Shooting beautiful rainy day weddings

Rain on a wedding day may seem like a photographer’s nightmare but there’s no need to worry. Blanche B Photography shows us how you can create breathtaking, moody, moving images by embracing the weather.

Photography has been art of Blanche Burger’s life ever since she was an 11-year-old girl with her very first “mik en druk”. In her late-teens, she replaced her compact camera for Polaroids, travelling the world taking as many photos as possible – mostly, when people weren’t looking. After earning her BA in Fine Art and Design her feet followed her heart straight back to her true love, photography. Her style of wedding photography is honest and her love for it is evident in her growing success.

No stranger to shooting weddings in the rain, we decided to ask her for some advice on the topic. “To be honest, when it starts raining on a wedding day I think ‘will the couple be keen on getting wet?’ followed by, ‘how epic is this light!’” It’s obvious that most brides will most likely panic at the first sight of rain and as a result, she found that offering the bride a drink works well to break the ice and calm her down. There’s absolutely nothing you can do about the weather so just remind the couple that this is their big day and worrying about the weather will only take away from the joy and memories. “If it pours, tell the couple about other options like shooting their portraits indoors or the morning after the wedding. Some couples don’t mind shooting in the rain, embrace it and take it as it comes.”

Keeping your gear dry when it rains is both easy and tricky. A close friend of her taught her to use a “buff” to cover her camera and lens and it works quite well, but investing in a raincoat for your camera is a good idea. “An assistant who can keep up with an umbrella is the best thing ever!”

People do things differently when it’s raining… There will be lots of (some really colourful) umbrellas. People tend to run more. Others even get swept away by the moment and dance in the rain. These become some of the most moving and emotional images, so be ready.

Make peace with the fact that you’re going to get wet.

Prepare to move the couple inside to shoot keeping in mind that changing locations should be their choice.

Be aware of your surroundings and possible shooting locations. Constantly keep an eye out for natural light peeking through somewhere.

Remember to pack: