POLAR PLUNGE
Chicago 2017
The Polar Plunge is an annual event practiced in many parts of the Western world. In some regions of the Western world the Polar Plunge is called the Polar Bear Plunge. In the United States it is an event that raises money for charitable causes. The premise is that during the very cold weather people run into the sub-freezing water and run back out.
The dates and charitable causes for the Polar Plunges vary from location to location; for example in the United Kingdom the majority of plunges take place on Christmas or on Boxing Day, while in Long Beach California plunges take place on on Super Bowl Sunday with donations going to the Make A Wish Foundation, while up north in Canada the Polar Plunges usually take place on New Year’s to celebrate the coming new year. The Chicago Polar Plunge is usually held between February to March each year with the donations going towards the Special Olympics
To participate one must donate in order to be eligible to jump into the frozen waters. Donations go to a myriad of charitable events; as for the Special Olympics the funds go to help secure the event and the awards for contestants of the Special Olympics.
Brought on by the media company RoboAerial as a photographer, my good friend Gabriel Jung was also brought on as a cinematographer. Together as the team of photographer and cinematographer we were hired to capture the event from all angles and perspectives.
It was a very cold overcast morning, perfect for the impending freezing temperatures of the water. The sound of the lake was loud and the gulls overhead circling the beach as volunteers helped set up for the event. There were food and drink stalls in which local entrepreneurs set up shop to sell warm food and drinks.
Many of the other photographers were wearing heat encapsulating wet-suits, as were the police and fire department, which allowed them to operate in the frozen water effortlessly. Unfortunately Gabriel Jung and I were not so fortunate to have such suits, and so we decided to go into the water with whatever clothes we had on.
GEAR TALK
Using the Canon 5D Mark III and switching between the 16-35 mm f2.8 and the 24-105mm f/4; The 24-105 Canon lens was extremely versatile when near the water. I had no weather sealing in terms of gear or clothes. The weather was overcast and chilly but the frozen waters was worrisome. Inherently, I knew of Canons superior built in weather sealing technology. The camera did not go too low, as it was kept above the head or eye level during slow movement while not going too deep into the water.
Gabriel Jung, the cinematographer and photographer, was shooting on another Canon 5D Mark III and the Lumix Gh4. He too knew what it would take in order to get the best shots for this project, and that was to get into the frozen water.
Thankfully there were first respondents such as; Chicago police, ambulance, and fire departments on shore and in the water ready to assist anyone unfortunate enough to get stuck, freeze and/or drown. The fire and police department set limits as to how far people could go out into the water, for good reason. Safety is always a primary concern in these events, and thanks to the skillful team of first respondents everyone felt safe enough to venture into the frozen Lake Michigan. Thankfully there were no serious casualties and people were responsible enough to keep frost bite at bay
The photographers and the police
Many of the photographers, police, and fire department were in the water wearing heat concealing wet suits in order to allow them to stay in the water for long periods of time without succumbing to the dangers of the frozen water. They all stayed in the ice cold water for long periods of time to ensure everyone’s safety throughout the entirety of the event.