Photographer:  Ed Turners Fall Photos. Canon AE-1 KODAK Gold 100 Film 35mm lens

For travelers who don't let the calendar dictate when and where they go, there's an exciting niche of rugged, weather-resistant cameras. You can find waterproof cameras priced from about $15 to $1,000, ranging in size from a bar of soap to a full-featured single-lens reflex (SLR) model. 

So, whether your tastes run from ice fishing to parasailing, there's a camera that can come along. The secret to taking great pictures with these weather-resistant cameras is choosing the right films for the conditions, and taking care of both camera and film as you travel. 

With a range of cameras to choose from, consider the extremes you may encounter. If your tastes run to mountain-climbing or bungee-jumping, you may prefer an inexpensive, single-use camera such as the KODAK MAX Sport One-Time-Use Camera. Use it as a stand-in for a more expensive 35 mm lens/shutter or SLR camera that could be damaged by sudden shock. You'll find water-resistant, panoramic, and flash-equipped single-use models that capture surprisingly good photos under extreme conditions. 

For your "regular" camera, add some preparation and simple accessories and you're on your way. Start with a check-up for your camera. Test the batteries; check for dirt or corrosion in the battery compartment, and remove it with a pencil eraser. If you haven't replaced your batteries in some time, do it now, to keep your camera going when the temperatures drop or climb. 

Photojournalists use a spray can of compressed air to blow dust out of their cameras. You can try a simple, bulb-type dust brush to clean out the film compartment of your camera between rolls of film. 

Next, load your camera with a roll of film, and try some test shots. If you like the results at home, you're ready to hit the road for more photos. 

• Be kind to your camera outdoors. Between cold-weather photos, or in the rain, carry your camera inside your coat or jacket. In hot weather, store the camera in a cooler when you aren't taking photos. 
• Uncertain what conditions you'll encounter at your destination? Then carry your camera in a clear plastic bag to protect it. You can add a skylight or daylight filter to your camera lens to help protect it, too. 
• Find a firm footing for your picture-taking. In wet or snowy conditions, you want extra support. On the water or on a boat, try leaning against a mast or railing for extra stability. 
• Avoid speedy rewinding of freshly exposed film in cold weather. Cold, dry air promotes static electricity on film; this can cause lightning-like streaking on your negatives. With a manual camera, rewind film slowly, preferably indoors. Motorized cameras with auto-rewind systems are best brought indoors and allowed to warm to room temperature before rewinding the film; don't expose the last frame until you're back indoors. 
• Bring along lens-cleaning tissue to clean the lens if moisture or dirt collects on the lens, especially when taking a warm camera into cool or moist air. 

Picture-taking is a year-'round activity. Summer, for example, is most people's choice for outdoor photos, with lush backdrops, abundant sunlight and brightly colored umbrellas and swimsuits. The best summer photo tip: save your picture-taking for before 11 a.m. or after 3 p.m., when the sun is least likely to cause unflattering shadows. Early morning and late-day sun has a richer, warmer hue that 100 and 200-speed color films can capture with clarity. 

That same sun gives the fiery reds, golds and oranges to autumn's leaves. Again, 100- and 200-speed films are fine for those northern climates where the trees change color. In the south, look for intriguing, longer shadows cast by late-day sunsets. You can capture these in remarkable crispness with 200- and 400-speed films. 

Winter is another extreme. Early morning and later day photos are the rule, but watch for reflections from snow that can trigger underexposures in automatic 35 mm cameras. Choose your times for winter photos with care; some cold-weather sports are ideal for picture-taking, while others call for total concentration. Skiing is a demanding sport, so don't try shooting photos on a downhill run. Instead, look for great photos during breaks between runs; scenic pictures taken from the ski lift, friends gathered at the lodge or tumbling off the lift-chair offer safer photo opportunities. 

Winter picture-taking calls for versatile, multi-purpose films with wide exposure latitudes. A 400-speed color film does fine, particularly when you want to stop a toboggan in mid-run. Use longer, 36-exposure rolls, so you needn't remove your gloves and fumble through cold-weather reloading as often. 

Keep that MAX Film loaded for spring, too. Unpredictable changes in weather -- or an unexpected walk in the rain -- call for a film that can be over- or underexposed. 

A last tip: develop film promptly. Prolonged cold and heat, or extended changes in temperature, can affect color film dyes. 

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