There is an odd, yet important-to-learn occupational hazard of event photography that it seems most photographers don’t fully understand until getting started in the business. This relentless Achilles heel; this single bane of the photography profession comes down to our poor aching feet at the end of a long hike or an all day studio shoot trying to get a subject’s perfect expression in controlled lighting. Somehow it doesn’t sink in for some that we might find ourselves anchored to one spot for 10 or more hours, torturing our toes and tendons. I found out the hard way (I used to wear super flat Toms) and quickly decided that finding the right shoes and caring for my feet would become my foremost mission to support my passion for pictures.

The Essentials of Proper Foot Care for Photographers

Whether photography is your primary career, a part-time supplementation filling your weekends with wedding and prom shoots, or a heart-felt hobby, you need to keep in mind how important your feet are to the operation. Healthy feet will keep you mobile and agile, ready to move to the right spot, in an instant, to capture your subject.

Consider some of the following points about proper foot care for photographers:

1. Why Proper Foot Care is Important for a Photographer. The human foot is a marvel of architecture, containing 26 bones per foot, which accounts for one-quarter of the body’s 206 bones. Those bones, along with critical joints and tendons, help us hold our balance, walk, run, hike and stand still for long periods without teetering over. As a photographer, you will do all of those things and more while shooting. And if you plan to take photographs long into the future — and let’s face it, there probably isn’t much else nearly as satisfying to you — you want to keep your feet healthy, happy and ready to do whatever you need in an instant. The pain received from wearing too small, or uncomfortable shoes can leave you sitting on the couch or bed for a day until the pain relieves itself. I get a massage once a month to make sure my body and especially my feet are taken care of.

2. What I Use and Why I Use It. In my continuing quest for comfortable and functional shoes, I discovered Skechers Memory Foam shoes. I quickly decided my search is over since these shoes work perfectly during long shoots, letting me lose all track of time as I work intently with my subjects since my feet stay so relaxed that I don’t have to think about them. They are standard black which is necessary for professionalism. Nurses, bartenders and doctors love this line of shoes that uses the famous mattress material, and I’m right there with them. I used to wear Crocs boat shoes, and I do miss them, because they were stylish and extremely comfortable, but unfortunately, Crocs does not make half sizes. In the end, my feet were too large to continue using them, hence why I made the jump to Skechers.

3. Wearing the Right Shoes for the Right Job. Whether you need hiking boots for a trek deep into the wilderness, comfortable shoes for a day-long shoot, or something more sports-oriented so you can move freely, Skechers has styles that will suit any occasion for men and women.

Hopefully my experience will help you find a shoe that supports your photography goals while keeping your feet feeling awesome.

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