Capturing Beauty in the Storm: Mastering Bad Weather Photography

As you begin to learn about challenging weather in photography, the articles or videos you encounter often emphasize mainly on safeguarding your equipment. While that aspect is crucial—considering you wouldn’t want to damage expensive gear worth thousands of dollars—it tends to overlook the primary purpose of capturing images in adverse conditions. That purpose is the potentially stunning photographs—you know, the reason behind our passion for photography.

The reason I find myself hurriedly preparing my camera equipment every time a storm approaches is that the photographs taken during these instances tend to be some of the most memorable in my portfolio. There’s something about capturing the power of nature that speaks volumes.

This is why you should consider venturing into photography during inclement weather as well. If you know your craft, you are bound to capture some truly exceptional images.

But what do I mean when I say “know your craft”? Let’s explore several key aspects a photographer should recognize regarding the nuances of photographing in challenging weather conditions. Though not all of them may be obvious, they can all lead to fascinating imagery.

The Allure of Bad Weather

If you have any interest in landscape photography, chances are that you are already aware of the allure presented by storms, peculiar clouds, and captivating weather. The reality is that when such conditions arise, your photographs will have an extraordinarily dramatic quality, the lighting will be unparalleled compared to any other situation, and the narratives you can convey are profound. The level of interest you can express through your images is simply at its peak.

And it’s not just storms that generate such opportunities. Captivating images can also come from foggy conditions, rainy days, and even snowy landscapes, all of which can lead to remarkable photographs.

Equipment Preparation

Let’s briefly outline some of the more apparent actions you need to take concerning your equipment when delving into photography during adverse weather. Clearly, moisture is to be expected, so keeping both your gear and yourself dry should be a primary concern.

Be sure to carry numerous Ziploc bags, as they serve well for lenses, camera gear, and various items until you need them.

It’s wise to utilize the lens hood that came with your lens to keep the weather elements at bay from the front of your lens. You surely wouldn’t want rain splashing on the front element.

I always pack a robust umbrella, even when I believe the wind might render it unusable. At times, it’s your only means to shield against wind and rain, thus having a dependable one is worthwhile. If using it proves impossible, there are other methods to ensure your gear stays dry.

One often overlooked tactic for keeping gear protected from the elements involves using your body as a shield—hands, body, face, whatever you can. They all function effectively as makeshift umbrellas while you work on preserving a camera’s dryness.

Naturally, this brings us to clothing. With clothing, the larger the better. You’ll want sizable jackets and large hats that remain secure on your head, along with anything else serving to keep both you and your gear dry. Frequently, I find myself tucking my camera inside my jacket temporarily should a sudden rain burst occur.

Ultimately, when trying to shield your equipment from moisture and the elements, your own practical judgment is likely your best asset. I’ve found the above tactics helpful, but I’m certain you can brainstorm additional and more effective solutions yourself. The main goal is to keep your gear dry as much as possible.

Safety Advisory

I would be remiss if I didn’t include the obvious warning that capturing images in inclement weather presents a variety of hazards—from slippery surfaces to being struck by lightning. Exercise common sense.

Considerations for Photographing in Snow

If you’re fortunate enough to encounter a snowy day and notice your images appearing slightly dull, it’s likely due to underexposure. This mainly arises from the high reflectivity of snow. Most cameras come equipped with an exposure compensation feature that you must familiarize yourself with when taking shots in the snow—so make sure to learn it.

Another challenge with snow is the frequent difficulty with autofocus, as the camera struggles to identify high-contrast elements in the scene. To mitigate this, either switch to manual focus or zoom in on the most contrasting aspect of the scene, such as where a dark tree intersects with the white snow. Your camera can use that contrasting line to establish focus.

Another potential issue is lenses fogging up. To prevent this, be sure to acclimatize your equipment to the same or similar temperature to that which you’re photographing. Doing so will help avoid the temperature differences that cause fogging.

