Rain Camera Assistants

I smiled the first day I bought conditioner for my face at a cosmetic counter in London.  I was in back space mode, remembering how Ma used Vaseline on our face and legs.

Not too much. You don’t want to be shiny.

The rain is a great conditioner. Farmers can attest to that. It conditions the soil so that food would grow. The hippopotamus loves it because it can get a full bath after a long drought.

Rain can also flood rivers and streets. We dash home when it starts to rain. Photographers don’t. Photos taken in the rain or immediately after, are soft to the eye. Green is green, red is red with no shadows.

Photos taken at 12 noon on a sunny day are harsh, have a silver tint. You’ve seen it in movies. When cinematography still mattered, directors shot scenes early in the morning and in the evening before the sun showed its fangs.

Rain photos are appealing but taking them is tricky. Try taking pictures while holding an umbrella. That is why Hollywood came up with the idea of Camera Assistants. Cameras were bulky then and the man behind the lens had to concentrate on what he is seeing. Camera Assistants helped him move around without worrying what was behind him.

This summer, family members can hold the umbrella while you shoot interesting rain vacation videos or pics.

By: Nonqaba waka Msimang.