Prints Ektar Tungsten IV said

Canadian bride’s last words before being dragged to her death by water-logged wedding gown during ‘trash the dress’ photo shoot: ‘It’s too heavy’ 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/canadian-bride-words-dragged-death-water-logged-wedding-gown-trash-dress-photo-shoot-heavy-article-1.1145343

Goes to show how easy it is.... Nude brings cold, but without the worry of clothes that are often useless for warmth especially when wet.:) Jeans are awful and heavy when wet and if you have several miles walk cold and uncomfortable... A wedding dress in a river like this is sheer stupidity....

Marmalade said

Prints Ektar Tungsten IV said

Canadian bride’s last words before being dragged to her death by water-logged wedding gown during ‘trash the dress’ photo shoot: ‘It’s too heavy’ 

http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/canadian-bride-words-dragged-death-water-logged-wedding-gown-trash-dress-photo-shoot-heavy-article-1.1145343

Goes to show how easy it is.... Nude brings cold, but without the worry of clothes that are often useless for warmth especially when wet.:) Jeans are awful and heavy when wet and if you have several miles walk cold and uncomfortable... A wedding dress in a river like this is sheer stupidity....

Indeed. 

Even those who are usually switched on can get carried away with an idea. Or carry out a suggestion without thinking twice.

Marmalade said

After spending some time this weekend playing in the most beautiful waterfalls I've seen as from my experience of it this weekend they can also be absolutely LETHAL.. and whilst there are some beautiful shots to come, it could easily have ended differently and I wanted to share this quickly as the suns out and I'm sure everyone will be playing in them soon..

ALL IS NOT WHAT IT SEEMS.....

I'm pretty sensible in places like this, but also a little over enthusiastic sometimes when I start bouncing in a location :) On first look it was breathtaking, and appeared to be shallow around the base of the falls.. There was a spectacular shot kneeling under them on first look, and some against the rock to the side.. So the snowboard gear was stripped of, towls at the ready and I started to walk out to the rocks. Not as easy as first thought as you couldn't see the bottom, it got very deep in places very quickly, and wase to depth and set a shot up stood against the rocks.. Footing by then was lethal, and there were currents under the water so luckily I was testing my footing inch by inch by then.. I hadn't however noticed the change in the water to black on the surface, which I now know is a good indication of depth :) Luckily I was being cautious as I put my right foot out to look for the next foothold to find nothing under it! I reached around and very quickly realised that the ground just fell away under the fall, stopped shooting and came out to warm up and re think.. On putting a branch in after it appears it would have been chest to neck high, and there were strongish currents.. Some may think ok then, but the pressure of the falls would push you under in seconds!

So....

1) If you can't see the bottom easily, test it first with a branch or even a piece of rope, and look to see if the water is swirling anywhere.

2) Go slowly a few inches at a time and test your footing before you put your feet down.. These places are utterly breathtaking and your natural instict is to dive in, but  try and curb your enthusiasm enough to to be safe obout it and slow down :) And photographers, please be patient...:) 

3) If you fall in even six inches of water and hit your head, you could well drown.. Especially as the photographer could be a fair way from you and may have to cross pretty nasty stuff to get to you.... I struggled here bare foot.. I'm going to solve this next time with surf boots, thin, warm and brilliant grip but still keeping the feel... Yes, they may look and feel silly, but if they're below the water who cares.. Your pose will be preety awful if your fighting for balance and grip, and hanging on for dear life! But anything with rubber soles is better than nothing, but flip flops a big no no... They need to be properly attached to you feet....

4) Moss may look pretty but is impossilbly slippery when wet... If your struggling to stand up in the slightest from a sat or laid pose, don't try!!!!Stick to them....:)

TEMPERATURE.....

I'm used to the cold, but having shot here in the evening after the sun went down, and the middle of the day, there was a huge difference.. In the evening the water was so cold it made you hyperventilate, and more than a minute or two at a time was impossible.. The following day presented more challenges shooting, but the sun meant we could shoot for much longer, and put some of the things right and experiment more!

So....

1) It may pose more of a challenge to shoot during the warmest parts of the day, however you run far less risk of hypothermia, and you will ultimately achieve more from your model!

2) Towels, towlling robes, blankets,hot drinks, several spare pairs of THERMAL socks, and extremely warm clothing  (snowboard gear works for me and you don't look like a train spotter...) and gloves are essential even in Spring and Summer... That water won't get any warmer :) 

AND BEAR YOUR LOCATION IN MIND!!.....

These places are beautiful, but very remote, and if your injured and require medical help ot treatment for hypothermia, you're not gonna land a helicopter anywhere near, may not have phone signal, and may not even get a vehicle close, so you need to do ANYTHING you can to minimise the risks...

