Tips for Dealing with Unpredictable Forecasts on the Day of Your Photo Session
Rainy Weather Tips
I have been photographing clients on the beach for a decade and I have live in Long Beach, NY for almost two decades. One thing I have learned during this time is that it is impossible to predict the weather. Beach weather has a mind of its own and during the Summer months, thunderstorms can appear at sunset without a warning. Many times, the storms are not even predicted on the forecast for that day.
Thunderstorms and rain often occurs at sunset, which is also the time of day at which my beach sessions are scheduled. This can be a challenge because although I can start slightly earlier and later than the original start time, I don’t have a tremendous amount of wiggle room. Beach sessions are scheduled to coincide with golden hour, which is the time of day right before sunset. Additionally, it is a challenge because there are many times that inclement weather rolls in without a warning. I wish I had the ability to control this, but I do not and I try my best to make every situation work. Most of the times, I am successful, but there are times where I am unable to proceed as planned. For example, if there is thunder and lighting, I simply can not put my clients at risk and proceed with the session. If there is some light rain or mist, we can shoot as planned. If there is heavy dense fog, I will reschedule the session. It really all varies based on what Mother Nature brings on that given evening.
So, what if the forecast calls for rain on the day or evening of your family photoshoot? Keep reading for thoughts on how to prepare for your rainy Long Island family photo session.
Wait it Out
If you have scheduled a beach photoshoot with me and there is rain and thunderstorms predicted, I want to wait until the last possible minute to reschedule. Sometimes, the report is definitive and we can reschedule earlier in the day. More often, the weather report is uncertain and changes throughout the day. In this case, I want to wait as long as possible to reschedule. I recognize this is an inconvenience, but weather is out of our hands.
With that being said, it is essential that you have your phone turned on and around you as the time of your photoshoot approaches. If we do need to change plans, check in on forecasts, etc. this is important! I will be in touch with you that day and in some cases, multiple times throughout the day.
Beach weather often clears out pretty quickly and stormy skies or even light rain and mist can be AMAZING for photos. In fact, cloud coverage is more flattering.
So, unless it is pouring rain for the entire day, there is a good chance the photoshoot will happen. I always prefer to wait as long as possible to determine if we should throw the towel in and plan for another day.
How to Prepare for Your Session
If the weather looks questionable, there are ways to plan to maximize success.
If you have long hair, I always recommend bringing a hair tie (but keep it in a pocket and NOT around your wrist please) in case the wind picks up. If you are worried about frizz, extra hairspray/appropriate product is helpful. It may be better to tie it in a loose braid or aother hairstyle that pulls your hair off your face.
If it is a rainy or cloudy day, adding a pop of color to your family’s wardrobe will really help to brighten your images and make them pop against the grey skies. For this reason, I don’t like color palettes of blue for beach sessions. Although they look great on sunny days, I am not fond of them for cloudy day beach sessions.
Be Open Minded and Flexible
Some people go into a photoshoot wanting a very specific result, which isn’t my style. You may have a vision of a golden and glowy sunset, but the day of your session it might be overcast. You have to go with the flow and embrace this aspect of nature. While I do love a good golden image, my style is more abut your family and your bond than the sunset. The natural environment is just an added bonus. Plus, I really dig moody and cloudy skies and will really lean into that moody vibe and enhance it when I edit your images. Some of my favorite images have been captured on ominous days. So, if it starts to pour, at the start of your session…let’s seek shelter, wait for it to pass and then proceed as planned and have some fun.
Rescheduling
If a storm looks very severe (lingering thunder/lightning, pouring rain) and safety is impacted, I am definitely happy to reschedule. If we are at the beginning of a photoshoot and the weather gets nuts and there isn’t any sign of it relenting, we can also reschedule for another day. Although it may be hard to reschedule to a weekend date, I purposely don’t overbook my calendar in the Summer, so I am able to have open dates for rain dates.
Beach Maternity Family Session after a Thunderstorm
The images in this post were all captured right after an insane storm passed through unexpectedly. This particular day was hot and humid and the weather report kept changing throughout the day. At 4pm, there was no rain on the radar, but by 6:15 storms were predicted to start after 8. Our start time was 7:30 and as soon as my client pulled up, thunder and lighting filled the sky and a crazy wind and rain storm took place. We took shelter and waited about 25 minutes for it to pass and once the lighting cleared out, we ran onto the beach and we were able to cram in a full 50 minutes of session time.
I am so thrilled my clients were good sports about this and were willing to wait because this maternity session blew my mind. We even were able to capture some images of the rainbow! Good things really do come to those who wait.
