How to shoot in the rain

I was asked by a few people how I did this bride and groom photo in the rain. So here’s How to Shoot a bride and groom in the rain under an umbrella.

It started with seeing this photo by Marc, the Australian Photographer of Tomar Photography

List of ingredients

  • A fabulous couple up for going out in the rain
  • Rain or snow would work too
  • fairly dark out
  • a flash
  • a transmitter
  • an umbrella for the bride and groom
  • an assistant to hold the flash

I had my bride and groom stand right there under one umbrella, my assistant crouch under another umbrella about 10 or 12′ behind them with a flash set at 1/16th power.

I used a Yongnuo 560III and the TX something or other transmitter that works with it. If you want an inexpensive way to get started with off camera flash I highly recommend these flashes.

Third umbrella I shared with the camera because the rain was coming down pretty good.

Camera settings: ISO 1600, f/2.5, shutter 1/100sec. 35mm

Below was my first attempt at this photo of a bride and groom in the rain under an umbrella. Don’t judge, we all start somewhere.

One damp winter day it just started to rain and get dark at Bald River Falls.  Perfect weather for an umbrella photo!  Ann and her son were my models. She’s a photographer too, (her camera is tucked under her rain coat) so she did not think I was crazy for asking her to stand in the middle of the road in the rain!