Shooting Streets Through a Rain Storm in Chicago

Usually, when it starts raining and the lightning hits, the last thing we want to do is to wander outside with our cameras. But, one photographer is prepared to give us a point of view of what it's like shooting streets during a thunderstorm.

I think, for some of us, shooting street photography during rainy days is something we put on our wish list but may not be willing to actually go out in the cold and try it! Not all of us are blessed to live in a close vicinity to a big city full of skyscrapers, neon lights, and the general hustle and bustle, which may seem more appealing to photograph than a small town during a thunderstorm. So, if you don't want to brave the cold and wet, you can still enjoy a point of view shooting by travel photographer and videographer Pierre T. Lambert as he dives right into the action in Chicago.

Lambert's portfolio is full of travel urge evoking images, and in this video it's no different. Armed with a plastic bag and a Sony Alpha a7R III, and probably with a few waterproof layers himself, Lambert shows us how he captures beautiful and interesting street shots in the most unforgiving shooting circumstances. The city is not just full of rain but the light is also falling, giving Lambert a shot at sunset before disappearing and turning the streets into a scene full of street lights, car beams, and neon advertisements from the nearby skyscrapers.

Will you brave the next storm to try some street photography?

Lead image used with the permission of Pierre T. Lambert.

Anete Lusina's picture

Anete Lusina is a photographer based in West Yorkshire, UK. You'll either find her shooting weddings, documentary, or street photography across the U.K. and Europe, or perhaps doing the occasional conceptual shoot.

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8 Comments

The video is a good lesson for us all and he got some great shots but I felt like I was playing Mirrors Edge first person gaming/photo tutorial 😆

He got some awesome shots. That was fun!

"Pierre Lambert, photographer died after being run over by a vehicle in a rainstorm." Not hard to imagine that headline! Risky!

Drivers just don't see you, and they will say "I didn't even see him/her" after the collision.

Great shots. A scary storm also took place at my location just the other day, but I missed it. I wish I could take the pics of that rain, tho. Coulda add some rainy photoworks effects but it is not the same.

I watched this video and I never saw anyone having as much fun with a camera as Pierre was that night. But playing in traffic at night in a rainstorm in downtown Chicago composing on a camera live screen, well...

What lens is that? Seems like people usually use a 35 or 50 for street but I'm liking these telephoto shots a lot.

Looks like the Sony 70-200 f2.8 GM. From his site, he only uses 3 and that lens is white.

https://pierretlambert.com/travel-camera-gear/