Bad weather doesn't mean bad pictures.
It just changes your options and sets the stage for some unique photographic
opportunities. In fact, rain can be a photographer’s friend, intensifying
colors and adding drama to just about any subject. These tips will help
you get the most out of wet-weather photo shoots.
Taking the plunge
Before you put on your rain gear
and embrace the elements, follow these tips:
Always keep your camera inside your jacket or sweater to protect
it during a downpour.
For added protection, use a plastic bag to waterproof your camera.
Just cut a hole for your lens to poke through.
Keep a soft, clean cloth handy to wipe water droplets off the lens.
Don’t use a tissue directly on the lens.
Overcast skies can be used to your advantage.
Color contrasts are muted on a gray day, and colors seem richer—creating
the perfect setting for photos of trees and plants. And fog can subdue
colors and soften objects in the background, making a lake or your neighborhood
park look ethereal and mysterious.
Some digital cameras feature special
shooting modes that adjust for lighting (i.e., beach, snow) and situation
(i.e., macro for close-ups, portrait). Experiment with the action
mode to freeze raindrops hitting a puddle, or a car’s speeding tires
flinging water. You can also capture wet scenes beautifully with black-and-white
photography.
Storms and heavy rain intensify an image.
A particularly good time for dramatic landscape pictures is right after
a storm: the sun is beginning to break through, and billowing clouds
can be seen in the distance. This combination of bright sun and dark
skies creates an extraordinary backdrop: colors seem deeper, and objects
glisten under the emerging rays of light.
To capture it all, try using
the landscape shooting mode on your HP camera—it
provides great range and sharpness.
Rainbows always make stunning subjects.
They’re formed by the refraction of light through raindrops, and
you’ll usually find these conditions before or after a summer
storm. Act fast when you see a rainbow—a storm can recede quickly,
and the moisture that creates rainbows can vanish in an instant. Rainbow
photos are especially striking with other dominant objects in the frame,
such as a mountain, body of water, or other natural feature.
And what about the water at your feet?
Think of all the interesting reflections you can capture in a puddle:
trees, clouds, city lights. Include surroundings in the shot, too, like
the soccer field and bleachers that the puddle reflects. And puddles
attract kids like magnets—a great opportunity for candid shots
and another reason to keep your digital camera handy.
Drizzly days are not only a good time to
head outside with your camera—they’re the perfect occasion
to start a photo project. Enlarge a favorite rainy-day picture as a
contemplative piece for your home office, or frame it for a housewarming
gift. Gather snapshots for an album or scrapbook. Or e-mail a few photos
to someone in a faraway, sunny place, just to share the joy of playing
in the rain.
Take a free online class in digital photography! Explore the many
features of your digital camera, find tips for cropping and editing
your images, and discover new ideas for sharing your photos in creative
ways.
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