5 Reasons to shoot in bad weather

A lot of us find the bad weather to be a perfect excuse to stay indoors and cozy up. This rainy season, it is not uncommon for students to skip classes. You would hear adults groaning all day about the dreaded commute to the workplace. Most photography enthusiasts will even keep their cameras in storage for a long period of time because the sun ain’t shining on their favorite shooting spots. If you don’t have a weather-sealed camera and lens, purchasing a camera rain coat this season is a wise investment. Out of budget? Make your own camera rain coat from plastic bags, old rain coat pants, or even a condom (non-lubricated, unused please), or use a really, really wide umbrella when you go out. With that, all you need now is a little motivation to shoot. Here are five reasons to go out and shoot in bad weather.

1. The mood makes everything look new.

Everyone with a basic understanding of photographic composition knows that when you place your subject against a great background, you can add more umph! to the photo. The rainy season brings with it a massive arsenal of great backdrop for those over-photographed spots to look new again and for the unnoticed spots to be interesting. Check your favorite shooting location again before the rain to get some nice, or not so nice, mean-looking clouds in the background. Wait for dusk and you’ll make those clouds burst with colors. Dare to go out during a lighting storm and try to catch a lighting strike or two on your camera. After the rain, see your subject in a whole new angle using ground reflections made by rain puddles. You should also try to visit the coast on a stormy day to capture gigantic waves.

           

Four more reasons to shoot in bad weather... continued after the jump

2. Outdoor colors are more vibrant.

Have you noticed that outdoor sceneries appear more colorful during overcast conditions? This is because there is no sunlight that causes glares on surfaces. It is also ideal to shoot waterfalls when there is little or no sunlight so that you can make silk-looking water whilst balancing the overall exposure of the scene.

3. Great outdoor portraits can easily be made.

Chance on making outdoor portraits during overcast conditions and you might consider leaving everything but your camera at home. There could be no need for fancy light modifiers since an overcast sky diffuses light effectively, thereby removing most shadows and reflections on your portrait subject.

4. The street is teeming with life.

It’s hard to believe rain puts some people in a melancholic mood. Whenever I go out to shoot in the streets during a downpour, people are all smiles, kids and adults alike. And then there are some interesting street scenes too like kids playing in floodwaters, kids gathering frogs for food, kids killing snakes... ah, crazy kids!
                

5. Document history.

The camera can be a tool for change. If and when Mother Nature will show her fierce side again this rainy season, you, the photographer, can wield your camera to document the effects of climate change in your area in order to raise people’s consciousness. You could document the repeated flooding in your neighborhood so that you can get the authorities’ attention when you send them those photos together with a complaint letter for their inaction in improving the drainage system. Also, be sure to document relief efforts in your place and try to make inspiring photos that will highlight the Filipino’s kind-heartedness, thus effectively encouraging others to help, and make it easier for those affected to bounce back into normal living.