What to do on overcast days?

[David Kilpatrick]

Of course Neils on Sunday I was driving our usual 15 minutes for 18 miles across beautful open countryside seeing 25 miles in one direction and a good 15 in the other with just three or four other cars on the road most of the way, and thought how glad I was I did NOT live near London or the SE. Then today as I got soaked to the skin, fast-frozen and then pelted with hailstones (in bright sunshine!) I weighed up the other side of being in Scotland.

[Niels Quist]

Of course Neils on Sunday I was driving our usual 15 minutes for 18 miles across beautful open countryside seeing 25 miles in one direction and a good 15 in the other with just three or four other cars on the road most of the way, and thought how glad I was I did NOT live near London or the SE. Then today as I got soaked to the skin, fast-frozen and then pelted with hailstones (in bright sunshine!) I weighed up the other side of being in Scotland.

 

Yes, agree, weather in Scotland may be more extreme than in Denmark. You protect us from the worst of the westerly storms - but your photos of hailstones would probably be more saleable than Danish ditto.    

[Bizair]

Have a look at some of the replace sky tutorials in PS. They are not really applicable for all images but for some you could not tell the difference. I've used the process sparingly to good effect, but the extra PS work involved makes me question the worth of my efforts, given the prices currently obtained. Each to their own I guess. I like the challenge of learning new PS processing, but I acknowledge that it is not for everyone.

 

Ken

[AlexH]

An overcast day, as long as it isn't too gloomy, effectively turns the sky into a great big softbox. It is actually much better light for a lot of subjects, just no good for blue sky travel pics. It's a case of being prepared to shoot what can be done effectively in the circumstances you find yourself in. As others have mentioned think details and the life of the place. People shots in particular are much better in this light and possibly more worthwhile shooting than standard travel scenes too. Woody Allen said aomething about loving the light in the UK for filming, so it can't be too bad!

 

Alex

[RedSnapper]

A very substantial proportion of the images that work well for me are not location specific......people doing stuff/emoting/expressing ......which anyone can make anywhere......

 

km

[Peter Noyce]

_{Wait...gawblimey, it is possible -- & I bloody did it.}

For a minute there I thought Dick Van Dyke had joined the forum 

[CandyAppleRed Images]

Have a look at some of the replace sky tutorials in PS. They are not really applicable for all images but for some you could not tell the difference. I've used the process sparingly to good effect, but the extra PS work involved makes me question the worth of my efforts, given the prices currently obtained. Each to their own I guess. I like the challenge of learning new PS processing, but I acknowledge that it is not for everyone.

 

Ken

I have replaced a few, but you do need fairly simple backgrounds to get decent results. Once trees are involved it becomes too time-consuming to be worth it, if not almost impossible. However, as you say it can work. I used to think it was a bit of a cheat, but then I remembered my Dad, who was a pro back in the 60's used to have "nice sky" negatives to drop in on top of boring flat skies. Took a bit more skill in them days, mind you!

[David Davies]

 

This is one which I took years ago on a rainy day, it hasn't sold though

[RedSnapper]

if it rains...make images about the rain...

they do sell....

 

km

[John Gaffen]

Usually,  on  flat light days,  I avoid including the sky in my images,  sometimes this sort of diffuse  light is good  for close-up work, eg flowers and the like. What I really like is when the sun breaks  through the clouds, as this can  result in very dramatic compositions, particularly if the sky is quite dark.

[John Gaffen]

I agree with RedSnapper, Rain, or its aftermath opens up many possibilities,  droplets, puddles, reflections splashing,  flooding, particularly good  after dark in the presence of street lighting of any kind!

[KWheal]

Those photos were taken over the road from my police station I worked at for over 10 years. Have similar shots in my collection. (although I have only sold a couple of Kingston shots so far)

 

Kevin

Just keep shooting. Many subjects simply look much better in overcast light (almost all flower and plant close-ups, almost all portraits, most animals and sports shots, many buildings, most vehicles...). Britain looks lovely in overcast light. Colours and tones look better. Sunshine spoils the middle of the day all too often.

 

 

Kingston on Thames - ordinary overcast day. Keep shooting. Just look for subjects. Sold for $75.

 

 

The next shot. Sold one month after the one above, only for $21.

 

Both to UK national newspapers - the one market you would expect to always want a sunny view of stuff. But media has got a bit more sophisticated and has little problem using natural shots which represent typical days. The couple of hours I spent in Kingston (only time I've ever been there) prove to me that if you live near London or in the south, you should make ten times as many sales as I do, from everyday shots of anywhere you go on any day.

[OneWay]

Sit at the kitchen table, open a bottle of beer, and shoot pics of food...and the beer.

 

Dave

[Vincent Lowe]

Get above it.......

 

 

admittedly, not always possible....

[John Gaffen]

This is one of my personal favourite images and most popular. It was shot on an overcast day!

