Ahh living in Florida… the Florida sunshine, the beaches, blue skies for days… but also, the rain! And more than that, the doom of trusting the weather forecasts! So, what do we do if it rains, well this blog post will help clear all that up!
First off, I will always say, my first choice is some kind of sun! I love backlight, and sun-rays, and sun {especially Nov- march sun} makes for beautiful and soft lighting. But, sometimes, that just isn’t possible. We have rain and wind in NE Florida and are usually the two issues we deal with most often. Luckily snow is never an issue 🙂
So what do we do if it rains?
Ahh rain… in Florida it tends to move in and then move out, but how do we prepare for it? and what do we do it rains? To reset or to not reset, and just go for it… Read on…
- The rain percentage… This is always the toughest part! I have had days with 0% chance and rain… and it rained! I have had days with 100% chance and had no rain. Its a call we usually make the day of, but once you are in that makeup chair {for girls} we roll with whatever the weather gives us! Anything less than 40% I feel pretty safe with the choice, but we may have to make some location adjustments. Anything over 80% is also usually a safe bet, at least for very cloudy weather! The 40-6-% chance is always a risk. I am a true sunlight shooter- I love it! I know sometimes there is nothing we can do, but if we have the chance to reschedule, and we look to have rain, I am good with a reset in order to have sun! With 40-60% chance, I ask you guys to make that final choice based on your schedule! Don’t worry we will chat about that before we make the final decision!
- The location- Certain locations lend themselves to shooting in the rain, if we have to. When we chat about the rain plan, we will go over that as well, to make sure the backup locations work with your vision!
- The time of year…. and this doesn’t mean what you think it does. The earlier in the {school} year you shoot {Fall, and early winter} the more flexibility you have for a reset. As it gets closer to graduation, you just don’t have as many days to choose from, so sometimes we just have to make it work. I have had clients that have done them in the rain, and we have lucked out with some other highlights we never even thought of! I have also had clients starts in full sun, and then rain mid day, and back to sun! Our weather in Florida changes so much, so fast, as they say, just give it 5 mins, and you will have a whole different day!
What do we do if its windy?
Ironically, this effects boys more than it does most girls- short hair can be a bit crazier to handle! It might surprise you to know, that anything above 10 MPH will create hair issues, especially down by the water. Did I mention NE Florida has water…. EVERYWHERE! So what do we do if its windy? read on…
- Location matters- this is another place where the location matters! St Augustine and downtown can be a bit further from the water {select buildings} and depending on the direction of the wind, we can use them to block the flow of the wind. If its blowing North to South, we end up using the East and West side of the buildings to minimize the wind.
- Temperature- if its winter, wind is going to lead to colder temps. So, that has to come in to play with our decision as well. Now, I have had kids who we photographed in 35 MPH winds, and I won’t lie, it was CHILLY! But, one of the benefits of cooler weather, is the skies are MAGNIFICENT and the sun is usually nice and warm! This gives us beautiful light as well as that sun to warm you!
- The time of year…. same as above… if its closer to graduation, and something we need to get done, we make it work! Wind tends to be more of an issue in the cooler months, especially when we get Nor’easter’s! I do think wind is generally easier to work around then rain, and usually for us, the wind decreases the closer we get to sunset {somedays}. So, we go back to our weather apps, and make the call!
As with rain, at the end of the day, I allow my clients to make the final call. I have photographed in all kinds of weather…except snow {I am in Florida} and know that we can make them all work! Sometimes it comes down to what YOU need, and what your schedule needs as well! Florida can have 4 seasons and 10 weather patterns all in one day, so just remember your vision and your schedule are always a huge part of the equation!
Featured today is Madison, class of 2024. Her forecast called for 100% chance of rain, but her schedule was crazy, and she really could not handle a reschedule, so we headed out. It was pouring when we started, so we planned for areas with coverage, parking garages, buildings with overhangs, and inside locations. But, the rain for the most part just stopped… and we were able to shoot like normal. Like I always say, sun is always my first choice, but sometimes we have to go with what we get! Madison killed it, but more than that, had an amazing attitude, and we had a fabulous day. Even got a beautiful sunset at the end of the day!