Considerations When Photographing in Fog

One of the wonderful aspects of a foggy day is the opportunity it provides for capturing those hauntingly beautiful and mysterious images we all cherish. Fog allows photographers to explore depth in a carefully crafted manner. Locate foreground, mid-ground, and background elements within a foggy scene, and they generally exhibit excellent separation due to the mist. This offers the chance to compose some intriguing photographs.

Like with snow, autofocus capabilities can also face challenges in low-contrast, fog-laden scenes. The remedy is to locate and zoom in on the most distinct element of a scene, allowing your camera to effectively use its autofocus.

Moreover, another significant…

A suggestion for photographing in fog is to search for outlines. Conditions of fog provide a surreal opportunity for locating them, resulting in exceptionally impactful visuals.

Methods for Capturing Images in Stormy Conditions

Stormy conditions are perhaps my preferred scenario for photography, yet there are several aspects you must consider before hurrying out into the next storm, many of which can also apply on regular cloudy days.

To begin with, if you have a favored landscape arrangement, it will likely be improved by an approaching storm or overcast skies. You still need to follow classic landscape principles such as leading lines, the rule of thirds, foreground interest, and so forth, but the stormy backdrop will generally assist in amplifying all of these elements.

Seek out spotlights and divine rays. During stormy weather, it’s common to see sunlight breaking through gaps in the clouds. Frequently, the light filtering through these gaps will dramatically illuminate a specific aspect of the scene. If you can capture this on camera and make that portion of the image your focal point, you are likely to achieve a very powerful composition. The same holds true for divine rays, though they might not always be as straightforward to capture in terms of finding a focal point. Nevertheless, they are worth photographing.

Another suggestion is to look for turbulent water. Storms are known to create large waves and rough seas, which can aid in composing outdoor shots or serve as the focal point of your images.

And naturally, do not overlook the golden hour during sunrise or sunset. If you’re fortunate enough to experience poor weather during these times, you will have an excellent chance to capture an outstanding shot.

Increase the shutter speed beyond a second for remarkable long-exposure low-light images. This entails setting the aperture around the ideal range (approximately f/11 to f/16), ISO at 100, and shutter speed longer than one second (ensure to use a tripod to keep it open for as long as needed).

Editing for Adverse Weather Images

Editing your photographs plays a significant role in achieving a striking outcome from your adverse weather shoot.

Since poor weather often splatters the lens with elements like raindrops, the initial step you will want to take is to utilize a spot removal tool to eliminate any imperfections.

As you can imagine, a blustery, rainy, and unpleasant day can frequently cause a photographer to overlook straightening their images while shooting. Thus, make sure to utilize the cropping tool to guarantee a straight horizon and balanced photographs.

The light panel will also be a particular focus for your modifications. Be sure to experiment with the blacks, whites, shadows, and highlights sliders, as this is where you can transform your raw images into dramatic JPEGs.

Finally, do not hesitate to modify specific elements of your image using the masking tools accessible to you. Editing the sky independently, altering certain areas of the image like the foreground, or refining the focal point are all valid aspects of an image to adjust. Utilize the tools available to fine-tune them according to your preferences.

Embrace Shooting in Adverse Weather

A significant part of photographing in undesirable or moody weather is simply making the choice to venture outside with your camera gear. You will almost certainly discover photographic opportunities in extreme conditions. Although it may seem a bit daunting initially, embracing experimentation and learning from your errors is essential to developing your skills as a photographer.

Photographing in unfavorable weather also stimulates your creativity, as it presents an extreme environment.

The only outcomes awaiting you in pursuing this path are better photographs and some intriguing narratives—so venture out and shoot.

Concluding Thoughts

Although grabbing your camera gear may not be the first thought that crosses your mind upon seeing a storm or inclement weather approaching, it’s an experience you should definitely explore, as poor weather can yield excellent photos when you are knowledgeable about your craft. With a bit of preparation for your gear and safeguards for yourself, it can genuinely lead to breathtaking images, as illustrated above.

If this is something you’re passionate about or have experienced previously, please feel free to share your images below in our forum.