 

[Niels Quist]

[Steve B]

Shoot indoors, shoot close ups, shoot outside and keep the flat grey sky out if you dont want it, as others on here have said overcast can be quite useful.

 

 

[Jon Lewis]

Hi All

 

Thanks Kumar being told to go to the pub 3 times by a doctor can't be bad but Keith's answer is the right one.

 

Jon

[Bizair]

I always follow doctor's advice. Thanks Kumar.

 

BTW does your advice also include diabeties 2 sufferers? Only joking, all under control.

 

Ken

[Bizair]

 

Have a look at some of the replace sky tutorials in PS. They are not really applicable for all images but for some you could not tell the difference. I've used the process sparingly to good effect, but the extra PS work involved makes me question the worth of my efforts, given the prices currently obtained. Each to their own I guess. I like the challenge of learning new PS processing, but I acknowledge that it is not for everyone.

Ken

I have replaced a few, but you do need fairly simple backgrounds to get decent results. Once trees are involved it becomes too time-consuming to be worth it, if not almost impossible. However, as you say it can work. I used to think it was a bit of a cheat, but then I remembered my Dad, who was a pro back in the 60's used to have "nice sky" negatives to drop in on top of boring flat skies. Took a bit more skill in them days, mind you!

I allways acknowledge digital manipulation and cite what has been done. Eg. "Sky changed for aesthetic reasons". Up to the publisher then to accept or not. There are techniques for dealing with skies through foliage, but like you say, it's time consuming and hardly worth it in this pricing environment.

 

Ken

[John Morrison]

‘Bad’ weather is a challenge, another kind of photographic opportunity. I try to be ‘nimble’, always ready to change to plan B if the weather rules out plan A. I may go to the pub, as others have suggested (but, hey, I go to pubs in all weathers...).

Out in the landscape (especially the Lakeland landscape), the light can change from moment to moment. Yesterday, in Borrowdale, the weather went from hailstones the size of peas (they really hurt...) to bright sunshine, and all the stages in between.

I love grey skies... combined with patches of sunlight. A breeze will keep the clouds moving. Less inspiring is a sky of unrelieved grey, and no wind, which just ‘sits there’. So I forget the big landscape shots, and go for details. Woods can be great when a little bit gloomy; waterfalls look good too.

The most important thing, IMO, is cultivating a ‘can do‘ mindset: dealing with what’s possible rather than fretting about not having better weather, or a fancier camera, or being somewhere on the planet where more interesting things happen. When we’re receptive, the pictures will come...

 

Yesterday in Borrowdale: just me and Harry the Herdwick...

 

[MDM]

‘Bad’ weather is a challenge, another kind of photographic opportunity. I try to be ‘nimble’, always ready to change to plan B if the weather rules out plan A. I may go to the pub, as others have suggested (but, hey, I go to pubs in all weathers...).

 

Out in the landscape (especially the Lakeland landscape), the light can change from moment to moment. Yesterday, in Borrowdale, the weather went from hailstones the size of peas (they really hurt...) to bright sunshine, and all the stages in between.

 

I love grey skies... combined with patches of sunlight. A breeze will keep the clouds moving. Less inspiring is a sky of unrelieved grey, and no wind, which just ‘sits there’. So I forget the big landscape shots, and go for details. Woods can be great when a little bit gloomy; waterfalls look good too.

 

The most important thing, IMO, is cultivating a ‘can do‘ mindset: dealing with what’s possible rather than fretting about not having better weather, or a fancier camera, or being somewhere on the planet where more interesting things happen. When we’re receptive, the pictures will come...

 

Yesterday in Borrowdale: just me and Harry the Herdwick...

I agree with the sentiments although living in a place like Cumbria is different from doing a week there, staring out of a window at the clouds and rain. I've had entire weeks in rented cottages in the west of Ireland where I've not seen the sun and barely a break in the rain. It's hard to stay optimistic at times.

But it's usually worth venturing out, particularly when the weather is changeable and showery,.The picture below was taken in early morning on my last day of a recent trip to Sligo. I'd wanted a shot of this island (made famous by the poet WB Yeats) and didn't think I was going to get anything because the light was so poor. Then the mist suddenly cleared and the still water was just starting to ripple. I only had time for a few shots.

 

[John Morrison]

I agree with the sentiments although living in a place like Cumbria is different from doing a week there, staring out of a window at the clouds and rain.

 

Sounds like you're on the wrong side of the window...     

[MDM]

Sounds like you're on the wrong side of the window...     

I have come to believe I was born on the wrong side of the window, a few panes short of the full double glaze, but that's another story

 

- referring mainly to the crazed notion that I might actually be able to make money from my photography - but no worries - I'm doing what I love doing

[Photoguy]

Having just returned from a 3-day press trip to a tourist area of Wisconsin in rain, snow and overcast, I was frustrated by the beautiful shots I didn't get. The problem was compounded by a fixed schedule. Next time, I'll find a way to leave the group and go where I can make the best use of the weather.