Fair-weather photographers may only get fair, average images. But rainy days offer
opportunities just dripping with potential. Technically, May is the wettest month in
Texas, but April will give you plenty of practice. Here are a few things to consider:
Pack your tripod
Photo by Frida Bredesen from Unsplash.com
As Captain Obvious will tell you, rain comes from clouds, which also tend to block light. And increasing your depth of field will help capture raindrops but will require a slower shutter speed (or higher ISO). You’ll want a tripod. It can hold your camera while you hold an umbrella.
Cover yourself
Shooting in the rain is a lot more fun if you stay warm and dry. Make use of natural weather barriers like awnings, walls, and cars. Umbrellas are tricky to handle, but they can double as a prop to help tell the story of your image. Try to keep the wind at your back (unless you want a wet lens).
Cover your camera
Rain covers cost as little as $7, a small price to pay to keep moisture out of your camera. And make sure the inside of your bag is dry before you put the camera away.
Light it up
Often rain will not show up in your image unless there is a strong light source in front or back of it, so position yourself accordingly.
Freeze the rain
Crank up your shutter speed to at least 1/250. Try popping a weak flash into the rain, like -2 or -3 stops, to light it up a bit.
Create a curtain
Slow your shutter speed down to about 1/15 or 1/30 and you’ll paint more of a downpour feeling.
After the storm
Photo by Steve Halama from Unsplash.com
You don’t have to go out in the rain to get a great shot. Wait till it passes, then go see if you can catch a rainbow. Post-storm puddles create little mirrors that reflect light, architecture, and people.
Happy shooting! And remember, our July competition theme is “All Wet.”
TAPC Blog 