The beauty of rain
March 4, 2012 216 Comments
Geraniums in the rain
We can plan our lives in careful details, at times down to every bend and turn. We want that perfect holiday with sunshine and blue sky but what if we get the exact opposite?
On a holiday to Austria way back in early June 2009, that was exactly what happened to us. Instead of the beautiful alps where Maria from the Sound of Music is singing “Doe a deer” with the Von Trapp children, we arrived to a gloomy Salzburg and the mountains were hardly visible from the mist. The weather forecast was very discouraging too, cold and wet in the many days to come.
Instead of staying in our tent as we have booked an already assembled tent and we just needed to step in, we had to stay in the camp apartment for a week in our 2-week holiday because of the sheer cold and dampness inside the tent. Going around was in most cases, dampened by the not so cooperative summer weather of rain and more rain.
This holiday…not turning out the way I envisioned actually gave me an altogether different perspective. I learned to appreciate the rain and its nurturing role in the environment. I learned to appreciate that in life, our plans may not always work out the way we wanted but we can always make the most out of it.
An inspiration for jewellers
A rain-soaked daisy
A moth caught in the rain
Edelweiss
Rain-soaked flowers
Butterfly
Edelweiss
About Malou
I’m not sure which one I like best. So I’ll say all of them are my favorites. Wonderful!
Glad to know you approve, Cee. Knowing that you take excellent macros, I’m honored.
ditto! what lens do your use for those shots? sorry if i missed it in the post.
Extraordinary snaps
)
Thanks a lot, Ateneit.
Absolutely beautiful !!!!
Thanks a lot. Your pictures are so inspiring.
You do exquisite closeup photography!
Thanks a lot, Beth. I love doing macro shots because I discover a lot of things which we normally perceive as ordinary and under the lens, they reveal so much beauty.
Life baptized in water. Love love love these pictures, Malou. Extraordinary mundane ~ there is not one average thing out there.
Glad to know that you love these pictures.
Yes, this is beauty of rain BUT also beauty of your photography. They are all so beautiful, fascinated me. Thank you, have a nice week, with my love, nia
Thanks a lot, Nia! Have a great weekend too!
What an inspiring post
its hard to deal with a holiday not turning out the way you have planned. Especially if you put pressure on yourself for the perfect holiday-which we all do.
You have captured such beauty and the fresh colours are beautiful!
Thank you for sharing
Jen@madeinminch
Thanks a lot, Jen! There are no perfect circumstances in life or else each day will be boring. Embracing imperfections and being more accepting of what comes our way and finding the beauty that lies beneath are actually more fulfilling.
Absolutely beautiful, Malou! I remember Saltzburg well… what a story! What lens were you using? Pics are works of photographic art. Great job!
Thanks a lot, Nandi. In many ways, the movie, “The Sound of Music” gave us the idealized version of Salzburg and the Alps. In reality, it is not all sunshine and great weather there. Summer can be cold and wet as what we experienced. Anyway, we had our own version of fun and the we still look back to those wet summer days there with fondness.
I am using an old Nikon D60 and its 18-55mm kit lens. Nothing fancy.
Magic …. how beautiful a rainy holiday … can turn out through your eyes and lenses.
Stunning photo’s again … The photo with the little blue flower is my favorite. You show make a book about natures small creatures and their world.
Thanks a lot, Viveka. In time when I got a clearer idea of the direction I want to pursue with my photography and other stuffs, I’ll think about putting them in a book. For now, I enjoy sharing the beauty I find with ordinary things around.
So beautiful! Your raindrops look like jewels!
Thanks a lot, Elaine.
Some very beautiful photographs here! Especially like the one titled: An inspiration for jewellers.
Thanks a lot. I was so amazed myself that the rain can be a good inspiration for jewelers if they will just look closely to what nature has to offer.
Excellent work.
Thanks a lot, Moriah!
One of the best photography set!!!!
Great project!!!!!!!!!!!I love drops
Thanks a lot, Dimitris!
These are incredibly beautiful. With an attitude like yours, you’re sure to find beauty wherever you go.
Thanks a lot, Sheila! Beauty is everywhere, we just need to pause and look closer with our hearts.
Your beautiful photographs take my breath away. I also loved your inspiring words about finding delight in what might have been a very unpleasant vacation. Wonderful!
Thanks a lot, Joy! There is beauty in everything around us, even the rain that ruins our idea of the perfect summer holiday.
I am inspired by your work.
Thanks a lot, Denlyn!
Wow, Plenty of beautiful droplets!
Thanks a lot, Arnold.
I particularly love the shot of the lone rain soaked daisy. Gorgeous! And off course you are so right. Life doesn’t always happen as we want but one needs to roll with it and enjoy/learn what you can. thanks for sharing!
Glad to know that you like that lone rain-soaked daisy. Flowers will look wonderful in the sun but rain provides a different perspective which we can also apply by analogy to certain phases or circumstances in our lives.
Beautiful images, Malou. You did a wonderful job of finding beauty in the drab weather.
Thanks a lot, Ken!
