Photography in the Rain

[JoeKitchen]

So I will be in Portland next week for an assignment and the weather forecast is less then ideal.  Any tips on working in the rain with a technical camera?  Any suggestions for what to cover the camera with while I am working? 

Unfortunately this has to be shot end of next week. 

[degrub]

golf umbrella as a start held by assistant 

[BernardLanguillier]

Is the tech camera mandatory?

Cheers,
Bernard

[mcbroomf]

If it's really raining and you have to do the shoot then, in addition to the umbrella consider a cover.  One of these would fit I'd imagine.  They are a bit cumbersome.

Make sure you have hoods for the lenses and don't point the camera up if you can avoid it (are you shooting architecture?).  Wipes to remove rain spots off the front filter/element.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?q=waterproof%20camera%20cover&sts=ma

[JoeKitchen]

Is the tech camera mandatory?

Cheers,
Bernard

Yes, unfortunately. 

[BernardLanguillier]

If it's really raining and you have to do the shoot then, in addition to the umbrella consider a cover.  One of these would fit I'd imagine.  They are a bit cumbersome.

Make sure you have hoods for the lenses and don't point the camera up if you can avoid it (are you shooting architecture?).  Wipes to remove rain spots off the front filter/element.

https://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/search?q=waterproof%20camera%20cover&sts=ma

Another alternative being a dark cloth like those used to LF.

Cheers,
Bernard

[JoeKitchen]

Just got this.  If nothing else, it works for comedy. 

[degrub]

first thought was Mary Poppins 
Seriously, i would bet on something much larger if at all possible, unless you are solo. It doesn't take much wind to push the rain that radius.

[Rand47]

That’s not an umbrella, THIS is an umbrella:

https://shop.pipelinerscloud.com/products/copy-of-8-diameter-60mph-tested-best-umbrella-in-the-industry?variant=41076526645406&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIqYyI_Kma_gIVxBatBh3lRQvEEAQYASABEgJXmvD_BwE



Rand

[JoeKitchen]

So I'm excited to report although it has rained everyday in Portland since I have been keeping track (about a month), but now the forecast is looking rain free from when I land on Wednesday to when I leave. 

[David Eichler]

So I'm excited to report although it has rained everyday in Portland since I have been keeping track (about a month), but now the forecast is looking rain free from when I land on Wednesday to when I leave.

Often, rain in the Pacific Northwest is a drizzle, rather than a downpour. You still need protection, of course.

[Steve Hendrix]

Often, rain in the Pacific Northwest is a drizzle, rather than a downpour. You still need protection, of course.

Yes. We conduct workshops in Olympic National Park with Julian Calverley who prefers this sort of weather environment. Invariably, it is more of a constant drizzle. Often there is a combination of umbrellas and (more often) various camera tarp solutions (some DIY, some various manufacturers). They're a little bit like camera bags, it's hard to recommend any as the use case and preferences are so subjective and personal - my take is that whatever works best for someone is what works best for that person.

I don't personally shoot in the rain enough to have formulated a solution, but if I did, I would probably break out my wife's sewing machine, and having been on my best behavior (as always), plead with her to take some weather proof tarp material and sew some snap grommets into it after taking a few measurements with my camera kit.


Steve Hendrix/CI

[Joe Towner]

It rains every day here, it's horrible, you'll hate it, don't move here.

Umbrellas are they way we tell the tourists from the locals, though that 8' one looks quite interesting.  Glad things worked in your favor.

[hubell]

It rains every day here, it's horrible, you'll hate it, don't move here.

Umbrellas are they way we tell the tourists from the locals, though that 8' one looks quite interesting.  Glad things worked in your favor.

If you opened up that 8' umbrella in Iceland where I often shoot, you would likely be launched into the jetstream and end up in the UK.