Photography in monsoon and camera protection
It is monsoon time and many of us are planning road trips
not withstanding heavy rains. It is a completely different experience to drive
around during rains- No need for AC- roll down the windows and let the bliss
sprinkle in.
Rains are as much joy to travel in, but photography during
monsoon is another story. Most of our cameras do not really like rains. Camera
electronics can suffer permanent damage if exposed to water. Add to this, there’ll be much less sunlight
and lots of fog during monsoons, compromising clarity of the scene.
In this post I am sharing some of my experiences and tips
for photography during monsoon
GoPro has been my
best bet: While DSLRs are water shy, GoPro
has no such fear. It comes in a waterproof casing and can withstand rain, can
be clicked under water and is overall a brilliant choice for rainy day
photography. I use it extensively during rain.
Keep cleaning water deposit if any, on the lens before clicking. GoPro
gets you a pretty wide angle photo, but doesn’t have too much settings like a
DSLR and not good during low light conditions.
Waterproof cover for
Cameras: Online stores sell many variants of waterproof covers for DSLRs.
You put your camera inside it, seal it and can comfortably take it out in the
rain. I have tried few of them- they work, but add lots of inconvenience while
operating- such as clicking is not very convenient, can’t use view finder, lens
movement could be restricted etc.
Click from inside the
vehicle: Take your photo from the inside of the vehicle, eliminating any
need for exposing the camera to rain outside. Safest way.
Have a buddy to hold
an umbrella for you: This traditional method is best for light rain
conditions. Your DSLR can withstand few accidental drops of water. So you can
ask your buddy to hold an umbrella and you can click around normally. Wipe the
camera clean with dry cloths after returning to the car.
Water resistant
mobile phones: Many high end mobile phones these days come with water
resistance capability. They can be used without any fear during rains.
Panasonic also has a waterproof camera, such as Lumix
FT3
Below are some photographs of Goa I clicked in August last
year amidst rains.
It is also advisable
to seek professional help for Photography
in Goa if you’re looking for stunning photographs for commercial use.
Nice tips. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteOne day I will buy water resistant camera. Maybe GoPro - who knows. Thanks to you. Even Olympic camera are having water resistant cameras. NO?
ReplyDeleteHaven;t checked Olympics.
ReplyDeleteinformative post !
ReplyDeleteVery useful post. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteUseful tips with amazing pics. Nicely done, Shrinidhi. :)
ReplyDeleteVery useful post. Thanks
ReplyDeleteNice Shots and very useful tips.How did you shot the last photo?
ReplyDelete@Sri Kri: Last shot was a still taken from video..
ReplyDelete@Yogi, Ravish, Arun Prasad, Mahesh Divya- thanks
Nice tips ....Waterfall pic is awesome .... have been eyeing on Gopro for so long ... which can u would suggest gopro hero black X or Y ??
ReplyDeleteGood post. We really have to take good care of those SLR babies.
ReplyDeleteI've been thinking of buying a water-resistant point-and-shoot for the rains and showers and spray.
My first visit to your blog. Good tips, thanks!
ReplyDelete@Leena Thanks for visiting
ReplyDelete@DN: Panasonic has some good options. But you may also wish to consider a waterproof smart phone instead- as high end smart phones are as good as regular point and shoots
@Swati: What is X and Y?
Hero 4 silver is pretty good for normal use. If you don't mind another 100 dollars go for Hero 4 black. Get it from US- it will be cheaper