It was Christmas day and I was still with my family in North Carolina when they announced that a major snow was heading for New York City.
Most folks would want to avoid a storm like this, but I packed up the car and immediately headed right for it, straight up I-95. The snow was already beginning to fall when I hit Virginia and I was fortunate to get home before the sky opened wide.
The actual snow didn't begin until first light, the next day and I was determined to be out filming in it.
I used a custom raincoat to protect the camera, carefully taping the connections around the matte box and eyepiece. The basic matte box on Sony's EX3 camera has a built in door that can be closed to protect the lens and the lens itself was protected by a clear UV filter. My tripod was made of carbon fiber and would therefore be safe out in snow.
Ok, the camera will remain warm and dry. What about me?
Knowing that we would be filming through the winter, both Sarah and I had invested in serious winter ski gloves and coats made by Killy. I layered myself in thermal socks, shirt and underwear, a scarf, knit hat and gloves. I felt like the Michelin Man, but it was all necessary, as 30 mph gusts were creating a wind chill in the lower teens.
Over four inches had fallen in the first few hours of the storm. By the time I reached Manhattan the streets were already covered in white and taxis were skidding and sliding, everywhere.
Although the entire city seemed magical covered in white, my first destination was Central Park. At this point, I was not sure how long it would remain snowing or for that matter, how long I could remain out in the snow without freezing my face off.
I was thankful that due to the holiday, there were plenty of empty spaces near the park, so, I set up the tripod, mounted the camera and headed past the Dakota into the park at 72nd Street and Central Park West.
To conserve on energy and remain able to move around comfortably, I only brought one additional battery with me, which fortunately, I didn't need until the very end of my shoot. I wanted to avoid opening the camera's protective coat, as the windblown snow would quickly melt on the camera's warm surface.
The EX3 uses SxS media cards which, if you are using 32gb or 64gb cards, allows for hours of HD shooting without having to expose the camera to the elements. A reel plus in this type of weather.
It was amazing. Even with the heavy snow and blowing wind, the park was still fairly populated. Along with your die-hard runners, there were cross country skiers, dog walkers and a good share of tourists.
All of that aside, Central Park was absolutely stunning. Every angle was simply breath-taking and I immediately began filming.
The snow was falling very fast and quickly accumulating on my camera and in front of the lens.
I brought along a very small can of compressed air to blow the snow off the lens. I avoided using a cleaning cloth for the lens as it would simply smear up the filter. Fortunately, the cold wind kept the snow dry and it was easy to blow away. At one point I discovered a small drift that had accumulated in my matte box.
I filmed around the lake for just over two hours. It was exhausting. I don't know how the explorers climb mountains and carry a ton of camera gear, Just moving a few hundred yards was challenging in the wind and heavy snow and removing my gloves to make a simple adjustment, became painful.
Much more snow had fallen and conditions were growing worse by the moment. I wanted to be able drive out of the city without getting stuck. I decided to head back to the car.
By the time I reached our Volvo it was covered with at least 10 inches of snow and I was thankful that the car had little issue with the icy streets.
Was it worth it? Absolutely!
Sarah and I filmed in the two following storms and they're predicting a heavy snow next week. I'm pretty sure that I'm one of the few people (over the age of 16) looking forward to it.
Why are we filming in the snow this much? Because it's never around when you want it.
If a client is looking imagery under unique conditions, such as a heavy snow storm in Manhattan, it's a good bet that it's not going to happen on cue. Conditions must be right, if the conditions will occur at all and chances are that they will turn to a stock agency to try to find the shots they're looking for. So, the broader we can make our collection, the more opportunity we'll have to sell our work.
Aside from all that, it's fun.
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Chuck featured on Sony's VideON site
