Rainy window photography starts with a choice. Do you want the drops on the glass to be sharp, or the view outside? Take one photo each way from the same spot. When the drops are sharp, a street you walk down every day can become a wash of color behind them.
1. Make the drops the subject
Start with the main camera on your phone. Hold it a few inches from the glass and tap a cluster of drops on the screen. If the phone keeps focusing on the view outside, move back a little and try again. A wider photo with crisp drops gives you more to work with than a tight photo with soft edges. You can crop later.
Check the frame for reflections before you take the shot. A lamp behind you can show up as a bright patch right in the middle of the glass. Turn it off or move sideways until it disappears. Take another look at the drops after you move. A small shift may put a darker patch of background behind them and make their edges easier to see.
2. Find one color behind the glass
Look for a patch of leaves, a painted wall, or a bright umbrella. Keep your attention on the drops as you move the phone until the color fills the part of the frame you want. A dark branch behind a bright drop can work better than a whole garden full of competing details.
Try a vertical frame for long trails and a horizontal frame when the drops form a loose pattern across the pane. If a stream of water cuts across the middle, wait a few seconds. It may collect more drops as it runs down, giving you a completely different shape in the same spot.
3. Use distant lights after dusk
A row of lamps or a few lit windows can give you round patches of color. Tap to focus on a drop and look at how the lights change behind it. If the background looks washed out, lower the exposure slightly. Brace your hands against the window frame if you need a steadier shot.
Compare your three photos at full size. Look for one spot where the drops are sharp and the background gives them room. The best frame may be the quietest one.
Before you start rainy window photography
A window with a deep sill gives you somewhere to steady your elbows. If the glass is double glazed, try holding the phone straight rather than at a steep angle. At an angle, you may see a faint second reflection around the brightest drops. Move a few inches and compare the edges on screen before you commit to the shot.
Take a second frame with the outside view in focus. You may like the softer drops in the foreground, especially if a person or a brightly colored car passes through the background. Leave the phone in the same spot so the change in focus does the work. The two photos can make a satisfying pair even when neither tells the whole story on its own.
When you edit, start with the crop. Keep a little space around the drop or trail that drew your eye. Then adjust the brightness just enough to see detail in the dark areas. Strong sharpening can leave bright outlines around water, so zoom in once before you save. If the color looks better without an edit, leave it alone.
Try the same window on another day. A light shower may leave small beads on the glass, while a heavy one may give you long streaks and fewer distinct drops. Keep both if they show something different. A small set with a wide shot and two close views can tell you more about the weather than several near identical closeups.
For more framing ideas, see how to catch a quick moment on camera. Apple also explains how to set focus and exposure on an iPhone.
