Rainy Days
written by Heather Melzer
As scrapbookers, our cameras are very important assets, and most of us are reluctant to take them outdoors during stormy weather. But don’t let rain keep you from capturing interesting spring images. Follow these tips to prepare your camera—and yourself—for a downpour of photographic creativity.
• Protect your lens. A lens hood can prevent raindrops, dust, and debris from falling onto your lens face and marring your images. A soft absorbent cloth also can come in handy to wipe away stray raindrops.
• Keep your camera body and flash dry. If you’re shooting with a tripod, protect the camera with an umbrella or shoot beneath an overhang. If you’re shooting without a tripod, a large brimmed hat will deflect raindrops. You can buy a specially designed nylon bag that has a hole for your lens to peek through, but thrifty shooters can fashion a similar item using a plastic bag or a shower cap. Simply cut a hole for your lens and secure with a rubber band.
• Check your settings. Now that your camera is ready for rainfall, you’ll want to adjust your exposure settings to get great results. Because there is usually little light on stormy days, use a lens with a wide aperture and a film or digital ISO setting of 400 or 800. A tripod also will help ensure clearer photos by providing stability. To catch raindrops in midair or freeze ripples in a puddle, use a fast shutter speed and a medium-fast speed film or digital ISO setting.
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