HAPPY WATERFALLS!!!!!!!! :) x

You're fit, tough, and experienced at Urbex (and I'm a big fan of your stuff)... but you went somewhere outside your experience range, and made quite a few dangerous mistakes... exactly as I would do if I went Urbexing without someone experienced.

Fast moving shallow water six inches deep can drown you if you get a leg trapped, because it can hold you under.

If you fall into deep cold water, this is what happens:

1) Cold shock
"... the shock of sudden immersion in cold water may cause the following with increasing force for 30 seconds and then for two or three minutes. The casualty takes a big inbreath, attempting to inhale two or three litres of air in one go. Not helpful if your head is under water. Inhaling as little as 200 ml of water can be enough to cause drowning. The casualty then constantly takes very rapid breaths (hyperventilation). This tends to cause feelings of suffocation, panic, dizziness and confusion. The casualty may not have enough breath control to shout for help He cannot hold his breath for more than five seconds at a time, so he may inhale water if his mouth is underwater. The casualty experiences increased heart rate, irregular heartbeat and increased blood pressure. These can bring on a heart attack or a stroke".

" One Minute to Control Your Breathing. "The initial reaction is a gasp reflex, where for about one minute the individual will gasp for air in reaction to the cold water. As the cold reaches the skin, the peripheral vasculature vasoconstricts forcing the blood in the skin back into the body core which creates an insulating barrier against the cold. The trick is not to panic and start thrashing about. Just slowly tread water or grasp the edge of the boat or ice to keep you head above the water. After approximately one minute the gasping will calm down, the skin will become numb, and the sensation of intense cold will decrease."

2)  Ten Minutes of Meaningful Movement.
Now you have about 10 minutes to get out of the water. Over the next 10 minutes, muscles and nerves become cold and ineffective, and they are no longer able to tread water.
 

3) One Hour Before You Become Unconscious.
If you were unable to get out of the water, after 10 minutes or so, the muscles in your arms and legs will become progressively useless due to heat loss in the extremities. Consequently, you will not have the strength to get out of the water. Unless there is someone else to help, you’re stuck. All is not lost, however. You will feel pretty numb and you will shiver (this is our normal physiological response to the cold, an effort to produce more heat than we are losing). You will remain conscious for about one hour. How long you remain conscious depends upon the clothing you are wearing, energy stores, and body build. Eventually you will lose consciousness as your body core temperature decreases to about 86º F (30ºC). Unless you slip below the surface and drown, you are still a long way away from death due to hypothermic cardiac arrest (core temperature below 82.4ºF/28ºC).

4)  Two Hours to Be Found.
If you lose consciousness but do not slip below the water, you can still be successfully rescued if you are found within two hours or so. So, forget that old myth that you only have ten minutes if you fall into ice-cold water.

.....................................................................

- Cold shock is the big danger - and the cause of most deaths.

- If you get past that, and you get the person out of the water, they aren't going to die quickly - but if they are hypothermic, thay will get disoriented and make stupid decisions. Hot drinks are nice, but the important thing is sugars - readily available energy - not sweetners. 

-  “Space blankets” reflect radiant body heat and are useless in this situation. An old sleeping bag will be much better.

-  a conscious, alert hypothermia casualty may unexpectedly lose consciousness after reaching a warm environment. The faster they re-warm, they more likely they are to suffer rewarming collapse, especially if they are active or standing up. The risk will be much reduced if they are lying down because this reduces the burden on their heart. If a conscious, alert casualty prefers to sit, you probably can't insist they lie down, but you can keep an eye on them while they are re-warming. If they get dizzy, faint or have difficulty with breathing and heart rate, lay them down in the First Aid recovery position. Particularly if they are going to re-warm themselves under a hot shower, tell them there is a real risk they may get dizzy and faint so a sitting position would be better. TRANSPORT. Try to keep the casualty lying down, and if for some reason you need them to be upright, stand them up gently.
........................................................................ 

 https://wildernessmedicinenewsletter.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/introduction-to-frozen-mythbusters/ 

http://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/training/Web%20Documents/RYA%20Training/Instructors/Shorebased/Cold%20shock%20and%20hypothermia.pdf  

http://www.kayarchy.co.uk/html/02technique/010kayakingsafely/001coldshock.htm#coldshock  

http://www.kayarchy.co.uk/html/02technique/010kayakingsafely/002hypothermia.htm#hypothermia  

There are some awesome suggestions on here, and google is a great source.. And buying the best gear you can afford is always the best option.. But things do not need to be expensive, branded or specialist to do a good job.. And many people trying it for the first time, and models on a low budget will be reluctant to splash out, as some will hate it and never set foot outdoors again!

