grand rapids
A few weeks back, my wife, son and I traveled to grand rapids, michigan. Our trip did not get off to the greatest of starts since our connecting flight was cancelled as we waited at the gate. With a line a mile long at United's Customer (dis)Service counter and already having been told by gate staff that the next flight was in the morning, we switched to Plan B. We rented a car, bought some clothes and toiletries because United wouldn't let us retrieve our bags, and made the three and three quarter hour drive.
Photowalk
On our first night, I decided to take a walk by the river. I walked north from the JD marriott along the east bank before crossing over the foot bridge to the Gerald R Ford Presidential Museum. I took some images of the facade looking north, then walked to the north and took some photos looking south. And then is started to rain. I moved under a tree but the intensity of the rain crept up and the tree stopped providing shelter so I moved south again and decided I needed to go back to the hotel.
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Storm
As I came to the southern end of the building, I decided to take a few more frames since the blue lighted sign was reflecting in the wet pavement. I spied a small plinth under another a conifer tree that was providing some cover from the rain. Forming my Joby Gorillapod (B&H) over the plinth I took a number of images before this tree also ceased keeping the rain off me and I decided I had to dash back to the hotel.
I attempted to cover my camera with my shirt as I half ran back to the hotel. It can't have taken much more than 5 minutes, certainly less than 10, but on entering the hotel lobby I was drenched from head to foot. Water squelched from my trainers and I could wring the water from my shirt, undershirt and jeans.
Back in my room, I dried off my camera and then changed out or my wet clothes. Outside the storm started easing off and probably less than 30 minutes after it started it had moved on through.
Things I could have done differently:
1) I should have checked the weather before leaving the hotel. After all, I have the Weather Channel app on my iPad. Then I would have known there was a storm coming in. The flip side of this of course was that I probably would not have gone out at all so I wouldn't have got this particular shot.
2) I should have taken my Rainsleeve™ (B&H) out of my camera bag and put it in my pocket. After all, I'd thought enough to pack it in my camera bag before the trip but then didn't bother to take it on my photowalk. Then I could have waited the few more minutes for the fountain, on a 10-minute on-off cycle to come back on.
3) I should have just waited the storm out in the pic-nic shelter that was just a few yards from the photo location. Then I could have taken a few more frames after the storm had passed by.
I did return the following night to repeat the image and while those shots include the fountain, the reflection of the blue signage in this shot definitely adds more interest to this image.
Production Data
Camera: Canon EOS 5D Mark II
Lens: Canon 24-105mm f/4L IS USM AF Lens
Tripod: Joby Gorillapod SLR-Zoom Flexible Mini-Tripod
Processing: Lightroom 3
Processing: NIK COLOR EFEX PRO 3
Other Products Referenced:
OP/TECH¤USA 18″ Rainsleeve (Set of 2)
OP/TECH¤USA RAINSLEEVE- FLASH (Pack of 2)
Notes:
Even though I used the Joby Gorillapod for SLR, it can't really handle the 5D MkII with the BG-E6 Battery Grip (B&H) and Really Right Stuff ‘L-Plate' that I have permanently attached. It's more of a stabilization device with all that additional weight. However, it's perfectly fine with the consumer level SLRs and consumer level lenses. When using the Gorillapod I set the camera to self-timer to avoid camera shake when pressing the shutter but often find myself using one or both hands to help hold the Gorillapod to whatever I've wrapped it around. I also repeat the shot several times to improve my odds of getting a sharp shot.
