Good rain photos despite bad weather – this is how you deal with rain at wedding and event
What can you do if nature doesn’t play along at the photo shoot and rain photos on the wedding day are the result? Rain clouds, storms and hail brew in the sky and here the wheat is separated from the chaff. How you can still create great pictures even on stormy days and how you photograph in bad weather, we tell you in our tips.
Weather resistance is also preparation
If you already know on the day of the event that a storm is brewing or the probability of rain clouds is high, you should prepare yourself accordingly. Bride and groom are of course bound to their wardrobe, you are a little freer. A poncho will keep you dry even on longer days. And while the guests at a wedding can take shelter from time to time, you often have to shoot photos in the open air. So think about the appropriate wardrobe.
Of course, what goes for you also goes for your camera. A waterproof case is a real plus in such cases, but you should get used to the operation beforehand. Depending on the case, this can work more or less well. However, your camera does not have to fear rain during use. Especially on stormy days, fast zoom lenses are recommended, because this way you don’t have to change lenses. Of course, this is recommended for event photographers anyway, but if rain could get onto the sensor when changing lenses, this is doubly relevant.
When it storms and snows: photos in the rain
Really a stormy sky on wedding or event usually does not look bad. On the contrary, clear drawing in the clouds, a dramatic sky and bright skin tones in front of it, it has a very special look. Whether black and white photos or images with highlighted texture, work especially well with gray skies. If you’re lucky, you’ll even catch a few fingers of light in the sky, or a picturesque fog will make the event in the distance fade into gray.
If the wind is whipping, this often results in unintentionally dramatic shots. Continuous shooting is particularly useful here, as it allows you to select the best images from a large selection after the wedding. With a short exposure time, you also ensure that blowing hair is crisp and sharp. Use what the weather gives you. As long as rain, hail, snow or storms don’t get out of hand, just work with nature.
For the bride and groom, however, you should be prepared separately in case of bad weather. If it already looks like a wedding in the rain the day before, ask the couple for rubber boots. Use the trudging footsteps and reflections in the puddles for photos that would be impossible in the sunshine.
Bring an additional umbrella or two, so at least the bride and groom will stay dry during the photos. While you may be occasionally advised to use colorful umbrellas, you should actually rather go for black or white umbrellas. These act as a softbox, a colorful umbrella can discolor the face. White umbrellas, on the other hand, provide a flat glow and a dark umbrella offers a neutral darkening – especially since white and black always match the wardrobe of an event or wedding.
Last resort – interiors
If the rain can’t be helped at all and a wedding, birthday or event literally falls through, then you may have to give in.
Great photos can also be staged in churches, castles or restaurants, covered terraces or the view from the window (as in Caspar David Friedrich) are also picturesque motifs. Just make sure you have the right equipment with you in the morning. A flash, a ring light, a flash unit, fast lenses and a tripod or monopod will still allow you to take spectacular photos in darker locations. Of course, if you have a fast camera, you have even less to worry about. In this case, it may be worthwhile to rent a camera. SLR cameras are usually not expensive to rent, but at the event you can take spectacular pictures with technology that you don’t necessarily have to own yourself.
In cities, of course, you are not dependent on the wedding or event location at the place of the wedding, but you can get out of the way. Of course, this requires a good network and a little advance planning. Keep such options in mind ahead of time, collect business cards of interesting cafes, restaurants, old movie theaters, barns, halls, etc. – a collection of locations will not only enhance your images on rainy days, but is also a good addition to your portfolio in general. After all, there is hardly anything that adds as much production value to your images as a suitable background.
Bad weather is not a reason for bad photos
Rain, storm, dark clouds; all this is no reason for bad pictures. With the right preparation, you don’t have to fear even minor storms. If outdoor areas become impassable, then you can always switch to indoor areas.
The most important tip in case of bad weather is and remains (not only for event photos) to have a look at the weather forecast. This is the only way to know exactly what to expect.
