Wet weather photography

I’ve spent the last few months on a project actively shooting in fowl weather, I live in Malta and although sun and hot weather spring to mind for most our winters are wild with brutal storms. I’m still working on my own bad weather set up, and infact still waiting for three months of films to get back from the lab, thanks for the tips

Thanks for the encouragement to get out in rainy weather. I’ll try to do this a little more often now.

One of the best photos I ever took (there ain't may lol!) Was in a drizzling rain at Bryce Canyon National Park. I was standing in the mouth of a cave near a waterfall flowing over reddish brown rock. I don't remember the exposure but it was fairly long to blur the water (I know..cliche...blah). Turned out beautiful. It's been hanging on my wall for about 20 years and still gets comments.

I love shooting during storms, especially monsoon season here in SE AZ(Some of the best sunsets are after a storm, also love shooting lightning, have captured lightning with both film & digital. Lightning looks pretty cool in b&w).

No I am not going out in the rain unless I have to! thanks for the advice.

I would not trust 'Weather Sealing' on any Lens. I would never take my 70-200 2.8 FL into rain/snow

I really love your channel and you’re a fantastic photographer ❤️👍

I have an old weatherized Nikon point and shoot film camera - used to only use it in snow.
Holgas can be great in the rain and have carried it in a ZipLoc bag.
Have never taken my crappy GoPro out in the rain. It IS waterproof.
My aging Pentax K-S2 with the kit lens is weatherized but I keep forgetting to take it out in the rain…

Living in florida, I have fallen in love with photographing the summer storm cells! It started kinda just cus there was nothing else to shoot on stormy summer days but it quickly developed into a passion. they're so cool!

Thank you for this video Steve, this is something I've often considered doing in the past but have never plucked up the courage to do it. I love the moody images B&W film produces just in everyday shots and rainy days would make for some very good pics as well. perhaps once winter arrives here in Australia this year I'll get out with my cheap little Nikon F-601 and a 35-70mm zoom lens, some HP5 or Delta 400 and see what I can get.

Great Video - I fully agree. I accidentally discovered the great mood and colors of rainy weather on a vacation. Had more rain than sunshine and just tried to make the best of it. Since than I prefer the mood, the colors, the overall feeling of the photos taken in those conditions. Well, one of the best things about rainy weather is the lack of other people outdoor ;-)

I usually take my Canon 1 Mark iv when it rains.

I would be afraid the moisture would ruin my camera.

I took photos in falling snow but I kept getting camera error on the screen I don't think the can liked the cold.

I've taken your advice and started going out in inclement weather. And my photography is vastly improved. Thanks

Thank you for great advice! I totally agree with you about the grain. How do you feel about adding synthetic film grain to digital photos? I've been kind of shying away from doing that because I feel like I didn't "earn" that privilege if I shot with my perfectly easy to use digital format camera? But I am curious to know what someone who does the real deal film process think of it?

Thank you 👍📷😎

That’s one of your most thought provoking video you’ve made in a long time. Thanks!

Based on your thumbs score you deserve all respect, 968 up versus 0 down, probably the best YT score ever or the people here all know what's good photography hehehe.
But I am here for your B/W shots, they look great.
Indeed rain often gives an image the punch it needs.
Thanks for sharing

I dont think I would get out much if I didnt go out in the rain! Were not known over the west for extended dry periods😆 I would agree with matching the film, camera and developer to convey the mood required. Great vlog Steve.
Cheers
Diz

Thanks for the encouragement ,downpours can be amazing.

I have used the clear dome shaped covers used on drinks modified to allow lens adjustment on a tube , the dome is clued to a tube that slips over the lens and the hole at the dome top enlarged if needed ,it is clumsy but it works ,try it if you are strapped for cash.

Great video that’s inspired me to get out and photograph instead of saying it’s too cold, wet, or otherwise crummy. Happy Christmas.

Might I suggest a wealthy man such as yourself could hire a Sherpa to carry your gear and umbrella :)

Steve, fantastic video. I’m with you going out in bad weather, I shoot more in the autumn and winter than summer time. You can’t beat a moody sky in black and white.

Great advise if you live in sunny England or Seattle Washington. Some of us live in a desert. I live in semi arid desert. Sometimes it will rain in the afternoon for about 20 mins and be gone and dry in an hour. No dramatic fog. I have to shoot snowy and cold weather during the winter for drama. A 1 and a half hour drive into the mountains can yield more opportunities for this type of weather so for me I have to go looking for it.

