Photographing in bad weather

This article was translated from Dutch with the help of AI. Read the original.

Photos of sunrises and sunsets are fantastic to see, especially with a sky full of clouds and colour. As photographers, we are happy to capture them.

But rain will stop many photographers from going out to take photos. That is understandable, because our valuable camera equipment often does not mix well with water.

At the same time, so-called bad weather can produce many special images. Dark and dramatic skies, rain showers in the distance, rainbows, or even fantastic colours when the setting sun illuminates the clouds from below.

You just need to be there when this happens, and that means going out when the weather is bad. It also requires some preparation.

First, you need to know how weatherproof your camera is. You do not need to hold your camera under the tap to find out. This is often mentioned in the specifications. If the camera is not weatherproof enough, you need some extra protection.

Rain covers come in all shapes and sizes, and of course prices. But a simple shower cap or plastic bag may be enough.

If you are wearing a poncho, you can also keep the camera underneath it until you want to take a photo. A few drops on your camera are not a major problem.

Do not put a wet camera in a rain cover or plastic bag. The moisture will not be able to escape, increasing the risk of it getting into the camera. That is why a tea towel is essential. Use one that has already been washed so that it no longer sheds fibres. You can use it to dry the camera, wipe drops from your lens, or drape it over the camera to keep out most of the rain.

A rain cover and drops on the lens make photographing difficult, but that is the price you pay for photographing in the rain.

That is why it is best not to take too much with you. Make it easy for yourself. A small bag with perhaps one extra lens is enough. You will not change lenses much in the rain.

If you are photographing in the rain, make sure you stay dry too. A good raincoat, waterproof trousers, hood, or a poncho. The latter is of course not sensible in an area with a lot of wind, just like an umbrella.

Keep the tea towel close at hand to keep drops off the lens while taking photos. Also take lots of photos of a scene in a row, repeatedly wiping the drops away.

That way, you will always have a good photo with few or no drops left, or you can combine them. In that case, it is sensible to photograph in manual mode.

Remember that it rarely rains all day. And when the sun eventually sets and finds an opening beneath the clouds, the sky can take on fantastic colours. At those moments, all the rain is forgotten, and we can enjoy something you would have missed if you had stayed at home.

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