Shooting in the Rain

Weather is getting much colder these days. And the continuous rain plays as a role of “accomplice”. Many people hate rainy days for it means wet clothes, crowded traffic. But it reminds me of one classic movie, Singing in the Rain. If we change our perspective, the annoying rainy day can also turn into lovely one. Now, let’s learn some preparation before shooting in the rain. With some proper planning you can have a great time outside.

Soumya

Be prepared. A large ziploc bag takes up no room in your bag and can be used in a pinch to cover your camera. You can shoot through a ziploc bag as a last ditch effort to get the shot.

Invest in rain gear. Many companies make specific bags for different DSLR models that are designed to use most of the functions on the camera and offer a better shoot-through plastic protector. They are cut generously enough to cover you and your backpack or messenger style bag and help protect it from the elements.

Look for the reflections.  Rain collecting in streets can cause some beautiful reflections. Point your lens down and look for reflections in the water of surrounding scenery and frame accordingly.

Artem Tschaikowsky

Increase your ISO. With the rain come clouds which block the sun – these darker shooting situations are similar to shooting near dusk, so a higher ISO sensitivity is needed.

Take a friend along. Take a friend with you to help hold an umbrella, and to be a second set of eyes to help look for reflections, patterns and subject matter.

Rinse it off. If you take camera gear, waterproof point and shoot or bagged DSLRs to the beach or in salt water, rinse them off with clean fresh water before they dry.  The salt in the water can cause corrosion and dry-rot the rubber gaskets that help seal the memory card door.