The photo "16"(40cm) PRO Camera Rain Cover" ( The 16"(40cm) PRO Camera Rain Cover, n.d.) |
If
out of the box is what you, as a photographer is aiming for, then give rain
photography a try. It is exciting because you’re not taking photographs under
the “normal” circumstances. There are many things to think about when working
under the rain.
Firstly,
will the rain ruin your equipment? Well yes, definitely. So the first step is
to protect your camera. There are many ways to protect your camera and one of
them is by purchasing a special waterproof case. A camera rain cover, such as shown
in the picture is an ideal way of doing a rain photoshoot without having to
worry about your camera being affected by water. The 16" (40 cm) PRO
Camera Rain Cover is good for handheld or tripod shooting because it is compact
and flexible as it is made of Silnylon which is an extremely waterproof,
ultralight and strong type of fabric (“16" (40 cm) PRO Camera Rain Cover”,
n.d.).
If
buying a waterproof cover is somewhat out of your budget, don’t fret because it
is possible to make one yourself. I’ve tried and this is from my own
experience. All you need is waterproof materials such as a big trash bag,
rubberbands, lots of sellotape and invest in a lens hood and lens UV filter.
Firstly, cut a hole in the trash bag but make sure the hole is just slightly
bigger than the lens hood of the camera. Then push the camera’s lens hood
through the hole with the camera inside the plastic bag. Secure the plastic bag
around the lens hood with rubber bands and tape over with sellotape to keep
waterproof. Lastly , cut a hole in the trash bag for the eyepiece if necessary.
There you have it, your very own budget rainproof camera cover. However, even
with rainproof equipment it is not advisable to take photographs under heavy
downpour unless you’re a hundred percent certain it will not harm your camera.
The photo "Photograph by Jim Ricahrdson" (Taking Photos In The Rain, 2012) |
Jim
Richardson is a photojournalist whose photos appear frequently in National
Geographic magazine and according to him it is wise to look out for
reflections, to backlight the rain and also to be on the lookout for joy and misery
(“Taking Photos in The Rain”, 2012). Sometimes reflective shots make for a more
captivating shot compared to just normal everyday shots.
If
the raindrops are what you’re aiming to highlight, then backlight the rain.
This works because light that comes through the raindrops is concentrated and
thus making it brighter than the rest of the scene (“Taking Photos in The Rain”,
2012).
If
you’re in a group doing a “photo-outing” session or even alone roaming the
streets during a travel, just be on the lookout for expressions. There is
nothing better than a good portrait that reflects the feelings of those
affected by the rain. But always keep in mind that it is best to take the photo
in a view which does not identify your subject as not everyone likes to be
randomly photographed. If the photograph is for a news story or research, it is
alright for a person’s picture to be taken but if the picture taken is close
enough to be identified then the picture is not allowed to be used for
commercial purposes unless a model release form is signed (Swaney, n.d.).
For
basics however, I have only tried inanimate subjects which are the plants in my
backyard. In the future I hope to take captivating and beautiful photographs like
Jim Richardson but that would take a lot of patience and practice. However for
now, here are some of the shots I’ve taken.
Rain makes boring flowers look good |
Fiddle with aperture mode to get a blurry background and use flash to highlight the raindrops. |
Backlit raindrops always stand out in a shot. |
Reference:
16" (40 cm) PRO Camera Rain
Cover. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://fotosharp.com/16_rain_cover_w_velcro_opening_.html
16" (40 cm) PRO Camera Rain
Cover. (n.d). 16" (40 cm) PRO Camera Rain Cover [Image]. Retrieved from http://fotosharp.com/16_rain_cover_w_velcro_opening_.html
Swaney, A. (n.d.). The Ethics of
Photographing People. Retrieved from http://www.montanaheritageproject.org/edheritage/articles/swaney.htm
Taking Photos in the Rain. (2012).
Retrieved from http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/taking-photos-in-rain-richardson/
Taking Photos in the Rain. (2012). Photograph
by Jim Richardson [Image]. Retrieved from http://photography.nationalgeographic.com/photography/photo-tips/taking-photos-in-rain-richardson/