Rainstorm at the Needles
I can’t say that I love cold and rainy weather, but I do love how a good storm can create a mood. Last week as I was on the Oregon Coast, we had rain every day, and it wasn’t Idaho rain, this was real rain. It was tempting at times not to go out in the elements, as I was on a relaxing vacation, not really a working photography trip. However, every time I had the thought to stay in, thoughts of the different look I could get if I ventured out entered my mind and I was easily persuaded to photograph in the rain. I am very glad I did, as I was able to add a few images to my Oregon portfolio that have a much different feel to them than those that I had previously made.
When photographing in adverse conditions, it is so important to really have a command of the medium. Knowing what effect different shutter speeds will have on an image when the rain is coming down and the wind blowing is really not something that you want to have to think about. By the time you have thought about it, it is too late. The whole scene may have changed. I want to be able to quickly evaluate a scene and make fast decisions as to how to capture the feeling that I want to portray, set the camera and move on. In these situations I was fortunate to have my wife with me as an assistant, holding an umbrella or doing whatever was necessary to keep my equipment as dry as possible. This is not an easy task when the rain is blowing horizontally, but she did a fantastic job. I focused on making images while she focused on keeping us dry. It was a great combination that allowed me to make a few wonderful images.
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