Monsoons present a plethora of opportunities for photographers. One can shoot nature landscapes, do street photography or even frame amazing abstracts. The nature during monsoon looks beautiful due to awesome colors & sharpness as the dust settles down. To enjoy & take good photographs you will need to keep certain things in mind. Here are some.

Safety First:

Safety here refers to that of both, yours & that of yours equipment. Make sure your camera bag is not worn out & is completely waterproof. Have some plastic zip lock bags & regular plastic bags handy to keep your accessories, lenses and even your entire camera if the need arises. For your safety, ensure that you wear monsoon tailored footwear so you do not slip. Next, have the necessary rain gear(umbrella, windcheaters, hat etc) handy even when you feel it won’t rain today. Be safe & be prepared in first place.

Situational Awareness:

Its very difficult as to not to get so engrossed in photographing. While you look through your viewfinder or LCD, keep another eye for a nearby passing vehicle which may splash you & your camera with mud or water. Keep an eye on open drains which you may not notice due to water-logging. Again lookout for people running for shelter as you do not want them to bump into you. I recommend to always have your camera strap on when shooting in rain. It may sound silly but it happens when you are over enthusiastic.

Take a Photographer Along:

I know, when you are with someone you cannot concentrate solely on photography. But at times, you’ll need some help to hold a reflector, shield you from rain or simply watch your back. If possible, ask a photographer friend of yours to chug along so you both can enjoy photography & help each other out. Nobody except a photographer can understand how the other photographer wants the reflector to be held or compose the shot in which you’re into the frame.

Shot Treatment:

Rainy season conveys a slow & soft mood. This mood doesn’t gets highlighted much when pictures are taken under color. For best results experiment with Black/White & Sepia mode. If you forget to shoot under B/W or Sepia you can always post process the pics to get the desired effect. Some of the most beautiful pics I have seen under rain are shot in B/W or Sepia mood. Off-course this doesn’t means all your shots should be in B&W/Sepia, color can help you show the saturated colors of nature in a landscape or macro.

Shrug Mistakes & Move On:

In some cases, you may not get the shot you wanted for some reasons. It is best to accept it & move on as you won’t get a better shot getting anxious. Try again, come to that place again, again & again. You will definitely be rewarded. Try to enjoy the nature, the surroundings during monsoon & forget photography for sometime. This will help you absorb into the mood and that will surely reflect in your photographs. 🙂