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Weather or not to shoot! - part 2 of 1 2

by Ken Sklute Published 01/04/2008

A few weeks ago, I was shooting a good friend's wedding in LA. The day started out sunny and wonderful. Soon the clouds rolled in. Have you read this before? I was going to get a few images of the bride and groom around the grounds of a lovely church. During the long Catholic mass, I was drawn to the outside, for two reasons; first because there was a nice breeze blowing in through a vestibule door and the second because of the approaching storm. It had now become clear that we were in a race, one that I had no control over. Who will be the winner? The two contestants are, in this corner, from parts west of here, the weather. It could deliver the knockout punch to the newcomers, the wedding couple and their photographer. Would the couple get the photos in - or, would Mother Nature step in and wipe out any hope of outdoor beauty? The ceremony couldn't move fast enough. Come on, kiss! Walk faster. OK, get the receiving line going...faster, please go faster. Was that, no, please, not the rain? We went inside for a quick image in the back of the church to show the awesome architecture and let's get back outside, please wait, please!

As I start to get the couple ready to go outside, I walked ahead to see what the current conditions were. NO! Why me? Why today? Can't I get a break? I went back inside to say that the rains won the game! I took the couple over to the doorway and asked them chat while I stepped back to see if I could capture the change in the weather with a photo of the couple framed in the doorway with the visible, falling rain. (See image #3). Now I see that the sun popped out and it was raining. HOLD ON! What does that usually mean...The rain + the sun = a rainbow! I went out the front door with a vengeance. I was searching. Where are you? Come on, show yourself! A groomsman then asked, what are you looking for? I explained about the rain and the sun. He understood. I found nothing so I went back to shooting by the other doorway. Suddenly I heard, 'Hey Ken, I think I found your rainbow!' I ran over to the door and there it was, a beautiful rainbow. 'Quick guys, come over here for a second,' I whispered to the couple. (See image #4). I looked up and said, 'Thank you! And I see that you are teasing me!' I had to put up with the rain if I wanted to get the rainbow. As the rains now lightened for a moment, I stepped outside with Laura and Matt for a moment to grab an image (Photo #5) of the direct, late, warm sun hitting the wet church and dark sky, creating a beautiful image, because, as Barry Manilow once said, 'We made it through the rain.' We were able to capture a remarkably beautiful image with fantastic light. Remember, when the sun goes away, it might not be a bad thing. Bad weather can be good for your images, if the time is right!

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1st Published 01/04/2008
last update 09/12/2022 15:00:12

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