Raindrops, Puddles & Reflections for Stunning Photography!
By Stephen J. Kristof
© 2010, all rights reserved
This is another installment of photography tips from Stephen Kristof. Stephen is a photographer and photo educator who also writes for and contributes images to the popular free digital photography tips and lessons site FreePhotoCourse.com.
Imagine just how frustrating it must be; you, the photographer have been planning this exciting artistic landscape photography shoot for about a week. Your gear is already in the car and youre good to go. Not so fast! Just as youre locking the side door, you feel some liquid drip on your head. As much as you dread having a bird drop its calling card on you, youd rather put-up with that inconvenience than accept the reality that its beginning to rain.
And rain it does! After a few hours, it becomes apparent that this is definitely an all-day drencher. Go figure! Your plan to make beautiful photography on the rarest of occasions - a day free of work and commitments - is dead in the water. That is, unless you change your perspective and take advantage of a very special photo opportunity that disguises itself to most as a spoiler. You see, that rain brings along with it things like puddles, reflections and distorted light that can transform the hum-drum dry-world into something thats quite magical!
So how exactly can a photo beginner, enthusiast or professional make the most of a rainy day? Well, first of all, its not just about a rainy day. Photography both during a rainfall and immediately afterward can be equally satisfying, but in different visual ways. And lets not forget about the unique opportunities that await the rained-out photographer after dark!
Anyone can follow these professional photography secrets to compose truly spectacular rain-based artistic or abstract photos:
(1) Safety Comes First!
First of all, personal, camera and gear safety is a must! Dont photograph anything outside during an electrical storm or in high winds - thats just asking for trouble; as well, since your eye is stuck to a viewfinder, you arent as likely to be aware of your surroundings or the things that high winds can throw at you.As far as your camera and gear is concerned, you obviously dont want to put your camera or lenses in jeopardy by allowing water into your lens or through a tiny gap leading inside the body of your camera. If its raining while you are photographing, use either a manufactured waterproof enclosure or be innovative and make a homemade one, snap the shutter from inside your vehicle or simply use an umbrella, awning or overhang.
(2) Get Out on a Rainy Day or Night!
An advantage of shooting in the rain is that puddles and bodies of water will develop ripples and concentric circles that can help to distort reflections in awesome ways. The popcorn-like splashes of raindrops falling where they may can also create very compelling images.Everything changes in the rain! The way that light is filtered and absorbed into non-reflective surfaces, the way people act, the intensity of scenery - it call all be something quite awesome.
Made of sugar and afraid youll melt? All kidding aside, your other option is to wait for the rain to stop. This, too, can be very effective; particularly when you want a still reflection. As well, the air right after a rainfall can be very clear as rain has a tendency to scrub haze and pollution from the atmosphere.
Daytime rain photography can do special things with trees, buildings, people and other day-lit things that are reflected in puddles. Likewise, night-time rain photography can look eerie, mystical or sultry, as wet pavement and puddles reflect shards of colored light in an otherwise blackened scene.
(3) Take Advantage of Distorted Water Reflections
Seek out the interestingly distorted reflections that outdoor puddles and other bodies of water create. These temporary water reflections can offer concentric rings from a raindrop, the classic zig-zag distortion of originally straight lines or a gentle yet unpredictable shape spawned from a windswept moment.(4) Show People Living in and Dealing With the Rain
While its exciting to create high quality abstract photo art thats suitable for framing and hanging on a wall, after a while, even the most imaginative photographer can find that, eventually, tedious. Streets, rocks, leaves, buildings and other inanimate objects may no longer have the drawing power or ability to challenge and inspire.Think about including another even more magical element in your rain and reflection photography - the human subject! Whether it be a loving embrace between a couple, a childs whimsical twirl in the rain or a gloomy day to match someones gloomy expression, photographing people in the rain can yield very interesting results that speak of a certain freedom outside of the all too common parade of everyday "dry world" pictures.
One advantage of shooting during a rainfall when you are using a human subject, is that the rain can help liberate people and cause them to act in very honest ways that they might normally hide.
Look for ways to join a subjects real-life body to their distorted reflection by joining the two in a puddle. Show people on busy street corners. Photograph people from behind, either silhouetted or not, while holding umbrellas. Capture a child playing in a puddle; try photographing the child from behind, showing his or her face in the reflection.
(5) Look for Puddles in Unusual Places
After a heavy rainfall, go on the look-out for puddles in alleys, near playground equipment, adjacent to industrial areas and along abandoned train tracks – anywhere you wouldnt normally look during your average day. Reflections from puddles in these places may reveal unusual scenery or usual scenery in unusual and interesting ways and are well worth the leg-work to find them!Theres more to learn about rain and reflections photography! Click HERE to read the rest of Stephens full 2-part article, plus view several beautiful original photo examples.
Note from publisher - we hope this helps you to create more compelling photographic artwork! Remember, if you love photography, youll want to visit www.FreePhotoCourse.com, where you can find interesting and exciting photography tips, free lessons, royalty free pictures and more from Steve Kristof and the other writers/photographers on our team!
