Preparing For Monsoon

The rainy season will be arriving soon – in about a month and a half. Some love this time of the year, others just hate it.

- Rohinton Mehta

As for me, it is one of the happiest times of the year. Like most schoolboys, I love to splash in the puddles, get wet and watch the world go by. For me, the rainy season opens up opportunities to take great photos — landscapes with ominous dark clouds, water bodies and reflections, children frolicking in the rain, traffic snarls, passersby wading through waist-deep waters, people trying to control their topsy-turvy umbrellas, greenery all around, streams, waterfalls, speeding vehicles splashing water on pedestrians, close-ups of water drops on flowers, animals seeking shelter, lightning shots, chance to be creative (slow shutter-speed shots) and hundreds of other opportunities.

(If the rains bother you, try listening to the lyrics of “Raindrops keep falling on my head” by B. J. Thomas. It might boost up your spirit and make you feel better, at least for a while!)

While the monsoon brings us countless new opportunities for pictures, it brings with it its own set of problems. Water (and dust) is an enemy of photographic equipment. Though some cameras offer weather sealing, most don’t and a single drop of water getting into the ‘on/ off ’ switch can put an end to your happiness. It should be noted that ‘weather sealing’ does not mean that the equipment is waterproof; it simply means that the equipment has weather-seals that prevent humidity (moisture), occasional spray of water, and dust from entering the product and causing havoc to the electronics within.

Tip: Weather sealed or not, prevent water from getting on to the camera and if it does, wipe it dry immediately using a dry cloth.