20 tips for taking fantastic shots in bad weather

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

The season begins when there are fewer and fewer sunny days. However, as you know, nature does not have bad weather. Is it cloudy, foggy, heavy rain or drizzle outside? Do not rush to put the camera on the shelf. With our tips, you'll be able to capture stunning landscape shots even in inclement weather.

If in the morning you looked out the window, and it is raining there, do not cancel plans to spend the day with the camera: the rain will be an excellent assistant in learning new subtleties of photography.

If you arrive at the filming location and find that it is shrouded in thick fog, consider yourself lucky!

If on the way to where you have long planned to take photos, you notice that the sky is overcast, think about the opportunities presented by these weather changes.

If you can manage to tune in to a positive mood, your landscape photos will become more interesting and perfect. A photographer who complains that the weather was not on his side just missed his chance. The weather determines the mood of the landscape. Therefore, the more unusual the weather conditions, the more breathtaking the pictures will be.

Shooting stormy landscapes

By incorporating weather into landscape photos, you can convey more mood. This is especially true of the stormy sky: it is always suggestive.

William Turner, famous for his seascapes, claimed that to create the painting "The Last Voyage of the Brave", he tied himself to the mast of the ship right in the midst of a storm. We are not suggesting going to such extreme measures, but a willingness to experience the power of the elements can give you a better idea of the landscape you are photographing.

How storms form

Storms form when a low-pressure area is surrounded by a high-pressure area, causing clouds to thicken. The temperature of the Earth's surface rises, heating, in turn, the air directly above it. It rises, and the cold air from above goes down. The convection process starts. The warmer the air, the higher it rises, forming magnificent cumulonimbus clouds.

What plots to choose for a stormy sky

All landscapes are beautiful in their own way, but some will be better than others. If the clouds that form are particularly impressive, make them the focal point of your subject, and let the foreground play a secondary role. To do this, make the horizon line lower.

A landscape with a clear horizon often looks great. If you want to include an object in your composition, make sure it looks small enough in relation to the sky.

If there is wind, use it to enhance the effect: long hair or loose clothing fluttering in the wind always adds drama.

1. Away from splashes

If you are photographing on the coast in stormy weather, take measures to protect the camera from splashes. Take special care of its back side - use your own body as a shield.

2. Gray or colored clouds

In stormy weather, you have different options. If you shoot in the middle of the day, the clouds will appear gray. Therefore, to make the photo coherent, make sure the foreground has a similarly limited palette. On the other hand, at sunset or sunrise, you can get amazing colorful skies.

3. Protection from the elements

Remember: dust can also cause serious damage to machinery. Protect the camera not only from splashing water, but also from gusts of wind.

4. Bright sky balance

Use a ND filter. It will allow you to balance the exposure of the foreground with a much lighter sky. If the sun is at right angles, exposure may be uneven across the sky. In this case, place the ND filter horizontally.

5. Scenery selection

One of the most important aspects when photographing weather in a landscape is choosing the right combination of sky and foreground.

Shooting landscapes in cloudy weather

Gray skies are usually associated with negativity. Many people complain about the days when there is not enough sunlight. It's easy to get depressed if it's constantly cloudy. But there is also a positive side to this weather.

The first thing to consider is that the term "gray sky" encompasses a variety of weather conditions, from thick, impenetrable clouds to delicate scattered cloud layers in a blue sky. Each case gives you a unique chance.

What are the pros of cloudy weather

Cloud layers help reduce contrast. Modern SLR cameras, for all their merits, are prone to one drawback: the resulting images are often too contrasting, especially in bright sunlight. There is no such problem in cloudy weather.

Seasoned photographers often refer to cloudy weather as a “heavenly softbox”. If you want to shoot a portrait or a figure in a doorway, the result will be much more attractive under a gray sky.

Gray skies create a mood for landscape shots. While all of us are impressed by the scenic landscape, with experience comes the desire to do something less mundane, like getting a view that expresses pathos and sadness. Such scenes are better complemented by dark skies.

Landscapes taken on a cloudy day often look great in b / w. In the absence of color, tones are emphasized, and the mood of the landscape becomes much more obvious. To maintain full image quality, shoot in color and then convert to black and white. Or you can keep the color of the image, but deliberately reduce the saturation - such pictures can look stunning.

6. Correct white balance

When photographing a gray sky, it is important that it is color-free. To ensure this, you must choose the correct white balance. The AWB option is quite reliable. But for complete confidence in getting the desired result, select the Cloudy mode, which color temperature is 6000 degrees Kelvin and corresponds to the sky on a cloudy day.

7. Accented tones

In overcast light, the accent of the image should be on the tones. Whether you are going to save your image in color or decide to convert it to black and white, it is the tones that will convey the mood. This is definitely more difficult to achieve in bright sunlight.

8. Shooting in the sun

Gray skies provide a unique opportunity to incorporate the sun directly into a photo without underexposure. While the sun is slightly obscured by clouds, it can be quite an interesting feature of the composition, which you can't achieve on a sunny day.

