weather
don’t get any glare or use this glare for effect -
and triple check for any reflections you might be
getting. It’s often easier to see these if you look
directly at the glass to check, rather than through
the eye piece. The more straight-on you can get to
the glass, the fewer reflections you should see.
Location
Look around you – is there a porch or awning
you can shelter underneath? What about a hide?
They’re not just the domain of bird watchers. You
could even use your own tent and zip up the door
around your camera lens. Just remember that if you
do go anywhere inside or warm after carrying your
camera outside in the cold for a long time, your
lens will almost definitely fog up for some time.
Timing
It’s incredibly easy nowadays to get a very accurate
weather forecast and regularly checking this will
enable you to plan your shoot for the atmosphere
or results you are trying to achieve. Capturing that
storm just as the skies turn pinky, purple and the
clouds build rather than smack bang in the middle
where you can see what’s in front of you, let alone
in front of the lens. That moment just as a storm
clears is also incredibly alluring for photographers.
You can feel the silence of the moment but also
benefit from the sunlight reflecting on the wet
landscape and the re-emergence of wildlife.
online weather resources
BBC current and long-range forecasts
www.bbc.co.uk/weather
UK Met Office forecasts
www.metoffice.gov.uk
Worldwide tide times
www.tide-forecast.com
Lake District weather forecast
www.lakedistrictweatherline.co.uk
Peak District weather forecast
www.peakweather.co.uk
Mountain Weather Information Service (UK)
www.mwis.org.uk
Worldwide weather forecasts
www.accuweather.com/en/world-weather
Post-production
Don’t forget to turn to your post-production
techniques. If you can shoot with your aperture
closed and at a fast shutter speed as much as
possible (you’ll need a high ISO setting as it will
almost definitely be low light), any rain drops
which land on your lens will appear smaller
and finer – allowing you more easily to remove
them on a platform like Adobe Photoshop. Or
enabling you to use them to their fullest within
the photograph itself. Capturing a raindrop or
snowflake mid fall is a stunning image to behold.
Safety
Finally, remember that your health and safety is
more important than any photograph you want
to achieve. If you are travelling somewhere with
potentially hazardous conditions, make sure
you take a fully charged mobile phone in its own
waterproof case, have a couple of easy access exit
points and make people aware of where you are
heading and what time you expect to be back.
Aquapac International - an OWPG associate
member - is a British company headquartered
in London, and has been selling waterproof
bags and cases around the world for over 35
years. For more information visit Aquapac’s
website www.aquapac.net
spring 2020 | Outdoor focus 13