There are some people out there who love to go storm chasing. This is where they track storms in an attempt to witness the raw power of nature. Storm chasing photography is simply where certain people who enjoy this hobby also combine it with taking photographs in order to record and document what they see.
The best way to photograph stormy weather
Before I continue, I would like to point out that I am in no way a storm chaser. I much prefer to be safe and sound inside, where I enjoy listening to the storm from the comfort of my sofa or bed. I find it rather therapeutic to listen to the wind and rain lashing against the windows.
But for those who are into storm chasing and also taking photographs while doing so, or who simply like to take photos of stormy weather but where it doesn't actually involve storm chasing, here are some tips to help you potentially obtain the best shots.
Protecting your glass is essential and is the first thing to focus on, as sideways rain can be extremely damaging to gear seals. Let's just say that they will likely fail in a short space of time unless properly protected. Plus, a damp front element is never a good thing to have, as it will literally ruin every shot. A simple and cost-effective way to protect the glass is to purchase a cheap shower cap or bring a microfibre towel to wrap around your camera body.
If your camera is set to auto-focus, it would be beneficial to change it to manual focus. This is because storm light changes instantly, which makes camera sensors hunt uselessly.
Stormy weather where the wind is strong and swirling in different directions makes it rather difficult to achieve high-quality hand-held shots. Instead, it is simply a case of using a tripod, and one that is firmly and securely weighted down to ensure it doesn't move, especially when a huge gust of wind appears unexpectedly. Using something heavy to weigh the tripod down, which could even be your backpack, should enable it to become securely locked in place and then all your focus and attention can be put to obtaining those impressive shots.
For those of you that would prefer at times to stay safely seated in your car, perhaps when the storm is at its most fierce, there is the option to use intervalometer mode. This is where you can set your camera to take back-to-back continuous photographs on a timer. It also enables you to fully take in the whole experience of the storm when at its peak strength without having to focus on the camera and trying to obtain the best quality shots. It's kind of the best of both worlds as you still have the photos to go through and enjoy afterwards as well.
During stormy weather, the clouds tend to, of course, look dark and moody. This can lead them to look rather flat when left on their own. For this reason, it's worth framing something in the bottom third of your shot to help give the storm massive scale and context. It could be a house, a tree, or power cables, for example.