Photography and Bad Weather Conditions

When dark clouds roll into the sky most photographers run for shelter, but the ones who stay out and brave the weather can sometimes capture the most amazing photos. bad weather can give photographers a chance to capture rain photos, snow photos, or even lightning photos. In the world of photography the rarer and harder to capture photos tend to sell for a higher price; so there is a potentially large market for bad weather conditions if you are a photographer.

Rain Photography

When it rains outside the moisture tends to create a shiny surface on most materials. In the cities the rain causes the streets to shine and the buildings to look gloomy. In the countryside the grass can shine with the right amount of light and droplets of water hanging from branches and leaves often sparkle. The clouds that accompany the rain also diffuse the available sunlight spreading it equally and removing shadows. I have found that rain can create amazing landscape, wildlife, and even portrait photos. Animals tend to curl up or tuck their heads into their fur in order to keep dry and warm offering some amazing nature photo opportunities. Portrait photos in the rain can also be very compelling because the light reflected off of peoples faces can often dominate the frame because the rain dampens the light reflected off of surroundings.

When it rains you will probably have to use either a longer shutter speed or a wider aperture because the clouds tend to also block out direct sunlight. In order to be prepared for rain you should have a waterproof bag for your camera as well as an umbrella or something else that you can use to shield the top of the lens so water doesnt reach the front of the lens and leave water droplets. I also always carry a tripod in the rain so I can make sure that I can do a long enough exposure without having the results blurry from cold shaky hands.

Lightning

Many photographers spend hours trying to capture a bolt of lightning lighting up the scene in their photos. Lightning is definitely one of the hardest things to capture in a photograph. It definitely requires a tripod and often requires a very long shutter speed. Most photographers try to capture lightning by using the bulb option of shutter speed where the photographer simply just manually holds the shutter open as long as necessary until a bolt of lightning streaks through the sky and then the photographer closes the shutter right after the lightning passes so it is as bright as possible in the frame.

snow Photography

snow can change a landscape photo into a winter wonderland photo. The whiteness of the snow tends to add a nice contrast to the normal colors of a scene which makes for very effective photos. snow photos can also make for unique nature photos and can often sell for a higher price because they are so appealing. Unfortunately some snowy locations where the very rare animals live such as penguins and polar bears are very hard to reach and require a great deal of risk and effort.

Bright and white snow can be trickier to capture effectively then most photographers think. The light readers on cameras tend to see snow as very bright so it sets the exposure for the brightness of the snow leaving the background and other objects almost as dark as a silhouette. Most experienced photographers overexpose the snow photos they take leaving the snow as bright as it is in real life and the rest of the frame well-exposed as it should be. snow can also disrupt the cameras automatic white balance sensor so you should also make sure that you either adjust the white balance to suit the snow or switch the auto white balance mode to the snow white balance mode.

Storm Chasing

There are many serious and adventurous photographers that have devoted their careers to getting the best photos of hurricanes and tornadoes that Mother Nature has to offer. This type of photography is very dangerous but can also provide some high priced photos that are demanded by magazines and news conglomerates all over the country. extreme storm photos are one of the only types of photos that can bring fear to the viewers who have the privilege of seeing them. They can also inspire wonder in viewers at the destructive power and forces of nature.

Storm photography requires some durable equipment and different techniques then other more normal types of photography. Some photographers stay relatively far away from the storm and just have to deal with rain and high winds. These photographers usually have covers and lens cleaners that they can use to clear the lens of water droplets quickly before they are ready to take a photo. Other photographers commonly leave cameras set up on tripods in the paths of a storm that they can operate by remote control from a safe location. These cameras are put in protective cases and have special tripods that can be drilled into the ground.

Conclusion

bad weather should be looked at as an opportunity by photographers instead of as a nuisance that is avoided. Some of the best photos that I have taken have been in situations where there was rain, snow, or wind. I recommend that all serious photographers should carry a tripod and some kind of covering that can be used shield the camera from wind and moisture if they are going on a long trip with unpredictable weather. The successful photographers are the ones that are ready and willing to deal with difficult circumstances that other photographers would normally avoid.

Richard Schneider is a digital photography enthusiast and founder of http://www.picturecorrect.com/ which offers tips and news about digital photography, digital camera reviews, and photoshop tutorials. Please also visit http://www.picturecorrect.com/freewallpaper.htm where there is free high resolution desktop wallpaper available.

Yoga Pants Yoga Los Angeles Yoga Teacher Training

The Future Of Snow

If I had a penny for everyone that asks for a "high altitude chalet" for their annual skiing holidays nowadays then I would be a very rich man!

But how can you blame them? The british press have been bolstering their winter broad sheets with the effects of "global warming" and the dreadful snow conditions that we have been apparently experiencing in the alps. This has of course been spurred on by doom mongers sat in a london press office, with all but a poorly placed webcam to gain their daily insight on the true snow conditions at a local level*. Nevertheless, they still feel qualified to paint a pretty dreary picture to the unassuming public as to the future of european skiing holidays.

Many webcams are inaccurately placed and only show snow at the Tourist office altitude which is often below the snowline and not where the real skiing is. Morzine in particular, (one example of a great british ski destination), has suffered this over sight by the Tourist office who have chosen not to lodge their webcam at the skiing altitude, but rather at a 900 metre resort level.

Coming from one who has spent every week of the ski season touring the alps over the last 11 years, then I feel qualified to have an opinion. Although I have seen a change in snow, it is not as dramatic as one is led to believe. If anything the seasons are simply shifting. We are getting the same seasonal levels of snow as we were a decade ago, but it now chooses to come later and stay for longer. April skiing is now bigger business than ever as it steals demand from the festive weeks; and rightly so because the reality is that April is experiencing higher levels of snow than ever before.

Thankfully, various ski associations with first hand knowledge of the actual snow levels of last season have sought public correction and recognition from the media as to the unfounded nature of their premature remarks; remarks about the uncertain future of european skiing holidays.

I have heard many tales of skiers cancelling their Christmas skiing holidays at the last minute with huge losses in cancellation charges, simply because they choose to believe all they read in the papers! If they had taken their holiday as planned and paid for, they would have found a ski resort skiing normally above 1500 metres, and please remember that most premier French resorts have 95% of their skiing above this level anyway.

Indeed the resorts where skiing is placed below 1300 metres are experiencing the "wrong kind of precipitation", as temperatures are rising. However if you pick a resort where the skiing is above 1300 metres, then you will be experiencing normal skiing conditions and full coverage of ski area, which nowadays is further enhanced by snow cannons; snow cannons that are actually making the skiing better than ever before.

Perhaps the snow that we have just experienced in Chamonix, (July 1st 2007) is not a good omen that the snow is still prevalent, but acting as a harbinger to climate change or a merging of the seasons?

The fact is that last season was actually a better season for snow above 1300 metres than the previous two years. Long term weather forecasts are suggesting a rise in precipitation over the alps in the next ten years, along with relatively low levels in temperature rise. Therefore although there may be rain at low levels there will be greater amounts of snow at higher altitudes, thus making resorts above 1500 metres all the more in demand for european skiing holidays.

Shaun Parker has been at the forefront of the Skiing Holidays Industry for 15 years. Now serving over 10,000 clients per year for snowboarding, mountain biking, activity and ski holidays, Alpine Elements provide a complete package for Apline holidays all year round. Visit http://www.alpineelements.co.uk

Kelly Morris Yoga Teacher