After a couple summers of hot hot heat, this year is getting off to a cool, wet start.

As someone who was evacuated last year (for the second time) due to wildfires, I’m not complaining.

And you might be thinking: as someone who likes to shoot outdoors, doesn’t the rain ruin photos?

The answer is no. Not in the least. Indeed, some of my favourite shots have happened when it’s been raining. (I am thinking about doing a tropical retreat sometime next year almost entirely because it rains every day in the afternoon. Not just rain. Torrential downpour. Okay, fine. Beaches, too. I’ll keep you posted.)

Given the choice between a day full of rain and a day full of smoke, I much prefer the day full of rain. Sure, you can create some interesting effects with smoke, too, but rain isn’t as hard on the lungs.

I love a nice, sunny day, but I don’t mind wind, rain, snow, clouds, either. Stormy weather can create some of the coolest images. And okay, rain when it’s only nine degrees out? Isn’t all that fun. But that warm summer rain? Mmm.

Indeed, one of my most favourite shoots of all times was during a torrential downpour a few year’s back. Remember when O’Brien got flooded and damaged and had to be shut down? Well, that very day the person I was shooting with suggested we go play in the river. “I don’t think that’s going to work,” I said, but we drove down anyway. The river was nearly over its banks. So instead, we did a shoot in the parking lot, playing around in the rain and the mud.

I understand. Not everyone wants to get down and dirty for a photoshoot. Sometimes you want everything to be perfect. You don’t want to get wet, or muddy. But sometimes, it’s those moments of imperfection that make the shoot memorable. It’s the rain and the mud that stand out in your memory. Another perfect day? Whatever. But going and laying in a mud puddle for that perfect shot? That’s what memories are made of.