Bad Weather
The more photography I do : the more convinced I am that there is no such thing as bad weather!
I’m just back from the isle of Harris, conducting a workshop there, and everyone as usual, put 110% into getting out there – regardless of the weather to shoot some of the most dramatic light I’ve seen in ages.
The most dramatic images are often shot on the edge of a storm, either when the storm is coming in, or when the storm has just passed over. It’s an exciting time to be out there with the camera, braving the elements.
One thing I keep coming across is participants timidness at using their cameras in wet weather: I’ve yet to see a camera malfunction in even the wettest of weather. It’s amazing when I hear people go on about having a camera body with full weather sealing: it’s marketing hype. So long as you’re not stupid with your camera, then most of them will be more than fine in bad weather. The only things you need to watch out for are keeping it out in prolonged rain, and drying it off each night. It’s wise to take it out of the camera bag and let the moisture in the air that’s been around the camera evaporate off.
I remember in 2001 going up a glacier in New Zealand for the entire day with my Mamiya 7 and lenses stuck in some pockets in the ‘waterproof’ jacket. Let’s first get rid of this notion that things are ‘waterproof’. There is only a certain amount of rain that something will take before it starts to leak. 7 hours late, I got back to the base of the glacier with the camera completely soaked right through. I sat it in the sun the following day and watched all the condensation evaporate off the lens elements. 7 years later I was still using the very same Mamiya 7 outfit……
This brings me onto another topic : clothing. I keep getting people turn up to the workshops with goretex trainers. Goretex is not the answer to everything and I personally don’t rate it. You’re better off with a pair of wellington boots, or a pair of leather walking boots that are waterproof to ankle level. I use a pair of Scarpa boots – the tongue of the boot does not have any gap between it and the rest of the boot – it is essentially one big leather surround going right up over my ankle. I use Snow Seal (I heat the leather boot in the oven for 5 minutes) and rub in the Sno’ Seal into the warm leather so it is absorbed. It makes for a very durable boot for climbing over coastal landscapes and walking through really boggy ground.
You have to get out there with your camera. If you’re coveting the beast and putting it away the moment the rain comes on – you’re doing yourself and your camera a disservice.
Hi Bruce,
I’ve been making an effort to get out whatever the weather, it’s new to me so I’m learning as I go. Keeping the front element/filters dry is certainly a challenge. I think a brolly will help there though, a bit cumbersome maybe…
I like this shot a lot, your work always has such rich colours, it certainly captures Scottish conditions. I’m curious about your choice to include the land on the left though. It doesn’t really throw off the balance or anything, in fact it was probably the last thing I noticed, but my preference would have been to exclude it. I’d be interested to hear your thoughts on it though.
best regards
Fraser
Comment by vorlich — 26 November, 2009 @ 4:37 pm
If I’d cropped out the small bit of island on the left, the image would be unbalanced…. the isle of Rum in the distance wouldn’t be in the middle, it would be pushed more to the left… which I feel is wrong.
Since the dominating factor is the foreground rush of water, I feel the small island at the far left, although slightly distracting, isn’t enough to break the image….. the image still works well regardless, and that is the main thing.
It’s easy to throw the baby out with the bath water. Being too analytical about something like a small slither of dark island on the far left and cropping would have destroyed an image that is working…. even if it is slightly distracting.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 26 November, 2009 @ 6:11 pm
Thanks Bruce.
You’re right about Rum being central, I agree. The other elements of the image are great as is, so I can see your reluctance to crop the image.
Maybe my question stems from my personal experience of the flexibility of zoom lenses. Where I recognise using primes may have required a more pragmatic approach, particularly if you were constrained by the terrain underfoot.
Do you sell prints Bruce? I don’t see any information on the site…
Comment by vorlich — 26 November, 2009 @ 7:10 pm
Hi Vorlich,
No, I don’t sell prints. It’s too cost-prohibitive for me to do that at the moment.
Everyone seems to think that selling prints is a profitable exercise. It’s not.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 26 November, 2009 @ 7:18 pm
Hi Bruce,
agree entirely about the rain – as you’ll know from Torridon!
I’m interested in your comments about the island in the image you have here (which is wonderful – it feels as if the water is rushing out of my screen, even in this small version) – I think I’d have cut out the island at first too, but you’re absolutely right about the balance.
Regarding prints: Mabel put me on to http://www.redbubble.com, who do all the printing and framing etc. for you (and you set your own profit margin) – you just need to upload your images. I don’t think anyone gets rich that way, but it’s a hassle-free way of dealing with printing for other people.
Cheers,
Michael
Comment by michael — 26 November, 2009 @ 9:21 pm
Hi Michael,
Thanks for the input. I feel that at the moment, I’d prefer not to sell prints and at some point, if I am to do it – I’d like to have full control over the quality. It’s very ‘hit or miss’ handing over the print process to someone else.
Regardless, I don’t have time to spend on uploading them at the moment, and feel that it doesn’t warrant the small sales volumes I’d expect. Print sales really is an over-saturated market and I’m better using my ‘working time’ elsewhere at the moment.
Thanks for the input though.
Comment by Bruce Percy — 26 November, 2009 @ 11:49 pm
Hi Bruce,
yes, I can appreciate that.
However, you do know that I’m looking forward to the publication of “Bruce Percy’s Light Around the World”, don’t you?? The blurb on the back of this quality hardback book, expanded from your “40 photos” series, will say something like: “A collection of Bruce’s finest images from his travels through Scotland, South America, Asia [and...], carefully printed under his direction…” What do you say, one day maybe? :) (Don’t feel you need to answer…!)
All the best,
Michael
Comment by michael — 27 November, 2009 @ 1:28 am