I totally agree, love going out in wet and windy weather weather too!

i like the wet.look
i love taking photos under the rain

I always liked shooting pictures into rain, but sadly i don't own weather-sealed gear. Yes, i could choose a DSLR plastic bag, but...the rain could make some kind of cool, gritty. cool street photography scenes, and also landscape photography can look cool with heavy clouds, etc. So quite often shorty after the rain ended, if possible...or when it's a subtle drizzling. For that, i prefer old, and cheap SLRs.

Thanks sooo much for the Inspiration Steve!! Keep up the great work!!!

Honestly Steve, I love your simple and honest approach. Saying things like get yourselves a plastic bag and go outside, instead of suggesting this is the latest and greatest in rain protection, please use the link below, is why I watch your channel. If I were to shoot film again I would only do it for shooting b&w. Nothing beats film in this case.

Hello Steve 👋.
That's Great . I love rainy days for landscape photography and i god my best dramatic shots in those days . But we have always sunny days in shiraz .
I'm waiting for your next video.
Good Luck🤞.

Great in-site into your reasons for wet weather landscape photography Steve. I grew up in South Wales so I’m used to getting soaked. Most winter days walking to school my trousers were saturated and we’d all dry ourselves against the classroom radiators. Our trousers didn’t have steam. As a wedding photographer Zia didn’t shoot medium format. As I got wet many times even in summer I opted for 2 Canon Eos 1 cameras that were built like a tank and didn’t mind the wet at all. The motorised shutter slap could wake the dead in the church graveyard and for some reason I was banned from shooting during the ceremony with that camera. I still love shooting with it on rainy days because you can just point and shoot and get the shot done before getting too wet. It was my favourite camera to use, but now my Nikon FE2 is top dog. I used to love the clean crisp digital landscapes I shot, but not so much now. I always loved grain and the look of a gritty photograph. I recently found these photographers from the dawn of photography and the movement was called pointillism. They wanted to create photographs that had texture like a painting. They were really good. When I saw their work I realised how much my current work was the very similar to theirs because I paint as well and I wanted to give my photographs a real painterly effect. A plastic bag is the best thing I’ve used as well. I’ve tried waterproof covers and they are all a bit to cumbersome. I look forward to the next video.

I have been considering suggesting that you might give us the benefit of your experience when it comes to keeping equipment alive during the rainy season. I guess this is the masterclass! Let me see now :- "disposable" camera - check, zoom lens - check, plastic bag... Oh, willpower - Hmmm...
Looking forwards to next weeks motivator!

Also here. I’m sometimes out, when the „normal“ people stay inside 😉stay as you are !!! Greetings from (grey) Germany 🇩🇪

Brilliant information this week so handy for beginners to more experienced photographers.

The plastic you have Steve looks better - it’s a little thicker. Maybe a florist shop? In bad weather sometimes I’ll cheat and jockey the car around for a good shot. My Rollei 35S was in sea water and straight away to a repairman who saved it. Now I know it’s rugged.... and almost 50 years old!

Thanks for the great advice as always, Steve. Looking forward to the video! Cheers

Great video as always, Steve. Keep on keepin on.

This is my first fall in Seattle and I’ve been somewhat struggling with shooting in rainy/gloomy conditions. Your video made me re-think my approach. Thank you!

Thank GOD I shoot digital - cold and unfeeling. Don't touch me.

That lift printed image is intense. I loved it.

‘Lith’ printing, I presume that’s what I heard you say, now that’s something I really would like to see. Looking forward to that.
Great videos, Steve.

Right On!

Ah, the benefits of living in a land that has actual weather. Of course, I suspect that I'd be complaining about it before too long. At least I wouldn't have the excuse of consistently cloudless skies.

Give me fog, storm, snow or rain any time. But I do settle for what I could get. Once I was at the top of Mam Tor and the wind strength was near enough gale force. Hand holding the camera and crouching into myself was the only way. I got a couple of half decent shots too. Thank you for your helpful insight.

I like to go out and shoot during drizzly days, i love the light but it is not always :)

Is it the journey (going out in the rain) or the destination (the final image)? I think it's always the destination however a good destination makes a good journey in the sense of this is a good journey to be on - why? because the destination is great. A journey to nowhere might be fun here and there but ultimately a waste of time. Put the final print up on the wall (arrive at the destination) and this makes all things good.Its the destination that makes the journey good.

Some of my best images were shot in rainy or snowy conditions, I'm looking forward to next week's video Steve.