ViewFinder Meetup yields Photo Tips to try while you wait for Spring

Photo: Kellie NolanWe started the March 29th ViewFinder Meetup Group “adventure” event with cameras ready, and faced the cold, soggy afternoon in search of inspiration and a few good photos. It was a test of persistence and creativity as we explored ways to make the best of the weather.

After a chilly afternoon of shooting, the March Meetup took us - and our imaginations - to warmer locations. Seventeen ViewFinder Meetup group members got together to enjoy an African specialty dinner and share their adventure travel photos at the African Queen restaurant in Zurich.

While we hope the gray skies of March will soon give way to April sunshine, in the meantime, here are a few photo tips to get you shooting on even the cloudiest days.

• Get close, get closer: Try tight close-ups that don’t take in the cloudy background. Look for flowers, interesting architectural details and other subjects that let you shoot without the sky - then work with aperture settings for more intersting shallow depth of field effects.
• Abstract thinking: Look for reflections that create distortions and abstract compositions. Shooting reflections in puddles, rivers or a wall of windows can add an interesting artistic treatment to subjects otherwise dulled by the rainy environment.
• Black & White meets Color: The low contrast light almost naturally reveals scenes in black and white, such as tree branches outlined on the flat sky shadows. At the same time, the gray backdrop can make colors appear more intense: Notice how a red raincoat pops out against a rain soaked street.

Photo: Kaushik BhowalPhoto: Claire PearsonPhoto: Ildiko Varga

Thank you to the ViewFinder Meetup members who kindly shared the photos on this page, which offer good examples of these tips. And a special thanks to Meetup member Bjorn Everts and to Gerry at the African Queen for arranging a great adventure evening for all of us!

If you would like to join our ViewFinder Meetup group visit the ViewFinder Meetup page. Simply sign in there and get the details on our upcoming free events.