TECHNIQUE LANDSCAPE PHOTOGRAPHY
10 steps
for shooting
in rain
1 Choose your
location carefully
Urban areas make great
subjects in the rain Surfaces such
as wet tarmac reflect beautifully,
especially at night.
2 Judge the direction
of the rain
If it’s blowing towards you, your
lens’s front element will soon be
covered in droplets.
3 Use a UV flter
It’s far better to get moisture on
the filter, rather than on your
expensive lens.
4 Clean your lens
scene retains a charm few
can resist. Predicting snow is not
too difficult and, to its credit, the
Met Office’s predictions often
prove surprisingly accurate. If you
are fortunate enough to be out
shooting in the snow, look for
simple designs. Landscape
often assumes a marvellous
graphical quality, particularly
if the snow is moderately light
Farm tracks, ploughed fields,
remnants of harvested fields – all
leave distinctive marks checked
the histogram, you will see that
the tonal values are bunching
to the right. With a very limited
tonal range and very few visual
elements, you should be able
to produce images of stunning
simplicity Mist and fog OK,
time to be realistic – there can’t
be many photographers who
would think to place mist and
fog under the umbrella of ‘bad
weather’. Even the most The
River Stour, Dorset. In normal
conditions it is possible to see a
cluster of houses to the extreme
left, but here the mist has
masked them that offer amazing
photographic potential. If, by
way of contrast, you experience
a much heavier snowfall, look
for the opportunities for
a minimalist landscape
The landscape will appear
overwhelmingly white, with just
the odd dark area punctuating
the light. The high-key nature
of the images also helps to
contribute to this minimalist
approach. If you have metered
your landscape correctly and
checked the histogram, you will
see that the tonal values are
bunching to the right. With a
very limited tonal range and very
few visual elements, you should
be able to produce images of
stunning simplicity.
Mist and fog
OK, time to be realistic – there
can’t be many photographers who
would think to place mist and fog
under the umbrella of ‘bad
weather’. Even the most
Keep checking the front of
your lens, and have a clean
microfibre cloth available to
clean off any droplets.
5 Try handheld
Don’t assume you should
always use a tripod. Consider
shooting handheld, too.
6 Increase the ISO if
necessary
The sensors on modern DSLRs
are quite capable of delivering
excellent results, even with the
ISO set to 4000.
7 Use a long lens
I am a fan of using long lenses
when capturing weather – you can
then shoot from a sheltered spot.
8 Always have a lens
hood attached
Another advantage of using a long
lens, as their hoods tend to be
very deep.
9 Experiment with
shutter speeds
A slow shutter speed is great, but
try using a faster one, particularly
when there are figures in frame.
The River Stour,
Dorset. In normal
conditions it is
possible to see a
cluster of houses
to the extreme left,
but here the mist
has masked them
26
10 Keep your camera
dry
Personally, I find purpose-made
camera rain sleeves too elaborate,
and prefer using a simple plastic
bag or even a cheap shower cap
subscribe 0330 333 1113 I www.platography.co.my I 8 October