyone's skin can be damaged by prolonged exposure to sunlight. Fairer skin, higher altitudes, central latitudes, mid-day exposures and summer months can shorten the time it takes to sustain sun damage. Sun exposure is intensified when reflected by water, sand or snow. But heat and brightness do not indicate UV intensity. Damage can occur on overcast days, too. A new statistic, the UV Index, is now cited on weather reports to help people gauge their exposure to sunlight. The higher the number, the more quickly damage can occur. You can do many things to protect yourself from damaging exposure to the sun. First, minimize unnecessary time in the sun. Sit in the shade and go inside during the middle of the day when the sun is too intense for the best shots, anyway. When you are in the sun, add layers of protection with sunscreen and clothing. Sunscreen Protection One of the main items in your summer wardrobe should be sunscreen. While you won't find it at the chic clothing store, it should be considered your outer layer when trying to avoid too much sun. Sunscreen lotions or sprays are made of chemicals that absorb ultraviolet rays before they penetrate our skin. Sunscreens have an "SPF" factor (sun protection factor) that compares your skin's vulnerability to burning with and without the sunscreen. "Broad spectrum" sunscreens absorb both UVB and most UVA rays. Some researchers believe that no extra benefits come from a sunscreen with a higher SPF than 15, and that buying a higher SPF product is a waste of money. Keep an eye on new research; in the meantime, use a sunscreen of SPF 15 or higher. To use sunscreen effectively, apply a generous amount to dry skin, 20-30 minutes before exposure, especially to your neck, face, ears, bald spots and the back of your legs. Reapply often, especially if you're sweating. Sprays with SPF are just as effective. Their use is a personal choice. Also use lip balm with an SPF. Some research has shown that sunscreens do more than protect you from harmful UV rays. Because they act as a barrier to the sun, they also may make you feel cooler. Whether it is for comfort or safety, sunscreen products are a must when enjoying the outdoors. Other Protection The clothes you wear when shooting in summer must perform two important jobs. First, they should protect you from the sun and heat. Second, they should keep you comfortable. They accomplish these vital tasks through material and design. A cotton t-shirt has a low SPF and UV rays can penetrate it easily. Instead, wear clothing that is tightly woven or use clothing that has its own SPF built in. Wear a hat with a brim that will protect your ears, neck and face, as well. While you may think that sleeveless or short-sleeved shirts and shorts are the desired clothing for summer activities, wearing the new lightweight SPF materials in long-sleeved shirts and pants may keep you even cooler. They serve as a barrier from sunlight and also protect you from pesky and potentially harmful bugs. The Ex-Officio clothing company also offers garments with an insect resistant treatment. Heat exhaustion and heat stroke also are concerns when exposed to the summer elements. Keeping cool with the proper clothing, drinking lots of water and moderating your activities are the best ways to prevent these life-threatening emergencies. Comfort Ensures Safety Sweating is the body's way to keep our body temperature at appropriate levels. Your sweat is excreted to the skin where it can evaporate and will make you cooler. When clothing made of certain materials gets wet from perspiration and humidity, it sticks to your skin and hinders that evaporation process. While cotton is comfortable when dry, it absorbs sweat and humidity easily. It then takes a long time to dry, gets heavy and holds that moisture next to your skin making you uncomfortable. Certain polyesters and nylons perform the same way. Enter the wicking materials. Newer (and some natural materials) are constructed for maximum breathability to pull the moisture away from your skin. Wicking materials then dry and leave you cooler and more comfortable. These wicking materials include silk, Coolmax�, polypropylene, MTS 2� (Moisture Transport System), and capilene. In the past, these materials suffered from problems such as odor retention, scratchy feel, and unattractive looks. They have been improved so much that it is sometimes hard to believe that they aren't cotton. To maximize your summer comfort, your first layer - any material touching your skin - should be made of these wicking-type materials. This includes your underwear, t-shirts and socks. New clothing designs also help keep you cool. They include vents in the sides or back of shirts, button tabs to roll up sleeves, light-colored materials to reflect the sunlight, pants that you can convert to shorts and loose-fitting clothing to keep the material from sticking to your skin. Clothing has come a long way towards making your summer outdoor activities more tolerable. Final Tips Go to your local outdoor store to get personal shopping advice, or find these products and additional helpful information online at websites such as REI or Altrec. Read the directions and care labels in the products you buy to maximize their effectiveness. For example, some clothing looses its wicking ability if you apply fabric softeners to them. Others may need to be line dried to avoid shrinkage. Still others can't be ironed. Even when the heat of the summer is on maximum, you don't have to stop shooting. Use these tips and products to make your outdoor photography more safe and comfortable. Copyright 2005 Carolyn E. Wright All Rights Reserved --- ABOUT THE AUTHOR --- Carolyn Wright is a professional photographer with an active wildlife photography business. Shooting for 25 years, her award-winning images have been used in books and corporate marketing materials. Her photos will be included in the upcoming book, "Captivating Wildlife - Images from the Top Ten Emerging Wildlife Photographers" by Scott Bourne and David Middleton. She also is working with Scott Bourne on "Wolfscapes," a photo book documenting the beauty and strength of wolves. Her wildlife images can be viewed at http://www.vividwildlife.com On the faculty of Olympic Mountain School of Photography, Carolyn's passion is enhanced when teaching photography. She enjoys writing and speaking on the subject, as well, and is a regular columnist for PhotoFocus, an online magazine for serious photographers.
MORE RESOURCES: The Pure Street Photography Competition Spotlights Humor and Chance Amid the Ordinary thisiscolossal.com 8 Standouts at the AIPAD Photography Fair The New York Times Bienne Festival of Photography The Eye of Photography Keith Haring, Kanagawa and Georgia O’Keeffe: highlights from NYC’s Photography Show – in pictures The Guardian Thailand Clampdown on Underwater Photography by Scuba Divers Nation Thailand Astronomy Picture of the Day NASA (.gov) Challenge Your Kids With These Six Nature-Photography Projects National Audubon Society Santa Barbara Maritime Museum Presents The Swiftest Recovery: Island Fox Chronicles Photography by Chuck Graham The Santa Barbara Independent Photography instructor’s work on display in Colorado, Vermont Pennsylvania College of Technology Photography Student’s Career Blasts Off with NASA Internship Texas A&M University-Commerce Gotta kick it up 👟 @josephstorres_ Instagram AIPAD 2025 : Photography Fast Forward During Resilient Times - Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art AIPAD 2025 : Photography Fast Forward During Resilient Times Whitehot Magazine of Contemporary Art Mastering the basics of photography BYU–Hawaii Ken Griffey Jr. Is a Photographer Now The New York Times The Neighborhood and the Photographer Fstoppers Brown’s first photography magazine to launch first print edition this spring The Brown Daily Herald North Liberty Campus: Before and After Photography University of Iowa Health Care Medical Center Photography MFA Thesis Exhibition challenges the digital gaze and captures the present through analog Yale Daily News Dale Quarterman, who oversaw the launch of VCU’s bachelor’s program in photography, dies at 81 VCU News Capturing Hoosier History with IMS Lead Photographer Chris Owens Towne Post Network - Senior photographer packs her (camera) bags The Daily Texan PHOTOGRAPHY ZINES AND BOOKS NO: 73 Japan Camera Hunter At AIPAD’s Photography Show, Vintage Icons Shine—but the Future of the Medium Remains a Question observer.com Fatima Hassouna, a photographer who made a difference The Electronic Intifada Florence invites photographers of all skill levels to submit works for 2025 Community Photo Contest Northern Kentucky Tribune The Magic of Ballet Captured by a Master’s Camera The New York Times A Long, Hard Look at America The New Yorker Lushfoil Photography Sim review Rock Paper Shotgun Stride by Stride: 25 defining photographs from the 2025 Boston Marathon The Huntington News Point Park grad is following in the footsteps of her aunt, a nationally renowned photographer Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Tips for Great Street Photography Fstoppers Orange City Arts Photography Workshop KIWA Radio A photographer spotlighted Holocaust survivors by pairing them with celebrities in moving portraits Business Insider Photography seniors host exhibition at MSU Mississippi State University Fragility, resilience and humour: Wolfgang Tillmans and Boris Mikhailov to open photography show in war-torn Kharkiv The Art Newspaper Photography kit transforms Nubia Z70S Ultra into retro-futuristic compact camera with 400 mm telephoto lens Notebookcheck Getty Images Editorial Photography Internship Program Returns for 2025 Getty Images Newsroom Sony Announces Winners for 2025 World Photography Awards hypebeast.com Fashion photographer Bryce Thompson pairs Holocaust survivors with celebrities in new collection Jewish Insider Learn from a wildlife photography master at the Festival of Outdoor Photography! Amateur Photographer The 2021 Audubon Photography Awards: Winners and Honorable Mentions National Audubon Society The Defiant Ones — Ultimate in Mood Photography The American Society of Cinematographers Jammu University Launches Artistic Tribute Through Photography, Announces New Cultural Initiative boldnewsonline.com EXHIBIT: Photographs record a romance with John Lennon Northwest Arkansas Democrat-Gazette Photography Instructor Awarded Guggenheim Fellowship Humboldt NOW Tactile Photography Phone Attachments Trend Hunter OCC lead photographer Liam Davis's journey from Australian swimmer to Alabama photographer Coast Report Dear photographer: You’re Not a Photographer The Phoblographer Your first 10,000 photographs are your worst, so stop putting watermarks on them! Digital Camera World |
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