Every couple books their wedding on a day they're sure will be filled with comfortable weather and perfect skies full of golden lighting. Of course, the weather doesn’t listen, and it can be very common to suddenly find yourself in a wedding facing anything from a downpour to a drizzle, and there is no choice but to make magic happen amidst the drops. Some of the most beautiful wedding photographs happen in the rain, and if you plan ahead for every wedding with rain gear stashed in your car, you can take those mesmerizing photos too! Here is what a prepared wedding photographer should bring along for the ride for every wedding, no matter how sunny the sky promises to be.
Clear Umbrellas
Umbrellas–the most obvious item you need in case you find yourself in a rainy day. What you specifically need for a rainy wedding day is some clear umbrellas. They keep the aesthetic and are the way to go! The happy couple can romantically pose and still be seen in their photos under clear umbrellas. Wedding parties also look super cute holding them. Clear umbrellas make for the coziest shots! Having a handful of these in the trunk of your car is never a bad idea when heading to a shoot. You'll be prepared to make the worst weather amazing!
Camera Rain Jacket
You don’t have to fashion plastic grocery bags over your camera these days, they make camera rain jackets! While most high-end DSLR cameras have a sealed body that should be waterproof to an extent, this isn’t something to test out in a wedding. A camera rain cover such as the Altura Photo Professional Camera Rain Cover or the Toysdone Camera Waterproof Bag, both available on Amazon can work wonders in protecting your camera. There are a number of other options for rain covers for your camera and having one in your gear at all times is never a bad idea.
Rain Jacket & Boots
Of course, you want your camera protected, but you don’t want to be soaking wet either! Stashing a good quality hooded rain jacket and boots is something you will not regret if you find yourself shooting an 11-hour wedding in the rain. As important as your gear is, you can’t perform at all if you’re soaked and shivering! Find a jacket you can move your arms in, long enough to cover down to your knees, with a hood that stays up. You’re not able to hold an umbrella over your own head while you shoot, so keep yourself properly covered so you can keep the photos coming.
Minute-by-Minute Weather App
Lots of weather apps can tell you it may rain, but a minute-by-minute weather app will show you exactly when the rain is worst and when the storm might have a reprieve. Seeing a ten-minute window with no rain can be the difference between a couple of photos with no umbrellas or bridal photos in the open air. One app that does an excellent job in an easy-to-read format is the Dark Sky app. Check it out!
An Assistant
If you’re able to budget an assistant into your wedding photography packages, they will never come more in handy than on a wedding day with a sudden downpour. It’s very hard to manage finding umbrellas, locating dry spots to stand on, and handle panicking wedding party members while also shooting with a camera in a rain jacket and a hood on your head. If you can have an assistant with you that can think ahead and navigate ways around the weather, as well as assist you with all the extra gear you may need, will prove to be invaluable as the day goes on.
Trash Bags
Trash bags are a basic tool that will solve a multitude of rainy wedding day problems quickly so be sure to stash some clear plastic trash bags with your rain prep gear. You may need something to lie underneath details while you photograph them and a trash bag can provide a dry easy backdrop on the ground. Your clients may not want to stand on the soggy ground and sliding a trash bag under their attire can help ease their worries. Your camera may need extra protection, or your second shooter may not have a rain jacket for their camera, and plastic bags can keep the gear safe. The list goes on and on, simply throwing some trash bags into the items you bring along can save the day in unexpected ways!
Lens Hoods
You know when you first got your camera and didn’t totally know why your lenses had hoods? Now is their time to shine! Even in the most protected rain gear, drops rolling down the lens aren’t easy to edit or focus around. Stick the hoods on your lenses and prevent that from happening easily. When you pack up your camera gear for the event, don’t forget your hoods. One day when you need them, you’ll be glad you remembered!
A rainy wedding can be a stunning wedding with a little preparation and the ability to roll with the changing weather. Show your couple they’re in the hands of a pro by anticipating the rainy needs and making them work with you, instead of against you. Many of the loveliest photos you will ever take will be moments you hadn’t planned for, and a little rain is good luck sprinkled over those shots!
Hero photo courtesy of John Myers Photography
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