Shooting in the Rain
Since there’s no other weather out there this summer
It’s loud. Like very loud. I’m sitting on our terrace listening to the rain. Protected from the balcony above me, I am facing the open valley looking over the downpour taking place in our village.
It’s been raining a lot. Not just here, not just today, and just this week. This summer has probably been one of the wettest I do remember and caused yesterday some catastrophic events in western Germany where an entire village is now cut off from the outside world and several people died in the floods and in crashing houses.
It’s something you only know from the news yet it has happened right here, right in front of your doorstep. Nature is once again demonstrating its power and forces. There’s nothing we can do except for avoiding river banks and properties in the valley. Flood areas are at risk but most people say it won’t happen to them.
Meanwhile, I am here, in a safe place, dry and relaxed watching the rainfall from the sky. Living on the hillside, we might get some heavy floods rushing down the garden during the rain but the water never stays. It continues its way down the valley.
I take out my camera in an attempt to capture the mass of water falling from the sky only to realize it never looks like it on camera. But I still found joy in trying to focus on the detail.
While in the dry under the balcony I can shoot into the rain without having to get wet.
I get fascinated by the way the raindrops appear in the background. Blurred through movement they are inconspicuous yet unmissable at the same time. While keeping the roses and that amazingly smelling lavender in focus I leave some space at the side of the image for the raindrops to get their show in my photography.
And just as I am trying to capture a raindrop hanging on the stems of the lavender, I do get to shoot this fly clinging onto the flowers for dear life. I only spotted the fly after having taken the shot and while realizing the raindrop wasn’t in focus.
Next to the constant sound of dripping rain, I can hear the sheep complaining at the other side of the village. Looking for shelter at the edge of the forest, they have to stay in the rain all day long.
But I guess they are used to it.
After weeks of constant rain.
Looking at the sky it seems to be getting brighter but the rain continues without a break.
This had been a rather short but interesting photoshoot. While staying dry shooting the downpour and focusing on raindrops and other details of a rainy day.
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