The southern half of the UK has been battered by the first storm of the winter months this weekend, with heavy rain, flooding and winds gusting up to 100 mph (161 km/h) in the English Channel, causing disruptions to travel and structural damage to buildings. This has made bike riding too hazardous, so suitably attired I set out on foot for some images of people struggling against the elements.
I choose the approach to Bournemouth Pier for my location and try to find a sheltered position to watch and wait, out of the gusting wind, which is strong enough to put walkers off balance. The rain, plus sand whipped up from the beach stings any exposed skin every time I change position to get a better angle. Not the most comfortable of conditions for photography: being battered by the squalls makes holding the lens steady almost impossible, and I have to rely on fast shutter speeds to get sharp images. Keeping the front element of the lens clear of airborne salt spray is a constant vexation, but in these circumstances I use a protective filter in front of the lens, which makes cleaning easier. Challenging as all this is, I enjoy shooting under such adverse conditions, getting pictures that add another dimension to my photography.
Top: 70-200 f/2.8 Sigma Apo lens. 1/1600 second at f/2.8. ISO 800.
Bottom: 50mm f/1.8 AF Nikkor. 1/500 second at f/5.6. +0.33 EV. ISO 320
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