I might not have seen this...

I might not have seen this picture if the wind and rain hadn’t

driven me to find some cover. My cheap umbrella had blown-out the

minute I opened it and was now a skeleton of its former self,

useless.

I had to find cover next to the window at the restaurant at the

end of the Newport Pier and try to dry my gear with my T-shirt

because I couldn’t see through the lens.

It isn’t pretty when cameras -- especially high tech digital ones

-- get wet.

My cleaning efforts weren’t working too well, but I noticed the

perfect reflection in the restaurant window while I waited for a

break in the rain.

A fisherman was braving the inclement weather to try his luck at

making a catch on Friday morning.

I shot three frames.

I couldn’t tell at the time, but it turned out to be the best shot

of my day. It was something a little different.

The reflection softened the image, giving it an almost dreamlike

quality in the picture frame of the restaurant’s windows.

I wish I had more time to shoot in the adverse conditions because

it’s fun, but you need a big, strong umbrella, an oversized rain

jacket and a towel to dry the gear for best results.

-- Don Leach