Exercise: Cloudy weather and rain.

Street 1: Sunlight and cloud

I may have gone somewhat berserk here... What began as simply firing off a shot out of my study window to capture a rain-soaked street became a minor obsession! The weather was changing rapidly, with sun, clouds, rain, hail appearing in a constant cycle. I could not resist trying to capture this collage of changing moods. The neighbours must have been suspicious of this dodgy character poking his camera out of the window every so often! 

Careful exposure-making went out of the window somewhat - yes, it is an intentional pun! - and I sank to the depths of relying heavily on 'automatic' mode in order to miss nothing. But at least I'm feeling guilty about this...!

I kept at it until darkness fell and really enjoyed the process. I love the changing moods and colours created by the interaction between light and weather. I imagine that, in order to progress with my picture-making, I should experiment with adjustments with film and shutter speeds, aperture settings and white balance choices. This would keep me learning in the 'manual mode' and give me increased confidence in being able to make exposures in a way I find pleasing.

Street 2: Sunlight and cloud.

This car was parked beneath my bedroom window. I liked the contrast between the moment of sunshine after a shower - and yet another shower. The comment I read recently, about colours being more vivid in diffused and overcast light, holds true here.

The official 'wet street' scene... Here is the beginnings of a British summer in all it's glory!

Whoever said that colours look good in overcast or wet conditions was right! In dry conditions these patio slabs are a pale, pastel yellow but in this weather they have taken on a real lustre...

This garden table surface was trying to grab my attention for several days in the unremitting rain. I finally stepped outside and took a range of photos of the lingering water as it lay over the shiny black glass. The mix of colour, water and light has produced these interesting abstract forms.

Building: sunlight and cloud

W/B daylight    ISO 100    f8    1/125

W/B daylight     ISO 100    f 8   1/60

Person: sunlight and cloud

Right - that's him photographed on a cloudy day but will the sun come out this year to do the next shot...? It did - the result is tagged on at the end of these shots. I know only two images - one in cloud and the other in sunlight - were required but I couldn't hold back on this occasion!

I like the juxtaposition of the boy's face with the metal of the chiminera. The colours have a quiet substance of their own thanks, possibly, to the diffused afternoon light.

Here we are: the little man finally has his 'sunlight' moment....