Using OROROwear in the Wedding Photography Business

By Cara Bartelme, Wild Earth Weddings |

ORORO Heated Vest

As an elopement and engagement photographer based in Colorado, a state known for its breathtaking mountain views, I work 100% of the time outdoors in all types of weather. I am hired by couples who have a deep love for the outdoors and want to exchange their vows in a place that reflects those values. I use ORORO Heated Apparel to maintain my own comfort in cold weather shooting situations and to ensure my clients have a great experience during their shoot.



I love the long battery life of ORORO products, up to 10 hours of heat on low, and I appreciate the ease of being able to carry a spare battery for longer or multi-day trips. With proper clothing, I find I generate enough heat through exercise to be quite warm. However, I use ORORO products in these three situations where generated body heat is NOT an option:

1. Keeping warm at camp 
Once I have stopped hiking, that generated body heat goes away, but I still want to keep warm for the times in between hiking and bedding down for the night, like making dinner and setting up the tent. It is especially useful in places where open campfires are not allowed due to fire danger. This is so important in Colorado, where more than 431,606 acres burned in 2018, some well into the autumn months.

2. Keeping warm while photographing long exposures
When photographing the night sky, I may be waiting for hours while my camera is taking long exposures and interval shots. A fire or stove is not an option because light will leak into the exposure. Furthermore, the clear skies needed for astro landscape photography are often found at higher elevations where atmospheric pollution is decreased. Astrophotographers also tend to work in colder weather because warmer ambient temperature increases sensor noise. When you find yourself often sitting in the dark in the winter and at high elevations for hours on end a battery-powered heated jacket, vest, or coat is a no-brainer!

Client experience: An uncomfortable client is unacceptable and potentially dangerous
In Colorado, wedding season is year-round. Even in the middle of summer, a sunrise hike in the Rocky Mountains can get pretty cold. Throw a wedding dress into the mix, and a bride could run the risk of being very uncomfortable if not properly prepared. After all, most wedding dresses are not made to be worn at the top of a mountain.


ORORO Heated Jacket and Wedding Dress

In addition to properly educating my clients about dressing for weather, having an Ororo heated jacket to lend absolutely makes the difference in comfort for my hiking brides. Ensuring my clients are happy and warm is not only an absolute must for customer service, but it extends our shooting time even when we are at 12,000 feet in January. I own two ORORO products: the Women's Heated Vest and Unisex Hoodie. These products have enhanced the way I enjoy our national and state parks and I highly recommend them to every person working in the great outdoors!

Cara Bartelme of Wild Earth Weddings photographs small weddings and elopements for nature lovers.