After The Rain | Weekly Photo #130
I love photographing London in or after the rain as the city takes on a different look and feel compared to when it’s dry and I enjoy taking advantage of the creative ways I can take photos when it’s wet outside. Along with talking about this photo I took shortly after a brief rain shower in London earlier this year, I’ll also share some top tips for anyone looking to explore their local town or city and make the most of their photography during or after the rain.
Fujifilm XT2 | XF18-55mm | 18mm | 1/400th Second | f/7.1 | ISO400
Some of my readers may remember when I took this photo on Queen Victoria Street last year and although it was forecasted to stay dry, I got caught in some torrential rain which was an occasion I wasn’t particularly dressed for. I did, however, have my weather-resistant camera and lens so even though it meant I would get soaked through, I was confident my camera wouldn’t and I could still get out into the rain and take what ended up being one of my favourite photos of London in 2020.
Fast forward to March 2021 and I once again found myself in the city with my camera during a rain shower that wasn’t on the forecast. This time around, I was out with my 18-55mm standard zoom lens which isn’t weather-sealed so, unlike last time where I could wander around in the rain knowing my camera would be ok, this time, I had to take cover as it fell. Thankfully it didn’t rain for long and I was pounding the pavement again in no time at all.
Being March 2021, the UK was still predominantly working from home so the streets of London was still relatively quiet compared to normal and as I wandered down an almost empty Lombard Street, I spotted this puddle by the side of the road. I’ve actually taken this photo of Lombard Street many times before and although I really like the fantastic lead-in lines at the bottom, the view down this traditional looking London street in the middle and the more contemporary Fenchurch Building at the top of the frame, I always felt it was lacking something. Thankfully, this time around, the rain shower brought the finishing touch and I took full advantage by crouching down and using this fantastic reflection of the Fenchurch Building in this puddle as foreground interest.
If this isn’t my best London photo of 2021, it will certainly be in my top 5.
7 Tips for photographing a city in the rain
As promised, I’ve shared below some useful tips to consider when photographing any town or city in the rain. The first few tips are centred around being prepared to shoot in the rain. Although they may seem like common sense, just remember, taking photos when cold and wet is not particularly fun and does nothing to stir those creative juices so don’t be like me and get caught out by the rain… twice!
#1 Prepare to get wet - If I wasn’t prepared to head into the streets during torrential rain then I would not have taken one of my favourite ever photos of London. As I mentioned above, rain wasn’t on the forecast and I wasn’t dressed for the occasion but boy would I have enjoyed that shoot a lot more if I wasn’t soaked to the bone. Don’t do what I did, make sure you bring the right jacket, shoes and even an umbrella so you can get out there take your pictures whilst remaining warm and dry.
#2 Invest in weather-resistant gear if you can - Knowing that your gear can survive a rain shower will do everything for your confidence to get out there and find photos in the rain, so if you can, consider a weather-sealed body and lens when you next buy one. If you don’t, it’s not all lost as you can buy inexpensive plastic housings/bags such as these from Think Tank. Although a bit more cumbersome, they will keep your gear dry. Alternatively, keep your expensive camera in the bag and use your smartphone as most have some level of water resistance these days but make your you check the specs first.
#3 Shoot from covered areas - Providing you can find the right subjects and compositions, photographing the wet streets while taking cover from the rain can be just as effective. So, if you find yourself out in the rain and lack the clothes or gear to make the most of it, see what you can photograph while you keep yourself lovely and dry sheltered from the rain.
The tips below are about getting the most from your photography while shooting your local town or city during or shortly after the rain.
#4 Take advantage of the empty streets - Most people head for cover when the rain falls and when that happens, you could be presented with some relative empty streets for a short while. So, if you have the right gear and dressed for the occasion, get out there and take advantage.
Top tip: With an app like Rain Today, you can even spot the rain coming down to the minute and get into position just before it starts giving you the best chance of taking that street or urban landscape photo without so many people in the frame.
#5 Search for reflections and puddles - Just like I did for this photo here, finding puddles and looking for reflections can transform your photos and elevate them into something really special. Remember, it’s not just about puddles as there are so many reflective surfaces in modern cities so keep your eyes peeled during and shortly after the rain has fallen.
#6 Look for umbrellas - No, this isn’t a repeat of tip #1, this is about including people with umbrellas in your photos. Some might say it’s a bit cliche but personally I love to see people with umbrellas in rainy street and cityscape photos. Oh, and I certainly don’t mean the bright yellow or red umbrellas you often see on Instagram (no judgement here). When I take photos of people walking in the rain, they can add an air of mystery and as they tend to hide the face, a touch of anonymity too. That’s certainly the feeling I get when I look at the photo below which I took on a rainy night back in late 2019.
#7 Photograph the reflections at night - Not only does the photo above show the story umbrellas can tell within your photos but the image also shows how good the reflections can be when the street lights reflect across the wet surfaces. So, as long as you remain safe and where possible go with at least one other person, why not head out into the rain after dark to see the streets illuminated by the city lights.
Top tip: Plan an after dark trip into town during a rainy December night and not only do you get the reflections from the street lights but you can also get some fantastic reflections from the festive lights too!
There you have it. Hopefully those tips inspire some of you to grab that camera and brave the weather next time it’s raining in your local town or city.
Also, don’t forget you can order a print of this week’s photo by clicking on the “buy this print” link below.
Until next week.
Trevor
This post is featured in my Weekly Photo series where I post a new photo every Monday. To have this delivered directly to your inbox, you can subscribe to the mailing list here.