Well respected brands of walking boots and clothing can be bought at discount sports retailers rather than expensive specialist suppliers. Surf clothing is ideal and can be worn day to day too..

Many will have festival gear that may not be perfect but is better than nothing..

Ski and snowboard gear some will have, or can be bought for peanuts on ebay.. Good enough in the alps it will do a good job here, and bargains can be found with people trying it once and hating it, or last years colour or line :)

Towelling dressing gowns can be bought cheaply on discount sites and ebay, and again many already have them..

Space blankets are small and cheap

Most people may well have a small first aid kit in the car already.. Just remember to put it in your bag

Hot cups leak like sieves... A decent flask is just as cheap and will do 10x the job

Many will have blankets and rugs in the car already for breakdowns

A tarpaulin is cheap, will give you somewhere dry to sit and put kit, and in an emergency makes a good waterproof shelter :)

Huw said

Marmalade said

After spending some time this weekend playing in the most beautiful waterfalls I've seen as from my experience of it this weekend they can also be absolutely LETHAL.. and whilst there are some beautiful shots to come, it could easily have ended differently and I wanted to share this quickly as the suns out and I'm sure everyone will be playing in them soon..

ALL IS NOT WHAT IT SEEMS.....

I'm pretty sensible in places like this, but also a little over enthusiastic sometimes when I start bouncing in a location :) On first look it was breathtaking, and appeared to be shallow around the base of the falls.. There was a spectacular shot kneeling under them on first look, and some against the rock to the side.. So the snowboard gear was stripped of, towls at the ready and I started to walk out to the rocks. Not as easy as first thought as you couldn't see the bottom, it got very deep in places very quickly, and wase to depth and set a shot up stood against the rocks.. Footing by then was lethal, and there were currents under the water so luckily I was testing my footing inch by inch by then.. I hadn't however noticed the change in the water to black on the surface, which I now know is a good indication of depth :) Luckily I was being cautious as I put my right foot out to look for the next foothold to find nothing under it! I reached around and very quickly realised that the ground just fell away under the fall, stopped shooting and came out to warm up and re think.. On putting a branch in after it appears it would have been chest to neck high, and there were strongish currents.. Some may think ok then, but the pressure of the falls would push you under in seconds!

So....

1) If you can't see the bottom easily, test it first with a branch or even a piece of rope, and look to see if the water is swirling anywhere.

2) Go slowly a few inches at a time and test your footing before you put your feet down.. These places are utterly breathtaking and your natural instict is to dive in, but  try and curb your enthusiasm enough to to be safe obout it and slow down :) And photographers, please be patient...:) 

3) If you fall in even six inches of water and hit your head, you could well drown.. Especially as the photographer could be a fair way from you and may have to cross pretty nasty stuff to get to you.... I struggled here bare foot.. I'm going to solve this next time with surf boots, thin, warm and brilliant grip but still keeping the feel... Yes, they may look and feel silly, but if they're below the water who cares.. Your pose will be preety awful if your fighting for balance and grip, and hanging on for dear life! But anything with rubber soles is better than nothing, but flip flops a big no no... They need to be properly attached to you feet....

4) Moss may look pretty but is impossilbly slippery when wet... If your struggling to stand up in the slightest from a sat or laid pose, don't try!!!!Stick to them....:)

TEMPERATURE.....

I'm used to the cold, but having shot here in the evening after the sun went down, and the middle of the day, there was a huge difference.. In the evening the water was so cold it made you hyperventilate, and more than a minute or two at a time was impossible.. The following day presented more challenges shooting, but the sun meant we could shoot for much longer, and put some of the things right and experiment more!

So....

1) It may pose more of a challenge to shoot during the warmest parts of the day, however you run far less risk of hypothermia, and you will ultimately achieve more from your model!

2) Towels, towlling robes, blankets,hot drinks, several spare pairs of THERMAL socks, and extremely warm clothing  (snowboard gear works for me and you don't look like a train spotter...) and gloves are essential even in Spring and Summer... That water won't get any warmer :) 

AND BEAR YOUR LOCATION IN MIND!!.....

These places are beautiful, but very remote, and if your injured and require medical help ot treatment for hypothermia, you're not gonna land a helicopter anywhere near, may not have phone signal, and may not even get a vehicle close, so you need to do ANYTHING you can to minimise the risks...

HAPPY WATERFALLS!!!!!!!! :) x

You're fit, tough, and experienced at Urbex (and I'm a big fan of your stuff)... but you went somewhere outside your experience range, and made quite a few dangerous mistakes... exactly as I would do if I went Urbexing without someone experienced.

Fast moving shallow water six inches deep can drown you if you get a leg trapped, because it can hold you under.

If you fall into deep cold water, this is what happens:

1) Cold shock
"... the shock of sudden immersion in cold water may cause the following with increasing force for 30 seconds and then for two or three minutes. The casualty takes a big inbreath, attempting to inhale two or three litres of air in one go. Not helpful if your head is under water. Inhaling as little as 200 ml of water can be enough to cause drowning. The casualty then constantly takes very rapid breaths (hyperventilation). This tends to cause feelings of suffocation, panic, dizziness and confusion. The casualty may not have enough breath control to shout for help He cannot hold his breath for more than five seconds at a time, so he may inhale water if his mouth is underwater. The casualty experiences increased heart rate, irregular heartbeat and increased blood pressure. These can bring on a heart attack or a stroke".

" One Minute to Control Your Breathing. "The initial reaction is a gasp reflex, where for about one minute the individual will gasp for air in reaction to the cold water. As the cold reaches the skin, the peripheral vasculature vasoconstricts forcing the blood in the skin back into the body core which creates an insulating barrier against the cold. The trick is not to panic and start thrashing about. Just slowly tread water or grasp the edge of the boat or ice to keep you head above the water. After approximately one minute the gasping will calm down, the skin will become numb, and the sensation of intense cold will decrease."

2)  Ten Minutes of Meaningful Movement.
Now you have about 10 minutes to get out of the water. Over the next 10 minutes, muscles and nerves become cold and ineffective, and they are no longer able to tread water.
 

3) One Hour Before You Become Unconscious.
If you were unable to get out of the water, after 10 minutes or so, the muscles in your arms and legs will become progressively useless due to heat loss in the extremities. Consequently, you will not have the strength to get out of the water. Unless there is someone else to help, you’re stuck. All is not lost, however. You will feel pretty numb and you will shiver (this is our normal physiological response to the cold, an effort to produce more heat than we are losing). You will remain conscious for about one hour. How long you remain conscious depends upon the clothing you are wearing, energy stores, and body build. Eventually you will lose consciousness as your body core temperature decreases to about 86º F (30ºC). Unless you slip below the surface and drown, you are still a long way away from death due to hypothermic cardiac arrest (core temperature below 82.4ºF/28ºC).

4)  Two Hours to Be Found.
If you lose consciousness but do not slip below the water, you can still be successfully rescued if you are found within two hours or so. So, forget that old myth that you only have ten minutes if you fall into ice-cold water.

.....................................................................

- Cold shock is the big danger - and the cause of most deaths.

- If you get past that, and you get the person out of the water, they aren't going to die quickly - but if they are hypothermic, thay will get disoriented and make stupid decisions. Hot drinks are nice, but the important thing is sugars - readily available energy - not sweetners. 

-  “Space blankets” reflect radiant body heat and are useless in this situation. An old sleeping bag will be much better.

-  a conscious, alert hypothermia casualty may unexpectedly lose consciousness after reaching a warm environment. The faster they re-warm, they more likely they are to suffer rewarming collapse, especially if they are active or standing up. The risk will be much reduced if they are lying down because this reduces the burden on their heart. If a conscious, alert casualty prefers to sit, you probably can't insist they lie down, but you can keep an eye on them while they are re-warming. If they get dizzy, faint or have difficulty with breathing and heart rate, lay them down in the First Aid recovery position. Particularly if they are going to re-warm themselves under a hot shower, tell them there is a real risk they may get dizzy and faint so a sitting position would be better. TRANSPORT. Try to keep the casualty lying down, and if for some reason you need them to be upright, stand them up gently.
........................................................................ 

 https://wildernessmedicinenewsletter.wordpress.com/2006/10/26/introduction-to-frozen-mythbusters/ 

http://www.rya.org.uk/SiteCollectionDocuments/training/Web%20Documents/RYA%20Training/Instructors/Shorebased/Cold%20shock%20and%20hypothermia.pdf  

http://www.kayarchy.co.uk/html/02technique/010kayakingsafely/001coldshock.htm#coldshock  

http://www.kayarchy.co.uk/html/02technique/010kayakingsafely/002hypothermia.htm#hypothermia  

Thank you for the information, and I appreciate what you're saying... But actually this location is used by ramblers of all abilities, and whilst not easy, is far from dangerous with a small level of common sense.. A very careful consideration with anything I shoot... Any new urbex building will have different and new challenges outside of anyones experience.. The important part is identifying them first and minimising them.. The very reason we spent very little time here shooting on this occasion, and most of it getting to grips with it and understanding it and the best ways to deal with shooting it..

