If you make videos, and you’re one of the very few, and very brave souls that doesn’t let a bit of sleet bring your everyday life to a standstill then the following tips will definitely come in handy.

The change in season brings a whole new outdoor working environment; including a drop in temperature and a rise in moisture, both equally, and potentially, as harmful to you and your equipment.

Here are just 6 tips that you may find handy when filming this winter:

Dress for the occasion: Even though this may seem obvious, it is still the most important thing to remember. Wellies, gloves, hats etc. All these keep the crew safe and cosy, therefore keeping the footage looking good and not as if the cameraman were shivering at the time.

Hand warmers (no, not a technical name for gloves): These are cheap hand sized gizmos that can fit in your pocket. They are disposable and need no batteries or electricity. Just simply shake them to activate and once heated up, will stay toasty for hours. Great for keeping cast/crew warm using very little space, budget or energy.

Prepare for less daylight: The UK has suddenly plunged into darkness for the majority of the day anyway. With daylight savings time in full swing remember to prepare your shoots in coordination with the position of the sun e.g. if you need to be outside and in good sunlight then between the hours of 9:00am and 14:00pm is your best bet.

Change camera settings: If there is snow on the ground then you will need to change your camera’s settings as the white surface will reflect most of the suns light and appear too bright in the viewfinder. As the picture will just be a little brighter than usual simply readjust the necessary settings on your camera to control the amount of light being recorded e.g. exposure, aperture, ISO and white balance is the most crucial setting as the snow should appear to be pure white.

Check for condensation: If you’ve taken your camera in and away from the chilling cold make sure to check the lens for any forming of condensation. Once inside and away from the snow is when the lens is just as likely to become just as wet, if not more, due to the change in temperatures. A quick wipe with the proper lens cleaning material will do the trick.

Spare batteries: Camera batteries are fussy. When they heat up they quit, and when they’re cold they quit. The low temperatures cause the battery to reduce its life by up to half in some cases so it’s definitely worth keeping a few fully charged spares nearby.