06/09/2026
Bad weather makes good photos. There, I said it.
Weather is NOT small talk when you're a photographer. On a hike through the Drakensberg, one of the key lessons was just that: bad weather can make for incredible photographs. Those strange weather patterns, dramatic clouds, mist and changing light can turn a nice landscape into something you actually want to hang on the wall. But here's the important part: know what you're dealing with.
Check the forecast. Understand your location. Think about how the weather will affect your subject before you arrive. Especially on safari.
If it has been pouring with rain, don't assume the animals will politely gather at their usual watering holes for your photographic convenience.
They might be drinking from puddles a few metres away while you're sitting at the watering hole wondering where everybody went.
You haven't been abandoned. You've simply been outsmarted by a puddle.
The weather isn't always the problem. Sometimes, it's the reason the photograph works.
Just remember to protect your gear. Rain makes for good photos.
Wet camera electronics make for expensive conversations.
