Practical Gear Tips for Taking Photos in the Rain
photo by luxizeng via iStock
While many of us would prefer to head outside and shoot photos in perfect weather, sometimes the rain can’t be avoided.
What’s more, cloudy, rainy weather can present opportunities to create unique photos that are a departure from the norm. There’s a wonderful moodiness about the rain, don’t you think?
Of course, you can’t just run outside with your camera when it’s raining.
Instead, you need to plan and prepare so your outing is a successful one.
Here’s a few practical gear tips for taking photos in the rain to get you started!
Taking Photos in the Rain: Keep Your Gear Dry
When you’re out in the wet, you need to get your gear to your shoot location without it getting completely soaked. A weatherproof camera bag will do just the trick.
Picking a camera bag is a highly personal process because the best camera bag for me might not be the best camera bag for you.
That is, I prefer a backpack style bag, like the Peak Design Everyday Backpack shown above and below, because it’s weatherproof, has a ton of room for my gear, and the large shoulder straps make it easy and comfortable to carry.
But some folks prefer a sling bag. Others like a shoulder bag. Yet others find that a roller bag works best for them.
Whatever type of bag you think you’d prefer, be sure when you’re shopping to do your due diligence and select a bag that has an exterior coating, a shell, or an integrated rain cover that will keep your expensive photography gear nice and dry.
Of course, simply keeping your gear dry on the way to the shoot location isn’t enough. Once there, you want to protect your camera and lens from moisture.
You can get a rain cover for your camera and lens, but you might find (as I have) that universal-fit covers don’t fit at all. They’re either too tight or too baggy, and in the case of the latter, they just get in your way.
What’s more, a rain cover doesn’t protect the lens glass from getting wet, so you constantly have to stop shooting and dry off the lens.
I discovered a product just a couple of days ago that seems like it would resolve this issue: the Camera Canopy.
This ingenious device attaches to the hot-shoe mount on your camera and extends outward to provide protection to the camera body and lens.
It’s totally adjustable and will work with any camera and any lens up to 500mm in length. If you have longer lenses, custom canopy sizes are available.
Since the Camera Canopy is clear, you can actually see what you’re doing and easily see the camera settings. Your hands are free as well, so you can more easily make adjustments - which is tough to do when you use a rain cover.
In other words, the Camera Canopy solves a variety of problems you might encounter when shooting in the rain. It keeps your gear dry, keeps rain off your lens glass, affords you a clear view of what you’re doing, and makes adjustments to camera settings a breeze.
What’s not to like about that?!
Learn more about the Camera Canopy
Taking Photos in the Rain: Keep Yourself Dry Too
photo by mladenbalinovac via iStock
If you ask me, there’s nothing as miserable as being cold and wet. Yet there have been more than a few times in my life when I’ve suffered through those very conditions to get the shot I wanted.
That’s not the case anymore, though.
I have tried so many different “waterproof” jackets over the years that were definitely not waterproof that I was beginning to wonder if such a thing actually existed.
It does!
I have the Columbia Heatzone 1000 TurboDown II Jacket, and this thing is absolutely waterproof.
We had several days of rain a couple of weeks ago, and I wore this sucker out in the downpour and came back in completely dry.
It’s warm, too - I had a day in the mountains several weeks back and though it was chilly out with snow on the ground, I was roasty toasty thanks to the innovative 3D thermal reflective lining that radiates my body heat back toward me.
Seriously...if you spend any time at all outdoors taking photos in the rain, this jacket will become your go-to real quick!
I highly recommend the Columbia Bugaboot Plus IV to keep your feet warm and dry as well.
I picked up a pair of these bad boys last fall, and whenever I’m headed to higher elevations, you can bet these things are on my feet.
They have the same omni-heat reflective thermal lining plus 200 grams of insulation underneath the footbed. Add in waterproof, seam-sealed construction, and you have the makings of the perfect boot for taking photos in the rain.
Wrapping It Up
photo by eldinhoid via iStock
Though this certainly isn’t a complete list of all the rain gear you can use as a photographer, it’ll definitely get you started.
You need dry gear, and you need to stay dry, too, and with the items I’ve highlighted above, that’s exactly what you’ll get!
