SUMMARY
Sports photographer Patrick Smith embraced a torrential downpour during a Detroit Tigers vs. Baltimore Orioles game to capture unique mid-game portraits. Instead of shielding his gear, Smith intentionally let rain gather on his Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM lens, a budget-friendly ultra-wide that isn't weather-sealed. The stadium lights interacting with the water droplets created dramatic flares and bokeh, transforming the sports action into creative portraits. Smith utilized varying aperture and shutter speed settings to achieve different effects, including shaped bokeh and frozen rain droplets.
TAKEAWAYS
Photographer Patrick Smith created portraits during a baseball game's downpour.
He used a budget-friendly, non-weather-sealed Canon RF 16mm f/2.8 STM lens.
Rain on the lens was used to create dramatic bokeh and flare effects.
Smith has previously used challenging weather, like snow, for dramatic photography.