Sensoji at night is beautiful after the rain

Sensoji at night is beautiful. I wish I could photograph it more at that time. But it’s an hour on a crowded train from my house. And that’s challenging when carrying a camera bag and tripod. So I don’t go there as much as I like. It was time to change that. I made a plan to go. And when I went, I realized why my choice of cameras was good.

In the morning, the weather forecast was promising. It would be fine. I planned to photograph the temple from sunset until late. Little did I know things wouldn’t work out as I expected.

In the afternoon, I looked out the window. I was surprised. There were many grey clouds.  They looked ominous. I looked at the forecast again. It predicted rain around 5 pm. From six, it would clear up.

No problem. It shouldn’t rain for too long. Anyway, I’d take an umbrella, and I’d be fine. A little rain never hurt anyone. I still had a chance, now a small one, of getting my sunset and Sensoji at night photos. It was time to pray.

When I arrived, I knew what was going to happen. Rain clouds filled the sky. It was only a matter of time before they’d break. There was no chance of a beautiful sunset. You know what happened next, right?

It started to spit. My umbrella was up in a flash. A little rain wouldn’t stop me from getting my photos. Anyway, the water on the ground would add a little drama. And many people were still around. Some were there praying, and others were walking home.  I kept shooting. Things were going well.

And then the rain started to come down heavier. I gathered my gear and headed to the nearest roof. It was over. The photos I wanted weren’t going to happen. It was time to pray.

The rain bucketed down. For about forty-five minutes, it was nonstop. My camera gear was off the ground, and that was good. Only I got wet. All I could do was watch

Then, it ended. The skies cleared a little, and it was dark. I put up my umbrella and headed out. There was only a little rain.

People who saw me must have laughed. I had an umbrella in one hand and all my gear in the other. But there was no way I was going home without photos. Anyway, it was fun. Sensoji at night is beautiful. My long exposure photos worked out.

My fun lasted for about fifteen minutes. The rain came back. Thunder and lightning joined in! I hadn’t experienced anything like it for years. It was loud. A mum walked by with kids in tow. The little ones screamed with every bolt that came down.

Once again, I headed for the nearest roof. I used my time more constructively. While undercover, I set up my camera and continued shooting. Those photos weren’t great, but at least I was doing something. I pushed ahead.

I hoped to catch a lightning bolt above Sensoji temple or the pagoda. But luck wasn’t on my side. I did get some flashes, though. That is something I’ll need to research more to get a better result next time.

Then it was over. It was over for good. Well, there was a slight drizzle. I put my umbrella away and continued to get more photos of Sensoji at night.

There were a lot of people at the temple. They put up their umbrellas and walked around Sensoji at night. There were quite a few in kimonos and yukatas. If I had half a brain, I would have snapped them. But I was focused on doing long exposures. My photo life is built on regrets.

And then my time was over. I needed to get to the Ginza line for the first part of my journey back home. In retrospect, the rain was a bonus. Sensoji at night is beautiful, but the rain adds something a little special. One day, I might even get a lightning bolt there!  Wouldn’t that be something?

Why was I happy with my choice of camera for Sensoji at night?

The WR on any Fujifilm X-Series camera or lens means it is weather-resistant (not waterproof). You have some level of protection from the environment, e.g., slight water spray and dust. That meant even though I got wet on the night, I had peace of mind about my gear.

Wrapping up

The rain at Sensoji was quite heavy. I should have more rain gear in my bag. My next purchase will be a rain poncho for me and a rain sleeve for the camera and lens.

I am not finished with Sensoji at night. Next time, I’ll get photos of Kaminarimon (Thunder Gate). That is something I missed this time. More pics of the Hozo gate would be good, too.

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