Keep Calm and Bring Bug Spray: Dealing With Nature When You’d Rather Not
September 23, 2015I was at an outdoor shoot recently with a dear model friend who self admittedly hates being in nature and didn’t know what crawdads were when I found some in the stream we were posing in. When I followed up with her about it she replied “I like nature, I just don’t like touching it”. Though I don’t know the statistics, I feel confident saying that my friend cannot be the only person in the photography industry who feels that way.
Unfortunately for those who do feel this way it’s quite hard to avoid booking outdoor work regardless of what genre you’re involved in, and even if you’re shooting in a crowded public park you might end up in an unexpected close encounter with nature. As such I’ve compiled a small list of tips that I think might help those who must begrudgingly deal with it for photographic purposes.
Be Prepared
Research is a crucial step, especially if you aren’t familiar with an area. If you don’t know what poison oak looks like how do you plan to avoid it? It’s a good idea to at least do a quick search for plants and animals to avoid in a given area, as well as possible natural hazards such as wind and rip tides, and learn how to avoid them or handle the situation should they pop up. (If wind doesn’t seem like a natural hazard to you, consider how it might feel to be nude on a beach while freezing cold wind blasts sharp, stinging sand against your sensitive bits and reassess.)
I recommend bringing food, water, sunscreen, bug spray, and toilet paper to every outdoor shoot, regardless of your role in it. Bugs are fickle, and as appealing as the model looks they might go after the makeup artist instead. In addition, sunscreen is essential if you’re outdoors for a long time, especially if you’re naked. I don’t know how you can get a sunburn while literally freezing in a snow bank, but learn from my mistakes and put on the sunblock. Optional supplies include blankets and chemical hand warmers if it might be cold, and a towel if water may be involved.
Lastly, don’t forget to tell someone where you’re headed, and consider grabbing a map if you’re at a park that offers them. No one wants to get lost a mile from the main road.
Dealing With Animals
Most animals are more afraid of you than you are of them, though this unfortunately doesn’t apply to insects. This means that they typically only attack in a few specific scenarios, such as feeling threatened, being aggravated, or if they perceive you as a threat to their young. (I once was picking my way through some ferns to pose in the middle of them when a turkey launched herself towards my face and then ran off faking a limp. Lo and behold, I was two feet away from a nest full of eggs.)
Most people seem to worry about snakes more than anything else, which is where research again comes into play. It’s certainly helpful to know that in California only six species of snake are venomous, all six of which are rattlesnakes. Information like that can save you a lot of panic if you get bit by a nonvenomous snake. (Please still make a trip to your doctor - you won’t die from venom, but you can get an infection at the puncture site.)
But honestly, wouldn’t you rather just not get bit in the first place? The key to that, with snakes and most other animals, is to remain calm but alert if you encounter one and slowly move away. In the case of crawdads, as at the shoot that inspired this post, or similar creatures such as crabs, it’s actually best to make a sudden movement and startle them off. If you’re in the water with them and not moving much they’re apt to think you’re food, but they’re too small to do much damage and tend towards flight over fight anyway.
As for insects - burning them with fire typically ruins a location, so I recommend lots of bug spray, preferably the body friendly kind. This doesn’t just apply to areas where mosquitoes and gnats may be present - if you’re going to be walking through tall grass (cue mandatory Pokemon joke) you need to make sure to use bug spray that is effective against ticks, especially on your lower body.
Communication
This last aspect is important on any shoot, but especially so when extra factors such as outdoor work are added in. Outdoor shooting carries a unique array of risks and it’s essential that team members know that their comfort is important and their input is respected. I highly recommend having another location as a backup, preferably an indoor location, in case the weather changes or the planned location has since been overgrown with poison oak.
How do you prepare for outdoor shoots? Tell us in the comments!
About the Author
Eleanor is an accomplished traveling nude model and has been pursuing her art since 2010. Her work has been published in a variety of magazines, books, and galleries, including a special event at the Louvre. To see more of Eleanor’s work you can visit her website.