Or: Why You Should Always Shoot in Bad Light
Photos shot with: Fujifilm X-T2 + Fujinon XF16-55mm f/2.8
Lean in. It’s time for some real talk from your friendly neighborhood Gen X Dad who survived dial-up internet, camera film, and pants with actual pockets.
Let me drop a little truth bomb on your creative brain: 📸 You’re playing it too safe with your photography. You keep waiting for that perfect golden hour, the ideal Instagrammable light, the “clean” sky with soft pastels and zero drama.
But guess what? Drama is where the magic lives. Ask any entrepreneur, growth doesn’t happen on easy street. It happens when the sky’s falling, the clouds are thick, and you're one dumb decision away from soaking your overpriced socks in beach puddles. Just saying...
The Setup: Welcome to Weather Therapy
These shots were taken on the Belgian coast. Yes, the actual North Sea where the clouds are moodier than a teenager at family dinner (and trust me... that does say something!)
I took my trusty Fujifilm X-T2 out for a spin, paired it with the XF16-55mm f/2.8, aka the “kit lens that could.” You know the one the internet says isn’t pro enough?
Yeah. That lens. I love it, and use it a lot. It ate this weather for breakfast and came back for seconds.
Shot 1: Beach Huts Under Judgment Day Light
Look, if the Book of Revelation had beachfront property, this would be it. The white beach huts are lined up like they’re waiting for their final report card from God, and He is not impressed.
🔥 Tip: Embrace contrast. Don’t over-edit. Let the sky do the screaming.
Shot 2: Lovers & Light Beams
There’s a couple walking along the beach like nothing’s wrong, while a literal apocalyptic lightshow rips through the clouds. And that’s the shot. Because life doesn’t stop being beautiful when things get dark — you just have to notice it.
🧠 Lesson: Shoot through discomfort. The story’s in the juxtaposition.
Shot 3 & 4: The City, the Storm, and the Reflection Flex
Here’s where the X-T2 and that underrated kit lens went full Beast Mode. Reflections. Moody skies. Ocean texture. If this isn’t a cinematic flex, I don’t know what is. The buildings are catching the last golden hits of sunlight while the sky is cooking up a mid-tier end-of-days cloud formation.
📷 Pro tip: Use puddles like a mirror. Mother Nature’s budget infinity pool.
But Why Shoot in "Bad" Light?
Because perfection is boring. Flawless blue skies? Meh. Give me clouds with attitude. Give me wind. Give me that split-second where the sun punches through like it’s trying to prove a point.
That’s where your portfolio stops being “nice” and starts being art.
What I Want You to Take Away:
Your gear’s good enough. Stop crying about not having the next lens. You’re just avoiding doing the work.
The X-T2 still slaps. This camera is like an old rockstar — a little grizzled, still shows up, and always delivers.
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Shoot when you don’t feel like it. Especially when the forecast is “you’ll ruin your shoes.”
“Your photography journey is not about being the best. It’s about becoming the kind of person who doesn't flinch when the clouds roll in.”
So next time the weather turns, don’t stay inside editing your lunch photos. Grab your camera, channel your inner storm chaser, and go make something real.
📸💥 Back in my day, we didn’t wait for golden hour, we developed our negatives in the dark. For real. Literally.
Stay gritty, stay curious, and don’t forget to post your moody bangers to Hive or I’ll tell everyone you shoot in Auto.
📸 about my images
All photos are my own, shot on my iPhone and sometimes edited in Lightroom.
AI images? Those are created by me too, using my own prompts.
Explore more: Borniet On Hive
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