I was thinking of doing a waterfall shoot in the summer! Don't think its worth the risk after reading this. Pretty pictures ain't worth risking your life for.

Good advice! x

Marmalade said
... different and new challenges outside of anyones experience.. The important part is identifying them first and minimising them.. 

Agree - my post wasn't meant as a criticism.

I've done so many waterfall shoots and it's quite easy to become laid back about stuff like this when you've done it so many times already and see potential for an extra-special image, but reading this was a really good reminder of how quickly things can turn very scary, so thank you for the reminder to stay sensible while out and about in the water (and elsewhere)!

Anyone can get into trouble...

... my daughter and I compete at Trec on horses... 20 miles or more over mountain tops, often severl miles from the nearest road.

We are both mountatin rescue trained first aiders, and carry medical kits - including an emergency splint. I managed to fall a couple of years ago - if I'd broken an arm, I'd have been fine - just splinted it and got back on the horse. Unfortunately I managed to break several ribs, just near the spine.... only able to breathe with one side, unable to walk or do more than sit up.

About two hours to get a Landrover to me to take me to the ambulance - because the helicopter was busy with someone more urgent the other side of Wales. Wasn't great fun. Very grateful for the First Aid training.

I've also done the nearly drowning thing in the past.  

Warm clothes, towel, change of clothes, waterproofs, sugary food - all help.
Trainers are not bad if you don't have a pair of walking boots - or try to borrow them.

Also, like Marmalade says, take a bit of time, and work out the risks before doing someone - or go with someone like her that has checked it out before...

 

JoannaPearson said

I was thinking of doing a waterfall shoot in the summer! Don't think its worth the risk after reading this. Pretty pictures ain't worth risking your life for.

Good advice! x

A perfect example that it's not for everyone in reality, and sometimes recognising it can save a miserable shoot too... Not everyone wants to freeze half to death on sharp rocks for a shot, and every model is different. Which is why choosing a model is important.. No matter how much you may want to shoot a particular model, if they're not comfortable working like this, you won't get the shots you want and four hours could become a very long time :) And nobody should think any less of a model for admitting it's not their cup of tea.. White paper backgrounds send shivers up my spine :( x

Huw said

Marmalade said
... different and new challenges outside of anyones experience.. The important part is identifying them first and minimising them.. 

Agree - my post wasn't meant as a criticism.

 

No problem.. There are massive risks to many things these days.. Having ridden problem horses and motorbikes I should probably be dead now, but I wouldn't change it.. Same principles really. Asses the risk and work out how to minimise it be it clothing, research,knowledge, timing, protection, common sense, caution, and above all else..planning!

  “Space blankets” reflect radiant body heat and are useless in this situation. An old sleeping bag will be much better.

Most people make the mistake of wearing the spaceblanket over their body, like a blanket. The wind gets in and it does nothing

to warm the body.

The best way to use it is to wrap it round the body and then put clothing over the top of it.

Your right about an old sleeping bag being better, but they are bulky to carry.

An orange Emergency plastic bag combined with a space blanket is lighter and less bulky.

They can be stored in the top pocket of a rucksack along with a first-aid kit and Kendal Mintcake. 

Ella Rose Muse said

I've done so many waterfall shoots and it's quite easy to become laid back about stuff like this when you've done it so many times already and see potential for an extra-special image, but reading this was a really good reminder of how quickly things can turn very scary, so thank you for the reminder to stay sensible while out and about in the water (and elsewhere)!

100%!!! Why a steady photographer with experience and knowledge is needed sometimes to keep us in check and prevent us attempting the wish shots :) I get mad sometimes when photographers won't let me climb on certain walls or rocks.. It doesn't last long though when you realise it may be fine, but may also go horribly wrong, and the risk far outweighs the reward...  Sometimes we just need reminding :)

Lysander said

  “Space blankets” reflect radiant body heat and are useless in this situation. An old sleeping bag will be much better.

Most people make the mistake of wearing the spaceblanket over their body, like a blanket. The wind gets in and it does nothing

to warm the body.

The best way to use it is to wrap it round the body and then put clothing over the top of it.

Your right about an old sleeping bag being better, but they are bulky to carry.

An orange Emergency plastic bag combined with a space blanket is lighter and less bulky.

They can be stored in the top pocket of a rucksack along with a first-aid kit and Kendal Mintcake. 

Yep! Works a treat with my ski jacket wrapped round.....:)

I would have loved to do it cos it would be suited to me but its just too dangerous and I don't want to risk my life for a shoot :) I think a beach during the day when the sea is far out will be more safe, least that way I can still do a shoot involving water. X