Bad weather is good light

Every week somebody emails me to ask whether we should move their session because the forecast has turned. Almost always the answer is no, and the reason is worth explaining once properly.

Cloud is a softbox the size of the sky

Direct midday sun is the hardest light you will ever be handed. It carves deep shadows under the eyes and nose, it makes people squint, and it blows out skin on one side of the face while losing detail on the other. Photographers spend real money on equipment specifically designed to make sunlight less like sunlight.

An overcast sky does that for free, at a scale no piece of equipment can match. It wraps light around a face evenly, holds detail in both the highlights and the shadows, and lets people keep their eyes open. Some of the best portraits I have made were taken on days nobody would describe as nice.

Rain is mostly a wardrobe problem

Wet streets are reflective, wet leaves are saturated, and an umbrella is a prop that gives people something to do with their hands — which solves the single most common problem in portraiture. Light rain is genuinely an asset. What it needs is a coat, a towel in the car, and a plan for somewhere to duck into.

What actually cancels a shoot

• Sustained heavy rain, because gear and comfort both stop working
• High wind, which ruins hair, clothing and any chance of a tripod
• Lightning, which is not a photographic judgement call
• Ice on the roads, because no photograph is worth the drive

That is the list. If conditions genuinely will not work I will normally tell you the day before rather than let you get dressed and drive out, and we move the date at no cost.

The one thing worth planning around

Time of day matters more than weather. The hour after sunrise and the hour before sunset are transformative in a way that no amount of good weather at noon can match. If you have any flexibility at all, spend it there rather than on chasing a clear forecast.