[Jim Bryant]

While sitting around yesterday, looking out the sliding glass doors, watching the rainfall and wishing it would just go away, I realized that I’m a photographer and the bad weather would give me a opportunity to go outside in our backyard garden and make some good pictures. I thought of images that would evoke the mood and atmosphere, and to break away from that sunny-day look and capture a special like of “wet” beauty.

First, consider the possibilities of rain. It adds a silvery shimmer to city streets and foliage alike that turns the mundane into magic. The diffused light from an overcast sky mutes bright colors and emphasizes soft monochromes and subtle compositional effects.

Move in close to capture details and rich colors of the various plants, grasses and trees branches. Move in close to capture water drops shinning like a jewel on a leaf or flower.

When shooting in the foul water can damage photographic equipment, so when taking your camera out in bad weather, protect it under a raincoat or umbrella when not shooting. Make use of doorways, storefront arcades, overhangs, awnings or canopies.

For prolonged exposure to the rain, weatherproof your camera with a kitchen plastic bag that is flexible enough to operate the shutter release. Cut a hole for the lens and seal the lens shade to the bag with the use of waterproof tape or a strong rubber band. To protect the lens, use a lens shade and skylight filer. Promptly wipe off moisture that gets on your camera with a dry, clean cloth.

Be alert to such stormy scenes as you photograph, if not, you’ll never know what visual opportunities bad weather might bring.

All these shots were taken handheld with a MKIIDs with a 28-70mm lens and extension tube on the following settings:
Date: 10/21/09
Time: 9:41:07 AM
Latitude:
Longitude:
Model: Canon EOS-1D Mark IIDs
Serial #:
Firmware: Adobe Photoshop CS3 Macintosh
Frame #: 381
Lens (mm): 70
ISO: 800
Aperture: 2.8
Shutter: 1/160
Exp. Comp.: 0.0
Flash Comp.:
Program: Shutter Priority
Focus Mode:
White Bal.:
ICC Profile: Adobe RGB (1998) (embedded)
Contrast:
Sharpening:
Quality: