Five tips to deal with rain for your wedding photography

As I sit here in my office, writing this article, it’s pouring outside. We have had serious flooding multiple times this year so far. My house keeps getting turned into an island, with all roads in and out flooded. I’m not exaggerating when I say it flooded so badly 20 minutes from my home that there was a quad bike stuck in the power lines afterward. To say that this is the year you need wedding rain tips is an understatement!

What should you do when you look at the weather forecast, and the weddings you’ve got booked in are all forecast underneath a big gray storm cloud? Here’s five tips to help you prepare, and make sure that you still deliver the perfect experience for your couples.

Be prepared for the indoors with flash gear you know how to use

When it’s pouring out, the first thing you need to prepare for is working inside. Romantic indoor spaces are a perfect alternative for the bride and groom, but they can be hard to photograph if you don’t have the gear for it. Use your flash on TTL, expose for the ambient light, and let the flash “stamp” your subject into the frame to capture the mood. Get more insight into using flash here.

Arrive prepared for the outdoors with waterproof gear, rain covers and umbrellas

Invest in your gear so it can cope with the rain, and you can go wherever your bride and groom are willing to go! Dash out between the rain showers with umbrellas. Use a rain cover over your camera for extra protection (Tip: You can make an inexpensive but effective rain cover by cutting the corner from a Ziploc bag and poking your lens through the hole). Have an assistant (or grab a helpful guest) hold an umbrella over you when you need to change lenses.

Be adaptable and improvise

Be ready to improvise and adapt to the changing conditions on the day. Support your couple in having the best day they can and working with the space that’s available. Find cute corners, undercover nooks and be ready to charge outside to grab essential shots when you can.

If it’s not quite raining enough for the ceremony to be moved inside, be ready in case the clouds open up again. Keep your umbrella handy, and remember to have essentials nearby, like your camera’s rain cover. Mount your flash before the ceremony starts, in case you don’t have time to unpack it before the ceremony begins anew indoors.

Embrace the rain and the magic it creates

There is a quiet magic to wet days that give rainy wedding photos a unique look. The sky is often more interesting when it’s a little rainy, with clouds adding texture and movement to the scene. You might be lucky and find some mist to surround yourselves with. And huddling together under an umbrella: What’s cuter than that?

Remember, no matter the weather, your couple is there for one purpose: To marry the love of their life. Documenting that love will always turn out beautifully, rain, hail or shine!

Use lighting to enhance the rain

Finally, what’s left to do, once you’ve prepared, adapted, improvised and embraced the rain? Enhance it! Use your flash and highlight the rain, bringing it into your image as a feature. From pouring droplets to splashing sparkles to bursts of bokeh light, rain can add to your image with simple backlighting. Use your flash off-camera and put the flash behind the subject.

About EKP Studios

Edwina, owner of EKP Studios, kindly gave permission for her photographs to be used in this article.

Based in Brisbane, EKP Studios is a boutique studio specializing in wedding, portraiture and commercial photography and videography. EKP Studios’ talented team work with you to create your ideal outcome — even when it’s pouring with rain!