Affiliate Disclosure: We earn a commission if you purchase through one of our links at no additional cost to you.
Want to know what it’s like shooting in shitty weather? Well, it sucks. If you stay home in bad weather, you’re missing out. Here’s why.
The rainy season seems to have started early here in Florida. I’ve been out in the middle of it driving around. Two things are very clear to me this week.
- Most people don’t know how to drive in the rain.
- I’d rather be shooting in shitty weather than driving in it.
I know all the reasons why you don’t want to go shooting in shitty weather. It’s cold. It’s wet. It’s hot. It’s dry. Basically, it’s anything other than normal. That’s why you go out in bad weather. Otherwise, you get the same photos as every other dude who sat around waiting out the storm.
Here are a few reasons why I tend to like shooting in stormy weather.
Surfaces Come Alive
Roads, sidewalks, trails and even table tops take on a new dimension when they’re pelted with water. You get a bright sheen covering surfaces that brings out textures and highlights.
Reflections
One of the nice aspects of  storm is that you get potential for reflections in places you wouldn’t otherwise find them.
Angry Skies
There’s not much worse in a photo than bald skies. Clouds add dimension and drama to a scene. You have a much better chance of finding an interesting sky in a storm than on a peaceful day.
Colors Pop
Go find yourself some neon lights or some other subject with well lit colors in it and they’ll explode against the mundane scene you’ll find on a pretty day. Bad weather is a great time to find light and play with it, since the skies generally darken without dropping into night.
Rain Makes for Great Black & White
You may remember this tip from my post about when to choose black & white for photos. When colors pop, they  add more tones for black & white images.
