Rainy Day Landscape Photography in the Pine Barrens
It’s one thing to plan a landscape photography shoot when the weather conditions are fair and comfortable, but what about when they’re not? If safety isn’t an issue, why not try photographing in bad weather. If you, and your equipment are prepared, it could be an opportunity to see a landscape few see. Often times, especially here in the New Jersey Pinelands, what you see can be quite fascinating.
The top photograph was one of those opportunities, just not planned for. My wife and I were hiking in the Pinelands and noticed a rain squall in the distance. We stopped to photograph it and ended up being hit by another storm that caught us by surprise. Outside of getting wet and cutting a nice hike sort, we count this as a success because we got to witness something special.
Not long after that experience, some New Jersey photographer friends and I got together to introduce Kim Steinhardt, a California photographer and author known for his work with sea otters, to the New Jersey Pinelands. The day we picked had a steady drizzle with periods of light rain. It was dreary to say the least. Still once we got out there, we found a different landscape with interesting textures, light and colors.
Rainy Day Textures by Richard Lewis 2018
Five Cedars by Richard Lewis 2018
Mature Cedar Stand by Richard Lewis 2018
Piney Waterfall With Cedars by Richard Lewis 2018
Rainy Evening In The Bogs by Richard Lewis 2018
Some Other Rainy Day Photography
Rainy Desert Morning, Arizona, by Richard Lewis 2015
Storm Light On Palm Springs, California by Richard Lewis 2016
Rain And Mist On The Susquehanna River, Pennsylvania by Richard Lewis 2017
Old Barn In The Snow, New Jersey by Richard Lewis 2012
Storm Light On Doe Mountain, Arizona by Richard Lewis 2015
If you want to do landscape photography, it’s a good idea to look at all the faces the landscape has to offer, including before, during and after a rain storm. While these images don’t show dramatic sunrises and sunsets exploding with color, they do show a side of the natural world that is worth exploring. If you go, take a raincoat for you and your gear.
Enjoy!
See more of my landscape photography in all sorts of weather
Bad weather is a whistle blown to get out there and shoot!!! The Old Barn in the Snow is a great target but how much it is enhanced by the driven snow.
Yeahhh.
Thanks Ralph. You are so right! I’ve shot that barn so many times but this one sticks with me because the mood matches the structure so nicely.
Good advice!
Thanks Steve. Grab your raincoat and I’ll look for some rainy day photographs on your blog.
Rainy days certainly make for great photos and you have done well!!
Thanks Bonnie, I appreciate it.
Gorgeous photo, Rich, even in the “bad” weather. Of course, bad weather is nothing but good for a photographer. 🙂 I particularly like the changing moments, like you captured beautifully in the last photo.
Thanks Otto for your comment. I’ve always said that with a good raincoat the photographer and a rain sleeve for the camera makes for an unbelievable photographic opportunity. That last photograph was kind of magical. We hiked up Doe Mt in Sedona and got to the top just as the rain was ending. About 20 minutes later there wasn’t a cloud in the sky. We felt quite happy to be able to witness this.
Love your rainy day scenes … especially those with a dark brooding sky. I could see you doing an entire exhibit with this theme. 🙂
Thanks! I’ve been working on a series of images called Storm Light. Thanks for the suggestion.