9. Display of hidden details

Many small details of nature will appear much brighter with a very pale gray sky in the background. This goes against many of the rules of landscape photography. But you will find that the modest beauty of the leaves or reflections will become more evident on an overcast day.

10. Expressive sky

It's not always worth shooting the sky when creating landscapes. Often, an image can look much better without it at all. A flat and faceless sky is unlikely to add much to your photo.

We shoot in the rain

Just like gray skies, rain can be very diverse, from light drizzle to full-blown flood, and each presents unique opportunities for photography.

However, it is necessary, firstly, not to get wet yourself, and secondly, not to wet your camera. It's hard to be enthusiastic when you get wet. Likewise, your camera will be vulnerable to rain if not properly protected.

The lightest rain is drizzle. It can even sometimes be confused with fog. The ground is slightly damp and dries out rather quickly with a short drizzle.

Thunderstorms are much more intense. While it is difficult to work during a thunderstorm, it provides excellent opportunities for creating an original photograph. This is partly because most photographers hesitate to shoot in such difficult conditions.

Thunderstorms occur when cumulonimbus clouds form and are often accompanied by thunder and lightning. They happen at any time of the year, but more often in late spring and summer, especially in the late afternoon.

It is most difficult to work when it is raining with strong winds, especially if the wind direction changes all the time. As soon as you turn your back on him, a new impulse hits you in the face again. But if you are ready for such difficulties, then you may be presented with a magnificent opportunity.

It is easiest to work during a lingering rain - the results are usually excellent. The secret is to pay more attention to the ground. At a time like this, it is richer in color and full of interesting reflections. In the absence of wind, you can work quite comfortably if you take the following precautions.

11. Raincoat

Most (if not all) cameras can withstand occasional raindrops, but few can survive prolonged downpours. Buy special plastic raincoats for your camera and lenses.

12. Berths

Berths are ideal subjects for shooting in the rain. Wet wood floors reflect well. Plus, such places are usually deserted when it rains. If you are able to shoot in low light or at night, normally boring piers can be stunning in your photos.

13. Night lights

The city also features incredible rain scenes, especially at night. You don't need a heavy downpour. A light rain is enough to get reflections of bright neon lighting.

14. Rivers

If you are in the countryside, do not forget to photograph the flowing water. Cascades and waterfalls are often most photogenic when it is raining. Moving water is best photographed using a slow shutter speed: between ¼ and 8 seconds for a smooth effect.

15. Rainbow

Remember that a rainbow may appear immediately after rain. Think ahead of time where you would like to place the end of the rainbow. From a compositional point of view, a rainbow can be used as a leading line. Look for a tree or building that can be used as a focus point.

16. A little clarity

Some images shot in the rain may lack contrast, especially in midtones. If you're using Adobe Camera Raw, Lightroom, or Photoshop, this can easily be fixed by increasing the Clarity of your RAW images. Move it to the right to liven up the semitones.

Shooting landscapes in fog

It is not entirely correct to consider thick fog or light haze as bad weather. Even beginners take on the challenge of the thick fog. It shows nuances that are not available in any other setting.

Typically, fog will significantly reduce color saturation. At the same time, much more emphasis is placed on tones. Such images can be successfully converted to black and white.

In fog, tonal perspective makes distant objects significantly lighter than those closer to the camera. This is especially noticeable in the forest.

Capturing fog or nighttime darkness produces very atmospheric images. Artificial lights become quieter, creating unearthly effects. And the light rays are slightly distorted when the haze swirls around - rather fabulous plots are obtained. If the ground is wet, subtle reflections can be captured.

The cityscape can look especially interesting in fog: traffic jams, dipped headlights, silent monophonic streets that create mysterious plots. Buildings receding into the distance seem unusually alien. Think back to the highly expressive films of the 40s and 50s to appreciate the potential of this proposal.

Look for subtle images. Fog has the ability to simplify shapes and weaken texture, so objects, even those relatively close to you, are only outlined in silhouette. From a visual point of view, the foggy scene is simplified.

17. The fleetingness of fog

Haze and fog are notoriously short-lived. There is often only a moment to find a suitable spot before the fog disappears. Find such spots before the fog sets in. Accentuate the mood with Photoshop's warm and cold filters.

18. Perspective

Moisture in the air creates the illusion that objects are brighter the further they are from the camera. This visual phenomenon becomes especially noticeable when using a telephoto lens. However, if the lighting is low, you will need a tripod.

19. Increase your exposure

The problem you are likely to run into is underexposure. The in-camera metering system is programmed for 18% gray, which means your shots in fog will be underexposed. The simplest solution is to choose manual mode and a more open aperture.

20. Along the hills

If you are near hilly or mountainous terrain, it is worth considering that the fog can rise or fall depending on the environment. Try to find isolated foreground objects (like a tree) and use them as focus points. Don't be afraid to shoot wide, showing how small the tree is compared to the fog.

Of course, it is more comfortable to photograph on fine days, when it is warm and sunny. However, it is also worth taking advantage of the excellent opportunities that appear in less favorable weather. The difficulties that arise during shooting at such times help the photographer develop a broader outlook. The main thing here is the right attitude.