You might not think of photography as a very physical profession, but tell that to my back the day after a long shoot! Not only am I carrying heavy equipment slung across my body and around my neck for hours at a time, but I also lean, kneel, bend, twist, and flex to get the pictures and angles I need. If you’ve ever seen me shoot, you know that I’m in constant motion, and sometimes on the floor!
Save your body by stretching well before big shoots. Just give yourself 10 minutes in the morning to wake up and warm up your muscles. Since doing this I’ve felt a major difference in my body the next day — I can actually function! I concentrate mainly on legs (all muscles), lower back, arms, shoulders, and some chest. I usually put on my home workout routine (currently P90x) and complete the opening stretches. I also recently started using the Spider Camera Holster instead of camera straps, and that has reduced stress on my neck and shoulders, centering the weight of the camera on my body lower and better. Combining both of these has made a huge difference in how sore my body is after the shoot!
How else do you warm up or stretch it out before a shoot? Any other body-saving tips for active photographers?
