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Cool, Rainy days are for Netflix, cocoa and the couch, right? Well, sort of. I believe that they also offer some of the most fun Hiking around, and some of the best conditions for nature and landscape photography. In fact, I think that just about any weather event is a good opportunity to get outside (not that I hate sunny days- they are just less interesting, photographically).

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Going for a hike in the rain is a visceral experience. Not only are you exerting yourself physically, depending upon the terrain, but more than likely, the rain, whether you view it as an annoyance or enjoy it, will help to sharpen your senses of the surroundings. A downpour muffles sound, limits vision, and with the runoff pouring down the trail around you, makes you more attentive of where you step. A lot of the time while hiking, especially on familiar routes, we have a tendency to become fixated on the end goal; a drizzle or some snow can help to place you back in the moment, directing your focus to each next step rather than just the last one.

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It is well known that an overcast sky can be a great diffuser for photographing outside, saving even midday images from that harsh, contrasty light. Add in a little moisture, and the tones just explode! Colors saturate wonderfully, and as the trees soak up all that moisture, their trunks turn from a mousey brown into a rich, dark chocolate- absolutely ideal for the kind of contrast that you want in an image.

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