Last Updated on April 10, 2021
Photographing in the rain can add interest and beauty to your landscapes. In this article, we’ll cover the best tips for rainy landscape photography. With the right technique and preparation you can take powerful rainy landscape photography too.
Rainy Day Preparation
Before you leave the house to photograph in the rain, there are a few things you can do to ensure your camera will be ready. If you shoot with a digital camera, make sure it is fully charged or has at least two extra sets of batteries. If you don’t have a designated waterproof cover for your equipment, make sure to keep the camera covered in plastic while it is raining. Without a cover, water and other weather conditions can easily get inside of your camera and lenses and affect your shots. And be safe, if there is any lightening don’t go outside.
How To Photograph Landscapes In The Rain
Although you can shoot landscapes in almost any weather, rain adds a unique touch to your shots. To capture the beauty of the rain clouds, there are certain things you’ll want to do. First, turn off flash or use a diffuser on your flash to balance the strong light. Depending on where you are shooting, try to find higher ground where you can get a better view of the clouds and terrain below. Another tip is to photograph the landscape from low angles. Shooting from a lower angle will help you capture the clouds as well as the landscape that surrounds them.
How To Capture Rain Drops In Landscape Photographs
One of the most beautiful aspects of rainy landscape photography is the way rain drops look on your photos. To capture these delicate drops, set your camera to take a photo as soon as it sees a change in light. This will capture the rain drop just after it falls and shows off its translucent quality. Another option is to use a slow shutter speed so that you can capture an entire falling raindrop.
What Gear Do You Need For Rainy Landscape Photography?
Taking great rain landscape photography is all about having a great camera and lens that can handle the elements. If you shoot with pro cameras, you’ll need to make sure your camera has weather sealing. Otherwise, choose models with interchangeable lenses so that you can easily swap between lenses depending on what type of landscape you’re shooting. Another great type of camera, is a DSLR that has a weather sealing body.
For landscape photography purposes, the best piece of equipment you can use to make your rain landscape photography work is a tripod and camera bag that can handle the elements. When shooting with a stable tripod, you’ll have better overall stability in the wind and also be able to capture clear shots when it’s raining hard. Also make sure your tripod has a decent height. Depending on where you are shooting, it may be tempting to set your tripod up a little lower than normal. However, if the rain is heavy you may not be able to get a clear shot of your subject.. With a low tripod, the rain will hit the bottom of your camera lens and blur out any potential image.
Rainy Landscape Photography Post-Processing
After you have finished shooting your rainy landscape photos, the fun is just beginning. A great way to add extra detail to your shots is by using different software programs such as Adobe Photoshop or Lightroom. Editing tools such as these will allow you to crop and resize your photos, as well as adjust lighting levels and exposure. Adding one of these editing programs to your workflow can seriously improve the final images.
Rainy Landscape Tips For iPhone and Android Users
If you’re an iPhone or Android user, you can still capture some great rain shots. The most important tip is to keep your phone out of the rain. There are cases designed specifically for using your phone in the rain, but many also offer a clear view of the screen (it will be hard to see if it’s raining hard). Many phones use microphones to record audio, so you will want to monitor the situation by listening to the rain with your phone in case you hear a unique sound.
Conclusion
In the end, these tips and tricks for rainy landscape photography share a common theme. They are all about avoiding the bad weather and getting yourself prepared before you leave. Without proper preparation, you could end up with muddy photos and an expensive camera that is useless outdoors in bad weather.