Photography Tips for Different Weather Conditions

[source]

Photography is not just about taking photos with a camera. Instead, this is an art that requires effort and skills to turn every situation in your favor. If you want to qualify for dream photography jobs, such as Cady studios jobs by Lensa, you need to be a professional.

A professional photographer must be creative and able to make the best of current weather conditions to create an impressive portfolio. Many photographers think that sunny days are the best to capture photographs. However, other weather conditions are also pretty useful for various genres of photography. If you think rain, overcast, snowfall, or windstorm can prevent you from ideal photography, then it’s time to change your mindset.

We have some success tips to help you take artistic pictures safely in harsh and inclement weather conditions. This article will benefit both professional and amateur photographers who want to explore the pleasure of photography in different weathers. 

Cloudy Weather

Many photographers do not like cloudy weather as the landscape appears a bit dull in this weather. However, this weather has both advantages and limitations, so it can serve you ideally if dealt with creatively.

The best part of this weather is that no direct sunbeams are falling on subjects. Instead, soft and well-spread-out light is all around, which gives you the freedom to eliminate shadows.

While taking pictures on an overcast day, stand at an elevated position compared to the subject. This way, the subject will appear brighter. Keep a reflector, diffuser, and flash to enhance or diffuse the lighting and utilize the light sources accordingly. 

The sky does not look attractive on gray days, making the landscape appear dull in the photos. Thus, clicking photos of meadows, flowers, and colorful landscapes would be better on such days. Avoid taking photos of the sea, forests, and mountains as the gray skies tone down their aesthetics. We also recommend choosing camera settings, such as a higher ISO, large aperture, and faster shutter speed.

Rainy Weather

Always keep a waterproof camera bag, rain cover, and lens hood in the gear bag. Moreover, put a lens-cleaning cloth to wipe dirt and moisture from the surface of the lens. Wear a raincoat or take an umbrella during outdoor photography in rainy weather.

Gray skies can make photos look boring, so you can use color to spruce things up. You can also use puddles or ponds to capture the reflections of buildings and people in the surroundings. Look for elevated places to click a mesmerizing view of rainbows forming across a beautiful landscape.

Take photos of busy streets through water-splattered windows. Select higher ISO settings and quicker shutter speeds to capture focused images of raindrops.

Snowy Weather

Snowfall gives photos an all-white effect, deterring photographers from taking magical shots. However, snowy weather is the best time to take black and white photos. With minimum shadows and maximum exposure to diffused light, the contrast between light and dark colors appears more prominent. 

Switch to a higher ISO and faster shutter speed, so your camera can capture crisp images of snowflakes in motion or deposited on leaves. Choose aperture priority mode to avoid manual adjustments in various camera settings. If you are a portrait photographer, recommend your subject to opt for colorful and bright-colored outfits as these will complement the white background more beautifully.

Windy Weather

Strong gusts of winds not only challenge your photography skills but may also cause damage to your equipment. Yet many scenes and portraits appear incredible only in this weather. 

First, find a safe place where you and your camera are less likely to be affected by wind. If available, turn the burst mode on to take multiple shots of the subject. One of these shots will probably happen to be the most wanted shot. The image stabilization setting is also highly recommended to keep wind currents from distorting the image.

Capture captivating shots of leaves and flowers blowing away with the wind. Cityscapes and portraits also look lovely in windy weather.

Endnote

No matter what the weather offers, your shots should look fascinating. Use props, camera settings, reflectors, and other accessories to add beauty to the pictures. Above all, stay safe and shield your camera and equipment in all kinds of weather. We hope you find our photography tips helpful in your career.