CLOUDY WEATHER AND RAIN

In this exercise  we note differences in pictures taken under different weather conditions. In Nigeria its wet season now and always cloudy. But i did manage to take pictures in sunlight and under cloud though in sunlight it was not 100% cloudless but enough to illustrate the point.

I must point out that this exercise on light appears to be the most challenging so far. What makes it more so is the fact that you have to wait for specific periods of the day to take pictures. And when that period comes, you hope for the right conditions required.  Realised also that i need more equipment like speedlights and tripods to perform some exercises. This made me fork out quite a chunk of money for a nikon flash. I bought the best available (sb-910) because for a serious photographer, its very important to get the best at all times if you can afford it to avoid upgrading constantly  thereby spending more than you should in the end.

Image 1:ISO 1000,70MM,0EV,F/8,1/5000M MAY 29, 1:32PM,CLOUDY

Image 2:ISO 1000,70MM,0EV,F/8,1/3200, JUNE 08, 8.22AM, NO CLOUDS

The two images above were taken on different days and at different times and in manual mode. ISO  was set to 1000 and focal length to 70mm. I used the the light meter from my camera to balance aperture and shutter speeds. With the same f stop of f/8, my shutter speed changed from 1/5000 in image 1 to 1/ 3200 in image 2.

AS stated in manual, when clouds cover the sun, the shadows are softer and the shadow edges less distinct. So the subject is more evenly lit but not so definitely defined as is obvious from image 1. Note the shadows under the kerb in Image 2 at 1/3200s as compared to Image 1 at 1/5000s.

This exercise in light is discussed even further in page 70 of "The Art Of Photography" by Bruce Barnhaum. He also recommends an exercise to improve our understanding and perception of light recommending quickly framing a scene and determining the brightest and darkest spot within the frame. As we progress with the exercise, we start to see things that were missed at first. While stopped at a red light on our way to work, we might frame a scene that includes cars, buildings, street signs and other common urban objects. One scene may be seen as been bright, but on further study another scene may appear brighter.

We can also speculate what would happen under other lighting conditions. On a cloudy day, there would be no glint of light off  a bumper. As we examine the scene, we start to envision it under alternate condition.

Image 3:ISO 500,86MM,0EV,F5.6,1/800, OVERCASR

I went out on an overcast saturday evening to take some photos and better understand the effects of clouds on light. As an aspiring photographer, you need an eye for the elements of design of which light is a part of. But also i have read about photographers like henri cartier bresson and his concept of the decisive moment in photography. So when I go out looking for things to photograph, am looking for an opportunity to capture the decisive moment like this photograph of a lady and a man almost in fisticuffs. These are common scenes in many big cities and i captured this one as shown in image 4. It was an overcast day with clouds moving very slowly across the sky and the evening sun gently breaking through. I thing if the sun had been overhead and bright, the lighting would have been harsh.

In the landscape photograph below the clouds can be seen in the upper part of the frame with the laterite excavated showing some pronounced relief. The clouds as seen typically affect light and its effect on photographs as opposed to clear bright skies.

Image 4:ISO 500,70MM,0EV,F.6,1/4000,OVERCAST DAY

Image 5:-: ISO 500,70MM,0EV,F5.6,1/2500

In Image 5, same location as image 4, the lady's face is uniformly lit due to the soft shows with edges less distinct. Indeed hard shadows are distracting though they bring out texture sometimes. The image is straight from the camera . I reckon i could make it even better with a little photoshop.

Image 6:ISO 1000,300MM,0EV,F6.3,1/640

Image 6 above was taken on a sunlit day and the sunlight accentautes the birds white feathers givi g it a fairly strong glow. This photo was taken with 70-300mm lens. Bird photography happens to be something am quite interested in and these days i more frequently venture to the backyards and sometimes the woods just to photograph birds and other wild species. Because a lot of the time, these birds burrow under the thick cover of leaves, the use of flash becomes inevitable to get clear pictures. Hence one ofthe reasons i picked up a speed light. But then I realised that is not where it ends. You still need a a flash extender (something like a better beamer) to increase the reach of your flash. phew! will have to get that and some lenses wuth further reach at some point. Photography is expensive. You need to combine good skills with fine equipment to get excellent results.


For the third part of the exercise, I went out to shoot on a rainy day. Its July and the rains almost never stop these days Its usually followed by an august break and then resumes again . My 70-300mm lens tended to hunt on this day because there was not too much light. So i increased the ISO to 2000 for faster shutter speeds.

Image 7:ISO 2000,210MM,F/8,1/1250s,RAINY DAY

In  this image 7 above, I composed the picture to capture the wild flower in the foreground for depth while man in the background holding the umbrella and the mist capture the true nature of the picture showing its inclement weather.

Image 8:ISO 2000,80mm,f/8,1/2000

The misty appearance to the landscape has set the picture apart coupled with the row of poles giving the image some depth.