How to capture rainbows – with myth or science?

[cowanw]

There have been many rainbows to be seen in the year-plus that I've lived in Tucson; they are far more common here than in the East. I've photographed a few with my phone... have never been able to set up an LF camera in time to capture one on 4x5 film. As i only shoot B&W these days, I think that there wouldn't be much point to the exercise.
Ansel Adams (of course) made at least one successful LF B&W photograph with a rainbow in it; naturally it was in Yosemite. It appears in his book "Examples", and I suspect that he set out to shoot the rainbow to prove that it could be done. Being Ansel, his picture not only proved the point but is interesting to look at, too.

If a member posted the Nevada Falls image, they would likely get back the diagnosis of light leak/flair

[Heroique]

I have only chased rainbows by motorcycle on the backroads of Wisconsin. God's country! I was seeking a pot of gold. Fun, but never got there.

Speaking of Galen Rowell, I'm still browsing "Mountain Light" – he explains that the mystifying behavior of rainbows is true, even when viewed with the clear eyes of science:

"True to legend," he says, "a rainbow appears to recede as the viewer approaches. This happens because a moving person is actually witnessing multiple rainbows. With each step, one rainbow disappears and another takes its place in a new set of droplets. Two people standing next to each other would actually see two different rainbows, reflecting off different water droplets."

To move a tripod and recompose a rainbow sounds, well, problematic at best. Not only is time of the essence, but your subject is "multiple" and on the run. Like trying to reach that elusive pot of gold.

[jeffokeeffe]

I was able to make this image out of complete and utter luck back in May of 2017 at Yellowstone NP. I was out on the boardwalks of the Upper Basin, stopping for a bit to photograph the flows of Grand Geyser when I turned around to the surprise of it going off while I was there alone. The steam and vapor coming off the eruption lasted just long enough for me to see this faint rainbow and to set up an iffy composition. Couldn't recreate it if I tried! My tip is to be lucky!

[Doremus Scudder]

I've shot rainbows in black-and-white a few times; they end up just being a white curve in the sky. This can be effective, but often it's just a let down. Color can be better for some things

Doremus

[Tin Can]

The trouble Jeff, is you have proven there is no Pot o' Gold at the end of a rainbow...

Very sad

I was able to make this image out of complete and utter luck back in May of 2017 at Yellowstone NP. I was out on the boardwalks of the Upper Basin, stopping for a bit to photograph the flows of Grand Geyser when I turned around to the surprise of it going off while I was there alone. The steam and vapor coming off the eruption lasted just long enough for me to see this faint rainbow and to set up an iffy composition. Couldn't recreate it if I tried! My tip is to be lucky!

[bigdog]

Go to Iceland’s West Fjords in the summer. There will be waterfalls. There will be rain. Both can create rainbows. Enjoy.

[Alan Gales]

The trouble Jeff, is you have proven there is no Pot o' Gold at the end of a rainbow...

Very sad

No leprechaun either. Very, very sad!

[Mark Sampson]

Well, IF I had color film for my Speed Graphic, and IF I was at home (or had it with me) the next time I saw a rainbow, I could easily photograph it.
However, the last time I saw rainbow, last week, I was stuck in heavy traffic (all too common in Tucson) so there was no way to make a good photograph.
And then, since my Speed uses 3-1/4"x4-1/4" film, the moderators would instantly banish my picture to the Lounge; so I'm afraid that it's a lost cause.

[Heroique]

Ansel Adams (of course) made at least one successful LF B&W photograph with a rainbow in it; naturally it was in Yosemite. It appears in his book "Examples", and I suspect that he set out to shoot the rainbow to prove that it could be done. Being Ansel, his picture not only proved the point but is interesting to look at, too.

If a member posted the Nevada Falls image, they would likely get back the diagnosis of light leak/flair

Curiosity made me look for AA's image, circa 1950. (I understand he exposed color film on this day too.) I don't have his book "Examples," so I'd enjoy hearing someone summarize AA's key thoughts about planning for and composing the image. Was it the rainbow that earned the image a place in his book? Any b/w rainbow lessons to learn?

[jeffokeeffe]

The trouble Jeff, is you have proven there is no Pot o' Gold at the end of a rainbow...

Very sad

Just because it isn't there in the photograph doesn't mean it wasn't there to begin with !