4 Tips For Shooting Landscape Photography In The Rain
It sure has been raining a lot here in Kentucky lately! I’m not complaining though since it’s helped fuel my waterfall obsession.
Though there is one fact that is hard to escape… shooting in the rain can suck!
Well, that is if you don’t know how to deal with the challenges the rain brings with it. Over the years I’ve come to spend more and more time shooting out in what some might call “bad weather”. The truth is, there isn’t much weather that I won’t get out and shoot in at this point (within reason, of course). As it turns out, your ability to shoot in these challenging conditions (and even manage to enjoy doing so) all comes down to having the right equipment and knowledge.
So, without further ado, I’d like to share 4 tips for getting out and shooting landscape photography in the rain. Let’s jump right in!
1. Have the right gear
A shameless selfie I took at about mile 7 of a 17-mile hike. It had been pouring rain the entire time but, since I had the right gear, it was a pretty fun experience!
The key to thriving in any weather is to have the right gear. Not only will the correct rain gear help make the conditions more tolerable but it’s also essential for preventing serious problems, such as hypothermia. Don’t let warmer days make you complacent, either - you can even get hypothermia on a warm day if you spend enough time in the rain without the proper gear!
So, what do you need to thrive in the rain?
Here’s a list of items you’ll want to consider:
Rain Jacket
A solid rain jacket is, without a doubt, the most essential piece of equipment for working in the rain. The trick is to find one that’s reasonably water resistant (trust me, nothing is truly waterproof) while also maintaining good breathability so you don’t sweat too much. It’s always a balance trying to find a jacket that will keep you dry while also staying breathable. If you lack too much breathability, you’ll just get soaked in sweat and be just as cold and wet as you would if you didn’t bother with a jacket at all!
Rain Pants
There are split opinions on rain pants. I personally don’t like them unless I’m shooting in a colder environment where I have to be careful about avoiding hypothermia. On warmer trips, I instead opt for lightweight, quick-drying hiking pants. Some swear by rain pants in all environments though. Similar to rain jackets, you may end up just as wet from sweating if you don’t find a pair of rain pants that have decent breathability.
Waterproof Boots (or quick-drying shoes)
There’s no denying that having wet feet on a long hike sucks. Not only is it an uncomfortable annoyance that can cause painful blisters, but it can also dramatically lower your core body temperature. For this reason, I find a good pair of waterproof boots or a pair of shoes that dry quickly, such as trail runners, can be a huge improvement when hiking and shooting in the rain. It’s also worth mentioning that this advice applies to shooting waterfalls as well - not just shooting in the rain!
Spare Change of Clothes
When you get back to your car (or camp) the last thing you want is to have to sit in wet clothes. Again, not only is it uncomfortable, but it’s a good way to end up hypothermic. There’s an easy solution to this though - just bring a spare, dry change of clothes. Believe me when I tell you that there’s nothing quite like changing into warm, dry clothes after spending an entire day getting drenched in the rain!
Pack Cover
You do not want water soaking through your bag and into your gear! To prevent this, you can use a pack cover. A great and cheap alternative to a pack cover is lining the inside of your backpack with a trash compactor bag. This tends not to work so well with purpose-built camera bags, such as the F-Stop or Shimoda bags, however.
2. Bring plenty of lens cleaning supplies
If you’re going to shoot in a wet environment it’s pretty much impossible to avoid getting water drops on your lens at some point. This is a big issue since these water drops can ruin an otherwise great image!
To combat this problem, I carry a lot of lens cleaning supplies with me in my pack. Here’s a quick run-down of some of the items I recommend having:
These things are great for wiping water off your lenses and cleaning off smudges.
Not only are these perfect for blowing the dust off your lens, but they also work great for blowing the water off the front element of your lenses.
Sometimes you will end up with smudges or dirt on your lens that is particularly stubborn. Trying to wipe these bits off with a normal lens cloth will just serve to smear your lens even worse. Alcohol lens wipes work great for these scenarios (and are also indispensable if you wear glasses like I do).
Waterfalls love rain!
Do you know what subject works great in the rain? Waterfalls! Check out my ongoing project to document the many waterfalls in Kentucky.
3. Carry an umbrella
My buddy Brian captured this shot of me trying to balance my umbrella while photographing Creation Falls in Red River Gorge. He may have found it amusing, but it got the job done!
I’m not going to lie, I used to silently judge people that I’d see hiking with an umbrella. I’ve since re-evaluated my position on this, however, as it is quite nice having it to keep you dry on your rainy-day adventures. Good luck trying to do a serious bushwhack with one though!
Despite this, I’m not recommending the umbrella for you, but for your camera.
Simply hold it over your camera (being careful not to get the umbrella in the top of your frame) and you’ve got instant shelter to keep your camera dry and keep the water off the front of your lens. I do find that a little bit larger umbrella works for this but, as with everything in this field, you always have a weight trade-off to consider.
This is a trick I learned from my buddy Chris Morris (who also runs the Kentucky Waterfall Database).
4. Embrace it!
“When life throws you a rainy day, play in the puddles. ” — Winnie the Pooh
In all honesty, no amount of gear will make landscape photography in the rain enjoyable if you have the wrong attitude.
If you approach any adventure (or anything in life, really) with disdain and negativity, you’ll have a terrible time. If, instead, you embrace the situation and approach it with the mindset that you’re going to enjoy the experience, then you will have a much better time.
Simply embrace the chaos that comes along with working out in the elements. Who knows, you might even enjoy it!
