How to Photograph a Rainbow
Ian Plant
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How to photograph a rainbow. Have you tried shooting rainbows? Have your photographs been sometimes disappointing? In this free video, world renowned outdoor photographer Ian Plant gives you tips on how to photograph a rainbow. After it rains, look to the opposite portion of the sky from where the sun comes through a clearing. The sunlight will shine on the rainbow arcing through the gray sky. According to Ian, your secret weapon in how to photograph a rainbow is the polarizing filter. If rotated correctly, this filter will make the colorful rainbow form a dramatic arc and frame the landscape. Ian shows his own beautiful images as examples of how this technique works
One thing to look out for when it rains is a rainbow. Rainbows always form opposite of where the sun is in the sky, so as the storm is passing and begins to clear you've still got some rain behind you, for example, like I have right now, and the sun starts coming out in front of you, you might get a really nice rainbow. You need the sun to be out shining nice and strong for the rainbow to look really good. But it's always something to look out for when it rains. Your secret weapon when you're photographing a rainbow is to use a polarizer filter.
If you spin it just right it'll actually make the rainbow seem to pop against that dark background. Actually it's polarizing the background more so than it's actually polarizing the rainbow. If you keep on spinning the polarizer you can make the rainbow disappear altogether. So you wanna spin it until that rainbow really pops out from its surroundings.
Your suggestion is to use a polarizer. But a polarizer has its biggest effect when it is 90 degrees to the direction of the sun. As you mention - with a rainbow, it is directly opposite the sun, meaning the polarizer will have little to no effect, won't it?
I don't usually watch these "free videos", mainly because they are basically no more than promos, an effort to get people to buy a "premium" membership. I get suckered into one of these every so often though. I actually wanted info on how to photograph a rainbow. In spite of the title there was little information on the subject other than use a filter. Maybe free videos that are what they say they are?
the rainbow video stops about 45 to 60 seconds in and message pops up to invite me to be a member if i want to see the rest of the video. i thought i was a member...it even says so on the right side of the screen. "thanks for being a member."