Photography tutorial: How to photograph in unfavorable conditions
Photographing in less than ideal weather conditions can be a real challenge. However, if you’re up to it, you can achieve emotional and beautiful images – even in unfavourable circumstances.
Often bad weather can tell a bigger story than the exact same scene on a lovely sunny day. There is the advantage of more even light – if you can believe that! Think about it. More often than not, sunny days equate to high contrast with hard shadows and harsh light, whereas the more dramatic light that often accompanies unfavourable weather is softer, cleaner and easier to expose for. Your images can be either “deep, dark and dangerous” or “soft and delicate” The moods that you are able to create in adverse weather just cannot be matched in “blue sky” days. Even the basic colours of nature change with the light, making a unique and subtle palette of colour not normally seen. This palette will change constantly, giving you a front row seat to many spectacular chances to shoot some amazing images of the same scenes. Much of ‘bad weather photography’ we see is taken when the weather is either rolling in or rolling out. This is the transitional time and the light will change in intensity and quality. Be prepared to shoot quickly and efficiently as the golden opportunity will pass only too quickly. Of course shooting in these demanding conditions requires some special equipment considerations.
You’ll need a reliable camera, one that the manufacturer has indicated will withstand a wet and moisture laden environment. Auto focus helps and a sturdy tripod will be essential – if you get the time to set it up! It’s a valuable decision to bracket all our exposures as we photograph. Often our best shot will be the one the meter indicated would be incorrect! If you watch the weather changing from a good vantage point, opportunities often arise for you to prepare and wait for the precise moment, so setting up your tripod and getting yourself ready for anything the weather throws at you gives you time to select your lens, filter and viewpoint. Driving around in coastal areas with equipment and tripod at the ready means no fumbling about when you see a chance to grab an amazing shot. Planning is essential and to wake up to a rainy or stormy day just means a slight change in the way you will endeavour to photograph that particular day. It requires a change in your pre-vision and your attitude. We need to be very flexible in our view of the landscape. Often we can pre-visualise an image but our perception of it should change if the weather does.
Another major challenge of bad weather photography is keeping our camera clean and free of moisture.Even the best and toughest cameras need maintenance and regular cleaning – and even moreso in unfavourable conditions. Wear warm clothing and carry gloves. After all, its no good working on getting that great shot if all we can think about is how cold and miserable we are in the process. Protect your camera with a proper camera raincoat which can be purchased from your photo retailer. Most cameras can withstand a little drizzle, but you can never be too sure or too safe. But whatever you do, don’t be frightened of dark clouds and foreboding skies. These are the conditions under which some of your most dramatic landscapes will be captured.
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