I’ve been covering the Coney Island Polar Bear Plunge like clockwork for over a decade now, and I think it’s fair to say that I’ve learned a few helpful habits along the way. For those unfamiliar with the event, imagine hundreds of people in various near-naked stages crammed into a corner of the beach. It’s usually quite cold – although some years are colder than others – and everyone is working feverishly hard. In this excitement, a drum team was formed, creating a corridor from the top of the beach to the sea. As the sounds of those instruments grew louder, faster, and more intense, the signal was sent out and the crowd swarmed toward the Atlantic.
As a photographer, you have many options for dealing with this. You could stay on the beach, which is probably the smarter thing to do, and catch them from the side as they plunge into the frigid waters. I shot from this angle a few times at first, but it has a lot of downsides. 
First, there are many other photographers on the beach. Some are professional news hunters, some are just “camera guys” who accidentally slip into your frame. Either way, it’s hard to get a unique look when you’re surrounded by dozens of other shooters vying for the same shot.
The other option is to stay in the country waiting for everyone. This has been my goal most of the time I have covered the event. It gives you a lot of benefits over beach shooters, but there are also some significant downsides (and safety hazards) that need to be considered.
First, you have the advantage of having crowds flock to you. Sometimes this doesn’t go as well as you’d like. It was a giddy, giddy crowd, so their path wasn’t always a straight line. This year, they circled the beach before entering the water, meaning I had to wade through waist-deep water to anticipate their movements. Second, there are fewer people taking pictures underwater on the beach, freeing your hands for more unique shots.
As mentioned, there are some downsides, though. First, to get the position, you usually have to get the previous position. This could mean sitting for half an hour in very, very cold water. I tried many methods to protect myself, including dry suits and tights. Sadly, my dry suit is many years old and has some cracks, making it unsafe to use. Galoshes work well if you’re just waist deep in the water, but deeper (or if you get hit by a wave), they quickly fill up with water and also become a safety hazard. At this point, I just accepted that I would be cold and wet and put on clothes that I wouldn’t mind soaking in the salt water.
However, the biggest concern is the cold. Seriously, don’t ignore it. When you’re out shooting, you develop tunnel vision. You don’t really notice the cold or how it affects you. But spend too much time there and you start to notice slow movements, numbness, and wandering thoughts. A few years ago, it was so cold that when I got out of the water, my boots froze in my feet and had to be cut with a knife. Even on relatively warm days, hypothermia is a very real concern.
Regarding the device, I have tried many different methods. During my first year, I simply wrapped my device in cling film and duct tape. This works, but as soon as you get splashed with water – and you get splashed – the water will come in and start wreaking havoc. Then I invested in an underwater bag, but was not satisfied with the results. I ended up buying an underwater case for my D750 and a bubble port. This allows me to get half underwater frames. For events like this, I can’t recommend enough underwater housing. Saltwater is the absolute devil when it comes to camera gear.
I’ve also tested with a variety of other cameras and devices for this with varying results. I used the Horizon 202 panoramic camera a few years ago and got some great shots, but the downside is that it jerked within hours of being out of the water. As I mentioned, saltwater absolutely can and will kill your device if given a half chance. I also used the Canon AS-6 underwater point-and-shoot. This gives better results, but it drains the battery. The cold can also damage the battery in the short term, so it’s not as reliable as I expected.
So what is my best practice for this?
- Wear clothes that won’t drag you down when they’re wet and are easy to change off.
- Feel free to take off your clothes on a beach full of strangers while being covered in ice.
- Find good housing for your device. Salt water kills the camera.
- Set your camera to automatic functions before locking the camera in the case and stopping as much as possible. You won’t have time to tweak your settings after the event starts, and honestly, your fingers will probably be too numb to do that. Pausing will help make sure your subject is in focus.
Events like these are a blast, but they’re also a magnet for hundreds of other photographers. As with any story you’re telling, you should always ask yourself: “How can I take pictures that the rest of the crowd doesn’t?” Look around you and see if there are any gaps in the coverage area. As one of my mentors once told me: good stories are found at the edge of any scene.
