How to capture rain falling?

[HedgehogFromHell]

Guys,

I've been experimenting today - without great results. Basically, i was trying to capture the rain as it fell onto my RS, but seemingly I can't. Can anyone give me some tips on ways i can make it happen? Any help is greatly appreciated!

PS - the first pic had the majority of the heavy rain, and the post processed vignette came out a lot harsher than it appeared in Lightroom


DSC00011 by Co1856, on Flickr


DSC00132 by Co1856, on Flickr

[K12beano]

Depending upon what you're trying to achieve, you might need to take a small detail (raindrops aren't very big, they just feel it!) and then you need to arrange some contrast for the raindrops to show.



Relentless by Beano!, on Flickr

[Simpo Two]

A job for off-camera flash perhaps?

[HedgehogFromHell]

Simpo Two said:

A job for off-camera flash perhaps?

So you need off cam flash guns to capture rain in the scenario im trying it in?

[TheHeretic]

Use a bucket.

[LongQ]

HedgehogFromHell said:

Simpo Two said:

A job for off-camera flash perhaps?

So you need off cam flash guns to capture rain in the scenario im trying it in?

That and a very torrential downpour would help. Monsoon level preferably. Or greater. And as Beano suggests, a detail type of shot - so telephoto rather than wide.

[HedgehogFromHell]

TheHeretic said:

Use a bucket.

Might try using my portable hozelock car wash thingy

[HedgehogFromHell]

LongQ said:

That and a very torrential downpour would help. Monsoon level preferably. Or greater. And as Beano suggests, a detail type of shot - so telephoto rather than wide.

Fair enough, I saw a picture in digital photography magazine that was wide angle, it seems that telephoto is the only way i could reproduce it.

[HedgehogFromHell]

LongQ said:

That and a very torrential downpour would help. Monsoon level preferably. Or greater. And as Beano suggests, a detail type of shot - so telephoto rather than wide.

Fair enough, I saw a picture in digital photography magazine that was wide angle, it seems that telephoto is the only way i could reproduce it.

[LongQ]

HedgehogFromHell said:

LongQ said:

That and a very torrential downpour would help. Monsoon level preferably. Or greater. And as Beano suggests, a detail type of shot - so telephoto rather than wide.

Fair enough, I saw a picture in digital photography magazine that was wide angle, it seems that telephoto is the only way i could reproduce it.

Wide angle but very close to the subject could work for the nearer parts of the image. Focus on the rain (rather than the Focus ) If you can keep the lens dry.

Do you have the mag with the photo? If so is there any useful information to be gleaned from it?

[HedgehogFromHell]

LongQ said:

Wide angle but very close to the subject could work for the nearer parts of the image. Focus on the rain (rather than the Focus ) If you can keep the lens dry.

Do you have the mag with the photo? If so is there any useful information to be gleaned from it?

I do, its a digital copy on my iPad and the content was rather wishy washy. It went along the lines of "Fast shutter and wide aperture sometimes work, and sometimes small aperture and slow shutter work".

[LongQ]

HedgehogFromHell said:

LongQ said:

Wide angle but very close to the subject could work for the nearer parts of the image. Focus on the rain (rather than the Focus ) If you can keep the lens dry.

Do you have the mag with the photo? If so is there any useful information to be gleaned from it?

I do, its a digital copy on my iPad and the content was rather wishy washy. It went along the lines of "Fast shutter and wide aperture sometimes work, and sometimes small aperture and slow shutter work".

Fast shutter to freeze the drops - or use flash as a fast shutter alternative to light the rain it you want the main subject to be exposed at the ambient level as with your car shot. i.e. probably don't point the flash as the car but it's difficult to be more specific.

Beano's shot uses some backlight sort of effect and a slowish shutter to make the rain drops bigger by "streaking" them. Needs the contrasting background as he pointed out. The drops have to be in reasonable close proximity to the subject in that situation (usually) and a wide aperture (so relatively shallow DoF) will help keep the closer "streaks" in play whilst those drops closer to the camera will probably not appear at all - which is good in that case.

But mainly if you want to freeze liquid splashes a fast shutter (or flash performing that function) is the way to go.

As food for thought try some of these articles from Strobist especially a couple from late October - the Angel and the one earlier about "Freezing water on the cheap".

Not the answers to your specific question but they cover some similar ground and should provide useful idea prompting input.

[HedgehogFromHell]

Cheers, i shall have a look now

[itsnotarace]

Very dark background and a fast shutter speed (over 1/500th) will do the trick.

[Simpo Two]

First decide if you want 'frozen' rain drops or have them make lines - that tells you whether you need a fast shutter speed/flash or a slower shutter speed. But the rain needs to be contrasted from the background somehow. So think of what you want to achieve, and work backwards from there.

[Mojocvh]

Poor woodie sitting there thinking, meh what summer...




nice shot what did you use?

[HedgehogFromHell]

Thanks for the input guys! I've already had a play with an onboard flash, a 1/10 model of a leopard 2 tank, a freezer bag and much gaffa tape... Going to head out tomorrow if the weather is playing and see what i can achieve.


DSC00190 by Co1856, on Flickr


DSC00181 by Co1856, on Flickr


DSC00154 by Co1856, on Flickr


DSC00151 by Co1856, on Flickr

Cheers!

[HedgehogFromHell]

Mojocvh said:

Poor woodie sitting there thinking, meh what summer...




nice shot what did you use?

Thanks,

Relative to the images of the RS;

Freestanding
Sony A200 DSLR (On its way out alas)
18-70 Kit lens
1/20 Shutter
F10
ISO200

Freestanding
Sony A200 DSLR
18-70 Kit lens
1/4 Shutter
F22
ISO200