Dramatic Light & Photography

Dramatic Light

Capturing the dramatic light of a clearing storm is all about being at the right place at the right time. When the storm starts to clear, determine the direction of the sun and what it will illuminate should the clouds clear. You might come home empty handed, wet and cold, or you might come home with a spectacular landscape. It’s worth the time investment to find out.

The most important and obvious point is to protect your personal safety. Make sure you know what you’re getting in to by watching the storm’s path online and watching your local weather predictions. You must keep your wits about you and watch out for dangers like flying debris, flooding water, falling power lines, hail and lightning.

You can make the experience more enjoyable by limiting your own discomfort. Wear waterproof shoes and jacket and bring hand warmers and a hat, you get the idea. When you are warm and dry, storms are kind of fun.

When it is extremely windy, the coating on your lens can be scratched from blowing sand, dirt or salt. This is a good time to use your UV filter to protect your lens. I always use my UV filter when I shoot out of a moving vehicle for the same reasons. Alternatively, you can use a polarizing filter which will also enhance the clouds.

Always carry extra batteries and store them close to your body since both heat and cold can reduce the length of time your battery will last.

While you are still in your car, decide which lens you want to use. You don’t want to be taking your lens off your camera body when there is flying sand and rain waiting to get in.

Be sure to take precautions to protect your camera gear before going out. You don’t want this to be a costly photo shoot! Use a waterproof case to store your gear while in transit (I use a pelican case) and, when you are shooting, use a rain cover. You can buy a camera rain cover for around $20 or make your own using a one gallon zip lock bag placed over your camera with a hole cut for the lens and rubber bands to secure it. Using your lens hood works to keep rain off your lens for short periods of time (while you take the shot). In between shots, cover your lens with a towel. Little pieces of sham wow work great for soaking up any water that does end up on your lens or filter.

Most of the great opportunities happen when a storm starts to clear, so don’t go out too soon. Sometimes I find my location and wait in my car until the storm starts to clear. If you are lucky enough to see light breaking through the clouds right at sunset, consider yourself lucky and get as many shots as you can!