Weather photography tips, photo showcase
The Weather Photographer of the Year contest has returned and I've got photography tips and a showcase of the best pics.
Published May 28, 2021 7:58 PM EDT
|
Updated Jun. 21, 2021 5:49 PM EDT
Once again this year, AccuWeather is partnering with the Royal Meteorological Society for the "Weather Photographer of the Year" contest, which is open for entries until June 29, 2021. You may remember my blogs on the shortlisted and winning images last year:
Weather Photos of the Year Collage
RMetS
I am a judge of the contest once again this year. I've tried to pitch in more this year, doing a virtual seminar about weather photography with previous winners and photography experts, and writing a number of blogs for the RMetS "Met Matters" website:
Collage of "rain" photos by "Weather Photographer of the Year" winners discussed in the blog.
RMetS/Various
In "Setting the Scene: Rain" I wrote in part:
As photographers around the world prepare for the 2021 Weather Photographer of the Year contest, I’d like to talk about a weather event that is ubiquitous, yet hard to capture on film, and show some examples of what I think are successful depictions of this phenomenon which have been submitted to the contest.
In the city of Los Angeles, every time the heavens open up, #LArain trends on Twitter. Anyone who has lived in Southern California long enough, including photographers, actors, and writers, is fascinated by the rainfall, because it only comes a few days each year.
On the other side of the world, in India, rain and the flooding it causes are repeated day after day in the Monsoon Season. The village of Mawsynram, India is generally regarded as the wettest place on Earth, with 467 inches (11,862 mm) of rain per year! The locals learn to deal with it… although of course kids never tire of playing in the floodwaters...
In "Setting the Scene: Clouds" I explored different cloud types:
Collage of "clouds" photos by "Weather Photographer of the Year" winners discussed in the blog.
RMetS/Various
"Many of the Weather Photographer of the Year finalists over the years showcase clouds in some form. Clouds paint the sky with moisture in patterns caused by the wind – in other words, they give shape to the undulations of the atmosphere that are ever-present but not always seen."
"Officially, there are 48 different classifications of clouds, according to the World Meteorological Organization’s 'Cloud Atlas,' although most skies include multiple cloud types at the same time. Here are a few of my favorite unusual cloud types, illustrated by photos from the contest."
Collage of "optical phenomena" photos by "Weather Photographer of the Year" winners discussed in the blog.
RMetS/Various
In "Setting the Scene: Optical Phenomena" I noted:
"Many of the most amazing pictures submitted to “Weather Photographer of the Year” contest showcase optical phenomena. These can be roughly broken down into two main categories: rainbows and ice halos."
"The tallest rainbows can be observed just after sunrise or just before sunset because the angle of the sun is lowest then. They get shorter as you get closer to solar noon and, in fact, you can’t see a rainbow exactly at noon (on the equator) because it is below the horizon."
"But wait -- there’s more! Other optical phenomena, that occur above the troposphere (where all weather takes place) include Nacreous clouds (shown above) and aurora (featured below), as well as Noctilucent clouds and various rocket trails from spaceships via NASA and Space-X."
My piece with photography tips is also published in the MetMatters blog, including tips on photographing in winter, spring and in the rain.
Report a Typo
Weather Blogs / WeatherMatrix
Weather photography tips, photo showcase
The Weather Photographer of the Year contest has returned and I've got photography tips and a showcase of the best pics.
Published May 28, 2021 7:58 PM EDT | Updated Jun. 21, 2021 5:49 PM EDT
Once again this year, AccuWeather is partnering with the Royal Meteorological Society for the "Weather Photographer of the Year" contest, which is open for entries until June 29, 2021. You may remember my blogs on the shortlisted and winning images last year:
Weather Photos of the Year Collage
I am a judge of the contest once again this year. I've tried to pitch in more this year, doing a virtual seminar about weather photography with previous winners and photography experts, and writing a number of blogs for the RMetS "Met Matters" website:
WPotY 2021: Setting the Scene: Rain
WPotY 2021: Setting the Scene: Clouds
WPotY 2021: Weather Photography Tips
WPotY 2021: Setting the Scene: Optical Phenomena
Collage of "rain" photos by "Weather Photographer of the Year" winners discussed in the blog.
In "Setting the Scene: Rain" I wrote in part:
As photographers around the world prepare for the 2021 Weather Photographer of the Year contest, I’d like to talk about a weather event that is ubiquitous, yet hard to capture on film, and show some examples of what I think are successful depictions of this phenomenon which have been submitted to the contest.
In the city of Los Angeles, every time the heavens open up, #LArain trends on Twitter. Anyone who has lived in Southern California long enough, including photographers, actors, and writers, is fascinated by the rainfall, because it only comes a few days each year.
On the other side of the world, in India, rain and the flooding it causes are repeated day after day in the Monsoon Season. The village of Mawsynram, India is generally regarded as the wettest place on Earth, with 467 inches (11,862 mm) of rain per year! The locals learn to deal with it… although of course kids never tire of playing in the floodwaters...
In "Setting the Scene: Clouds" I explored different cloud types:
Collage of "clouds" photos by "Weather Photographer of the Year" winners discussed in the blog.
"Many of the Weather Photographer of the Year finalists over the years showcase clouds in some form. Clouds paint the sky with moisture in patterns caused by the wind – in other words, they give shape to the undulations of the atmosphere that are ever-present but not always seen."
"Officially, there are 48 different classifications of clouds, according to the World Meteorological Organization’s 'Cloud Atlas,' although most skies include multiple cloud types at the same time. Here are a few of my favorite unusual cloud types, illustrated by photos from the contest."
Collage of "optical phenomena" photos by "Weather Photographer of the Year" winners discussed in the blog.
In "Setting the Scene: Optical Phenomena" I noted:
"Many of the most amazing pictures submitted to “Weather Photographer of the Year” contest showcase optical phenomena. These can be roughly broken down into two main categories: rainbows and ice halos."
"The tallest rainbows can be observed just after sunrise or just before sunset because the angle of the sun is lowest then. They get shorter as you get closer to solar noon and, in fact, you can’t see a rainbow exactly at noon (on the equator) because it is below the horizon."
"But wait -- there’s more! Other optical phenomena, that occur above the troposphere (where all weather takes place) include Nacreous clouds (shown above) and aurora (featured below), as well as Noctilucent clouds and various rocket trails from spaceships via NASA and Space-X."
My piece with photography tips is also published in the MetMatters blog, including tips on photographing in winter, spring and in the rain.
Report a Typo