Landscape Photography in the Rain

It’s been one of those weeks where it feels like the rain simply hasn’t stopped. Grey skies, relentless wind and the sort of weather that normally convinces me to leave the camera at home. But instead of sitting indoors feeling sorry for myself, I decided to do something a little different and head out anyway for a few hours of landscape photography in the rain.

If I’m honest, photographing in the rain is something I rarely do. As soon as the weather turns wet I usually pack the camera away and wait for better conditions. But standing there looking out across the wild Northumberland coast, I started to wonder if I’ve been missing opportunities for images with a bit more atmosphere.

The conditions were pretty grim. Strong wind coming straight off the sea, rain being blown sideways, and the sort of cold that quickly makes you question your sanity for even being there. But once you’re out, there’s only one thing to do – try and make the best of it.

I set up the Sony A7C with a super-zoom lens and quickly realised that protecting the camera was going to be just as important as finding a composition. My solution wasn’t exactly elegant – a plastic bag with a hole cut in it and an elastic band holding it around the lens – but it did the job surprisingly well and kept most of the rain off the camera.

Out in the distance there was a lone post sticking up in the sea, and I thought that might make an interesting focal point. I experimented with different shutter speeds, trying both freezing the waves and slowing things down to blur the movement of the water. The long exposures worked nicely, but the wind was a constant battle, shaking both the tripod and the scene itself.

Eventually I moved position, hiding behind a breakwater and later even using a lifebuoy stand and some beach huts as makeshift shelter from the wind. Bit by bit the shots started to come together. With the tide moving out and the waves rolling through, the scene had a raw, moody feel that you just don’t get on calm sunny days.

By the end of the shoot I think I managed to capture a couple of images that really reflect the character of the conditions. One of them even includes a splash of colour from another lifebuoy against the grey sea and sky.

It wasn’t an easy couple of hours out in the elements, and I’m not sure I’d want to photograph in those conditions all day. But it was a good reminder that sometimes the most interesting photographs happen when you push yourself a little outside your comfort zone.

A bit of rain might not be the reason to leave the camera at home after all.