Hello! It's Freezing!

I just got home from a photography class. Molly got a new, fancy camera and with it came several classes for two, so I became her plus-one today.

The class covered several topics, including the basics of framing pictures as well as deciphering all the little icons on the settings menu. I suppose if I'd read my owner's manual I could have figured all that out, but reading owner's manuals isn't something I do. I just leave owner's manuals on Sean's desk; then, if anything breaks or needs to be repaired I assume he knows how to do it because he has the owner's manuals.

Anyway, the instructor was talking about taking outdoor pictures and the importance of letting your camera adjust to the temperature before you start snapping away. For instance, if it’s -30 degrees outside (the actual temperature the instructor quoted), you don’t want to take your camera from your nice, warm house and expose it to the elements immediately. You want to put the camera in its bag, place the bag on the back step and give it a few minutes to adjust to the cold. Then, after a few minutes of it adjusting, you can feel free to take the camera out and being taking pictures.

I actually laughed out loud when he mentioned the temperature, but no one else blinked an eye at the thought that they could potentially be outside in 30 degrees below zero weather taking pictures. No one. Not even Molly, and I thought she was pretty smart.

Just one little observation: what the heck is anyone doing outside if the temperature is 30 below zero?! Not only should the camera not be outside, you should not be outside! That’s 62 degrees below freezing! There are not warm enough clothes made to allow you to be outside in that weather. (For all you people who will email me saying there are, there aren’t. Just setting the record straight right now.)

For crying out loud, get yourself a cup of hot chocolate, a good book and sit by the fire. Give your camera a break. Don’t bother pulling it out until it’s at least a balmy 35. Above, not below.