We always hope for fine weather for a shoot but sometimes the weather God’s choose not to play ball. In those situations it’s important you’re able to adapt to the conditions.
For this particular shoot I was invited to capture Amelia and her family at their stunning home in Cleckheaton. They live in a beautiful house with gorgeous grounds so it was a real treat – I’d happily do all my shoots there if I could!
Unfortunately we weren’t blessed with perfect weather that morning. In fact it was raining pretty hard at times and the dark sky meant the light was very poor.
OK so it’s raining… now what?
When the weather’s poor the first consideration is comfort. The age of the people you’re shooting is important but it’s vital everyone is comfortable. Everyone here was happy to wrap up and head out so we pressed on.
Technical considerations for wet weather
Keep your equipment safe
One of the first things to consider when it’s wet is safeguarding your gear. I shoot with a Canon EOS 5D Mark III and mainly L Series lenses so my equipment is largely weather sealed – critical on a day like this. The only lens in my arsenal that isn’t weather sealed is my Canon EF 35mm f/2 IS USM so that one stayed in the bag.
Use a wide aperture and push your ISO if you need to
It wasn’t just wet but also very dark which is always a bit of a challenge. On this particular shoot I was chasing three energetic boys around so it was critical I was able to maintain a shutter speed capable of keeping things sharp. If I’m shooting with my trusty Canon EF 70-200mm f/2.8L IS II USM (which is often) I’ll normally have that wide open at f/2.8. If it’s very dark and I’m shooting on my Canon EF 50mm f/1.2L USM I may go slightly wider to suck in as much light as possible but f/2.8 is around the sweet spot for my particular style.
Given I need to be shooting at a minimum of around 1/200th second if I have my 70-200 on the camera and I have my aperture at f/2.8 then when it’s very dark the exposure triangle means I’m needing to rely on my ISO to gain a correct exposure. Thankfully modern cameras perform admirably in low light. Nearly all the images captured in this shoot were in the range of ISO 1600-3200. It’s not ideal but it’s certainly not a major problem. It’s certainly preferable to missing focus.
Be aware of your exposure
Wet, reflective surfaces can confuse your camera’s meter so be mindful of your exposure. Use your histogram to check your exposure and adjust as needed. You can either use exposure compensation or switch to manual – whatever works for you.
Be careful with your focus
My 70-200 lens is a stunning piece of kit and it’s my most reliable in terms of achieving focus. However, it’s brilliant focussing performance can be a blessing and a curse when it’s raining. It can lock onto individual raindrops as they fall. Very impressive, but quite hard to manage when you’re actually trying to focus through the rain. I use back button focussing which helps me adapt quickly. However if it’s raining heavily make sure you keep a close eye on where you’re locking focus to make sure your subject is staying nice and sharp.
If the worst comes to the worst, head indoors
While I always prefer to be shooting outside, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with taking the session indoors if you need to. It was actually a nice change of pace for me to move indoors. Interiors offer a whole different range of options and can really help to tell a family’s story (I still prefer to be out in the trees though!)
Don’t be scared!
The most important thing with bad weather is not to panic! Yes, you might have to think on your feet a bit and perhaps take a slightly different approach than you’d planned but it can often lead to some fantastic images.
Being able to think and adapt quickly is a really important skill for any photographer, especially those that are being paid to capture the image. Take a breath, assess the situation, form a plan and trust in your ability to get the shot.
These challenges always improve us as photographers so when they come along, embrace them!
Would you like me to capture your family story?
If you’d like to book a family photoshoot get in touch to book a session. I’d love to work with you!
