Rain! Rain! Rain!

I had planned a couple of days off this week where I was to travel to complete my current two projects, at least one of which only nee a couple more shots. Unfortunately it has rained continuously since I was free. Whilst I like going out and photographing in inclement weahter I need some dramatic skies to get the shots I feel are missing. The continuous amorphous grey is not helpful.

How do I prepare and take images in the rain? There are several things you can do:
1.  Cover your camera and lens - there are lots of rain covers on the market now or one can use a plastic bag. I always have a rain coat in my camera bag, but I always carry a clear polythene bag as well. This is far cheaper and all you do is cut a hole in one corner of the bag, which should be much bigger than your camera + lens combination. The hole can either be just the right size to slide the lens end through and then put the lens hood on, or just slide the lens hood through. The alternative is to fasten the bag onto the lens hood with a rubber band.

Loch Bay storm
Taken with the wind howling and rain pouring down I had the camera wrapped in a plastic bag and covered it with my body as long as possible. The wind added to the entertainment in getting the gear out and keep ing it all together and dry. I cleaned the lens incessantly and several times before taking a shot as it the rain came down from all angles. I therefore took several shots in order to try and get just one clean front element.

2. Use an umbrella

Downpour in Filey Bay
It was raining both out at sea and in Filey when I took this under an umbrella. It can be quite interesting holding an umbrella whilst setting up[ a shot. This one was OK as I had set up on a tripod before it began to rain where I was, as I had spotted the rain in the bay earlier. A few seconds later and there really was no shot at all, just a downpour.

3.  Shoot from under cover.

This was shot from under a covered walkway.

For this shot I hid in the shade of a building with the wind blowing the rain such that I kept dry.

4.  Use a longer lens with a longer lens hood.

When you are at the coast there is always a wind and so you need to work out what direction it is from and try to get the rain to fall on your back. That way you protect the lens. Always have a lens cloth so you can dry any stray raindrops from the front element just before you take the image.

So what can a photographer dp when the rain pours and the weather does not play the game? Well I have been tidying up my database and clearing out dud shots that somehow have got through the net. I know some keep all shots but I have found that I benefit from going through the images months after taking them to clear out ones that I am not happy with or cannot create anything from. Also I often find a gem that I have missed.

And if all else fails go abroad. Next week I am in Venice, which I know was flooded recently but that is part of the attraction. I have never been and so I am looking forward to it. I have seen many other photographers shots over the years but have purposely not looked at any recently, however I have studied some of the old master painters images. Their use of light is amazing, and I know they have a greater use of artistic licence than a photographer, especially one who only removes dust and adds nothing.


Incidentally it is sad to hear that the Landscape Photographer of the Year (Take a View) has been disqualified this year for removing boats and moving clouds. I do not mind this personally as long as he declares it, however he had not read the rules. There is an important lesson there: Never enter a competition without having read and digested the rules. This man is now besmirched with the reputation that ensues from this sort of result, especially as he enters a lot of competitions.

Skies in landscape images

I am becoming renowned for my dramatic skies and this week certainly allowed me to pursue these. For me the sky is what makes the landscape, after all it is where the light for most images comes from, yet landscape photographers often cut it out of their images, or at least have it occupy less than a third. 


When I see a landscape I see a feature on the ground that is dominated by the vast expanse of the sky and I wish to convey this dominance in most of my images. If the sky is dramatic itself I will often freeze its movement. 

Trees V
Kingussie, Highland, Scotland

On other occasions I need to capture some movement and in other circumstances I like to capture vast movement of clouds by using exposures of several minutes. The only trouble with this is that the best skies have a lot of drama and there is a variable amount of light and shade which can be very unpredictable. Therefore one often has to experiment to some degree. Long exposures therefore demand a knowledge of how the clouds are moving and in which direction ie across the shot or into or out of it.

Sea sweep
Bridlington, East Yorkshire

Headland light
Bridlington, East Yorkshire, England

So a landscape photographer wishing to use the movement of clouds needs to be aware of winds, cloud movement and, if one is at the coast, the tides, as well as the direction of the light. This all sounds complicated but like everything, if one practices correctly many of these things become second nature. The internet and smartphones have made this all so much easier than it used to be. I find my iPhone and iPad are now indispensable tools in my photographic armoury. For those who are interested I shall discuss the apps I commonly use in another post.

Lake District

Across to Elterwater from Loughrigg Fell
Nex 7 E55-210 @125mm 1/200 @f11

A rather wet week was spent at the end of October in the Lake District, based in Ambleside. I always love spending time in this area, although I prefer the winter months as there are fewer people. I have been sorting the images and am pleased with some of the more atmospheric ones. Here is a selection, but I am still sorting the final ones for the website.

Sheep lighting, Catbells
Nex 7 E55-210 @63mm 1/500 @f11 

Fireworks over Filey

The Filey Lions run a Bonfire night spectacular each year, however this year it was delayed until the weekend after 5th November. I am usually taken there by the family, however I dropped them off this year and went to Carr Naze, which gives views over the town. I did not want to take the usual close up images of the fireworks but get a different view. I think the shots worked:

Fireworks over Filey I
Nikon D800E 70-200f2.8 @102mm 30 secs @ f10

Fireworks over Filey II
Nikon D800E 70-200f2.8 @102mm 30 secs @ f10

Fireworks over Filey III
Nikon D800E 70-200f2.8 @102mm 13 secs @ f10

Talks in North Yorkshire

I have been busy in the last month having given two talks and spent a week in Cumbria photographing The Lake District National Park again.

Saltburn pier VII

The first talk was on how we perceive photographs and how the eye can be tricked into seeing what we want it to see. This was to the Scarborough Photographic Society. I used my fine art monochrome images to illustrate the talk and demostrated Gestalt theories of perception.

Round house, Whitby

This week I did a talk to York Medical Society on Apertures: The art of a colorectal surgeon. I again used my monochrome landscape images to take the audience on a journey down the Yorkshire coast from Saltburn to The Humber Bridge. This was not a photographic lecture as such but I did talk a little on techniques used.

Filey Bay night study II

Thank you to all who attended both these talks and the excellent feedback I have received.

Humber Bridge I