If you are interested in nature photography, you have, or eventually will have deal with "bad weather" while shooting. I consider myself kind of a baby when it comes to being too cold, too hot, or getting wet, but I suck it up because bad weather is good weather. 

When I think about photography and bad weather, there are three main categories I think are important to cover, which is too much to put into one post, so I've split this topic out into three posts: Why its good to shoot in bad weather, What to shoot given certain weather conditions, and How to handle shooting in challenging weather conditions. 

Welcome to part 1: Reasons why shooting in bad weather is a good thing.

#1 It forces you to think outside the box

When you have to think about how to deal with challenging weather conditions, it generally prompts some creativity and perhaps innovation. These are the things that help us grow as photographers.

The photo below was taken at dawn, during a storm, on the Cape Perpetua coastline in Oregon. I was hopeful that there might be a break in the weather that would result in some light beams breaking through the clouds, but mother nature had other plans, so I had to start thinking of different compositions. I started looking down and noticed the incoming tide was consistently creating a swirling pattern in this tidepool, so I started experimenting with different shutter speeds until I got the effect I was hoping for. 

#2 It differentiates your images from the norm

If everyone took photos on sunny, windless days, the results would be pretty boring. Not a lot of people are willing to go out when it gets rough outside, so you automatically increase your opportunity to create unique images just by getting out there. This is a great way to set your work apart from others, and get noticed. 

On a spring wildflower trip across the desert, I passed by this field of tall grasses on a very windy morning, so I stopped to see if I could capture the motion. Full transparency, I really don't like it when it is windy, but it does create some interesting effects. 

#3 It creates drama

While blue skies can convey a peaceful mood, they also create negative space that can result in a photo that looks somewhat boring and empty. Having detail in the foreground and and empty abyss in the sky can also create a sense of imbalance. Stormy skies and imposing clouds make you feel like something significant happening, while also giving you a stronger composition. This helps to hold the viewer's attention - and that is a good thing. 

This summer storm over Mono Lake, in the Sierra's, made for a fun and slightly unsettling afternoon of shooting. The storm provided so many opportunities to create dramatic images. 

#4 You usually get the place to yourself 

Some might argue this isn't a real reason to shoot in bad weather, but if you are an introvert like me, yes it is. It's not that I hate being around people. I often meet really cool people and photographers when I am out shooting, but I am naturally more focused and produce better images when I am free to move about a space without worrying that I am going to get in someone's way - or that they will get in mine. I'm also a slow processor. I need to think things through uninterrupted. Having a conversation with someone while I am shooting is like putting a roadblock in my brain. If you find yourself in a similar "boat", you will find that bad weather almost guarantees an ability to work in solitude. 

I traveled to Zion National Park on a fall photo trip one year and it rained every day with low lying clouds and fog that sent most tourists inside. This allowed me to photograph one of the parks few waterfalls in great conditions while getting the trail mostly to myself. Pure heaven!

 

I hope you enjoyed part 1. Stay tuned for part 2: What to shoot given certain weather conditions