RAINY DAY KIDS’ PHOTOGRAPHY TIPS

If you were to choose to avoid taking photos in the rain, well, you’d certainly lose a lot of possibly good opportunities to photograph your kids – particularly if you live in a rainy climate. So, as fall descends upon us you may want to consider learning how to photograph successfully in the rain. Here are some tips to help improve your rainy day kids’ photography:

Tip One: You’ll Need Weatherproofing

Your camera needs to be protected from the rain. If it’s just a light mist you might be okay, but otherwise you are going to want some gear that will prevent water from getting into your camera. For under $10 you can get a plastic rain sleeve for your camera, or you can try a plastic bag – just ensure that your lens and camera body are protected.

For DSLR owners, you’re going to want to choose a single lens to shoot with, unless you know for a certainty that you’ll have somewhere dry to change your lens if needed. Choose a good portrait lens that can do double-duty (as in, take close-up kid’s portraits as well as step back for lifestyle photos).

Tip Two: Choose Your Time of Day

There will be less light to work with on a rainy day – meaning you’ll have to consider what you’re photographing and how much light you’ll need. For photographing kids, it really depends on how much they’re moving, if you need a faster shutter speed to capture action (say, a soccer game) then you’ll want more light, closer to the middle of the day. For still shots you can experiment with lower light towards the end of the day for a moodier feel to your photo. Remember to adjust your exposure if you’re looking for brighter/darker photos than what your camera feels it should be.

Tip Three: Find Some Color

Fortunately with fall trees in full bloom this shouldn’t be a problem, but keep in mind that there is a lot of gray on rainy days so you want to inject a bit of color. Another option is to dress your child in a colorful rain jacket and boots, or give them a brightly-colored umbrella (red, yellow, green) to stand out.

Tip Four: Find Shelter (Just in Case!)

When you are out and about in the rain keep your eye out for shelter, just in case it really starts pouring. If you do have to duck and run, take advantage of the new setting for some interesting images. Places such as doorways, parking garages, barns, and gazebos offer lots of natural light and an interesting setting for kid’s photography.

So, the next time it rains get your photography gear and your kids and have some fun! Let them splash in puddles or explore a local stream and you’ll get some fantastic photos, rain or shine.