Gale warning
I tried to shoot a big storm but found it difficult to get sharp photos in the windy conditions. Can you give me any advice for next time? Linda Peters
AIt’s great that you are going out in conditions like these: although it’s tough, you can get some really cool photos. To be honest, I can cope with most bad weather – blizzards, rain, even hail – but strong wind is the hardest to deal with. I recall a particularly blustery day on a clifftop in Iceland. trying to get shots of big waves and wild weather while being battered by gale-force winds.
Find the most sheltered spot you can, although this isn’t always possible. I’d opt for shooting handheld, with image stabilisation switched on
(if your lens has it); but if you are shooting from a tripod, it has to be a sturdy one. If you have spikes on your tripod legs, push them firmly into the ground and they will soak up quite a lot of vibration. Don’t have the tripod too high or on the slimmer leg sections, as this will make it much less stable. You can weigh the tripod down with your bag, but if the wind is so strong that it’s moving the bag, it might make the situation worse. Remove any camera straps: they flap about and can be constantly slapping the camera and tripod.
I tend to use screw-in filters in the more extreme weather situations, or avoid using filters at all. If you don’t need a slow shutter speed for movement, push the ISO higher so you can achieve a faster shutter speed. You have to expect some discomfort – but adopt these basics and you will get some dramatic shots of your own.