shooting during rainy day

[sean yoon]

Hi,
I am wondering how you guys shoot, when it is raining and snowing. I know there are some acessaries which attaches to your tripod and holds an umbrella, also i saw some photographers cover their camera with some clothes while they are shooting. I don't even know the acessaries' name. PLease help me out. Where can i find these stuff? Are there really well made cloth just for this purpose?



Thanks

Sean

[John Kasaian]

sean,

I don't like things that attach to my camera if they can act as sails in bad weather. I wouldn't want my 'ship' to hit the rocks.

I habitually drape my dark cloth over the camera as a guard against the light. Treated with snow seal, it'll repell water.

A black plastic trashbag is also handy at times.

If the weather is really bad, hot chocolate and peppermint schnapps or cogniac is good for taking the chill off (even if you're not out taking photographs!)

I hope this helps.

[Michael Hewson]

I use a plastic bag (heavy duty shopping variety) - I have one in my camea bag for the express purpose

[Emrehan Zeybekoglu]

Sean,

A not-so-small plastic bag (a trash bag) comes in handy in a variety of situations, including rain - compact enough to be tucked away in your photo bag. Also the dark cloth can be used as suggested above. When it's raining cats and dogs I don't think you can work anyway.. Therefore, I would say, avoid materials that will act as a sail. You'll be more likely to cause an accident if you use heavy or large cloth, covers, etc. Good luck..

[sean yoon]

Thank you for your advice.
I think the plastic trash bag will be perfect!!!



Sean

[Stephen Vaughan]

Hi Sean - I work in the rain quite a lot. I use a small cloth (dishcloth/chamois) which I drape over the top of the lens to stop water getting into the shutter, a lens hood to stop drops falling on the front of the lens. Darkcloth protects the camera and darkslide. It works as long as it is fairly windless rain. It's hard when the wind blows.

I also have more cloths to dry up when things get soggy.....I've found plastic bags difficult to use because water runs stright off them and onto the lens/camera.........

[ronald moravec]

When the weather turns against you, out comes the smaller camera. Bad weather and LF just don`t seem to go together for me.

I saw a pro at the Chicago lakefront using an assistent with a golf umbrella to shield his 8x10 from the windy city wind.

Alone, I would go with the small plastic bag not much bigger than the camera if I had the use LF.

[Steve Lewis]

Sean

I use a small umbrella clamped to the tripod to protect the camera. As I couldn't find a company that made them, I went down to the local 'Mothercare' shop and bought one of those umbrellas that clamps to the handle of a pram or pushchair. I modified it to allow me to remove just the umbrella part, which I hold over the camera when making the exposure. HTH

Steve

Landscapes of Wales

[Don Wallace]

I am a real candy ass and I frequently shoot from inside the car. I would like to get a van someday with a big side door to make that easier. I have also thought of buying one of those canopy tents people use for food kitchens when they go camping. They set up in less than five minutes and on a rainy day, one could shoot landscapes for hours without getting their hair wet. I guess I am not as hardy as you folks.

[Jim Rhoades]

I shoot a lot in the snow and surf spray and just a little in light rain. Like Stephen I'm not a fan of plastic bags. I do use the 2 gallon freezer bags over the camera while mounted to a tripod walking here and there. When it's time to shoot, out comes a Chamois to cover the camera and a lens shade to protect the lens.

I would never, ever clamp a umbrella to a tripod. However with a wife, girlfriend or assistant along nothing beats a golf umbrella. This is used to break the wind not for rain or snow.

A large garbage bag is handy to use as a ground cloth in deep snow for your camera pack.