Beautiful photos! Love the closeups of all the flowers. As someone who lives with rain almost on a daily basis, except when we’re out of town (we live in a rainforest, you know!) I can appreciate your thoughts. You do have to reframe the weather much of the time, and if you wait for the weather to be perfect, well, in SE Alaska, you would miss a lot! Good for you for seeing the positive! ~ Sheila
Thanks a lot, Sheila. What you said about missing a lot if we wait for the perfect weather is so true also in real life. There are people who postpones happiness till they have all the perfect conditions for that instead of appreciating the beauty that each day brings, rain or shine.
These pictures are just fantastic. I love how the rain really brings out the beauty in the plants, something I know I take for granted when it’s raining and I have to be outside.
You’re inspiring!
Glad to know that you liked these pictures.
Nature does not always deliver what we want but always what we need – we just have to see the beauty in it.
Aptly said, Becky!
I need you to take photos for my blog.
These are amazing.
Wow, I am flattered by the offer.
I love the lessons you take from life and how beautifully you put them. I also love the simplicity in your pictures – they are breathtaking! Thank you for sharing
Thanks a lot. I just find it a waste of energy to fret about the rain and be miserable while on holiday. The bright side of it was that we were able to have quality time to bond together as a family.
absolutely STUNNING
Thanks a lot, NanaDoll.
I really enjoy the single daisy with rain droplets on it. Great Pics.
Thanks a lot, Nate.
With our unseasonably HOT day here in So. Cali which is just a sneak prediction of Summer to come… your delightful pictures brought Spring back to me in a visually cooling splash of rain. Thank you for sharing your sense of beauty for all of us.
Your summer has come too early then. I’m glad that these pictures cooled your day.
What beautiful photos! Thanks for sharing them.
Despite the rain, you still got some beautiful pictures!
Beautiful! Thanks for sharing.
Makes me want to go splash in some puddles around Salzburg! Your photos are definitely a reminder of the wonders rain helps to produce. Such gorgeous flowers, juicy from their own time spent “splashing” in the rain!
“Life is not about waiting for the storm to pass, it’s about learning to dance in the rain.”
Wonderful pics!
Thanks a lot, Sarahlynn.
Loved the second picture and the one with the butterfly. Awesome!
Thanks a lot, Mathangi.
one can experience the freshness of rain just looking at these pictures
really nice
Thanks a lot, Namita.
These are amazing photos; thanks for sharing this beauty with us, Malou~
Glad to know that you like these pictures, LS.
Great photos
Thanks a lot, Melody.
You captured some real good shots. Rain it changes the sights, sounds and the brings fragrance in the air. This was though special.. as if Time has frozen solid
Thanks a lot, Muhammad.
How beautiful! Your photography is once again stunning Snd those moments you captured simply breathtaking
Thanks a lot. Glad to know that you like these pictures.
Dear Malou,
These are phenomenal; just took my breath away.
Thank you for visiting my blog and liking my post. It’s a humbling experience, being recognized by someone as talented as you.
Cheers,
Yousuf
You take beautiful pictures and write beautiful poems, Yousuf.
Thank you.
Thank you.
fantastic Malou, I love the umbelliferous plant best!
Thanks a lot, Gilly!
It’s amazing how beautiful rain can look
. Thanks for posting! And I love the photo with the butterfly…
Thanks a lot, Debbie.
I love this…
Thanks a lot, Ashok.
Nice photos. the water really adds an extra dimension doesn’t?
Thanks a lot! Yes, the water is like a priceless diamond here.
This is the album I love best Malou, appreciating the beauty if simple things like raindrops on leaves and flowers. Your shots are all so lovely. Ang sipag mo mag blog…sabi ko sa iyo, travel book na dapati-publish mo, you have lots of materials to choose from.
Thanks a lot, Arlene! I haven’t gone back to taking raindrop pictures again. Should try to do that once the flowers are out and there are more to have as subjects. I try to blog every other day but it is indeed a very serious commitment and at the moment, it is also very busy at my work. Francesca is also going to school now so we also have a tough balancing act in managing our time schedules. Still, I really am enjoying this whole blogging experience.
Gorgeous photos…..
GORGEOUS photos!! I love rainy Spring days.
Thanks a lot, Michi.
A great post. I love how you’ve captured a whole other world that is asking us to just stop and look a little closer at things for how they are.
I needed to read this today. I had tried to make your Alfajores cookies for a trip yesterday–our oven is fan-assisted so I cannot following actual baking instructions. Put them in a 160, set a timer for 5 minutes while I ran up to get dressed. At four minutes, my husband said, “They’re burning!” I was so frustrated. Dealing with this oven is one of the hardest parts of my expat experience! But soon enough, we were at a castle by the sea and the beauty of where we were made me forget myself. (Even if we had to bring store-bought dessert instead.)
Thanks a lot, Erin. So sorry to hear about your Alfajores. I checked about the cooking instruction in my oven which has several settings and if you have a fan-assisted one, then the temperature should be set 20-25C degrees lower.
Glad to know that the castle visit made up for the frustration of a cooking event gone wrong.
Thanks. I made them again (had some dough leftover) and watched them more carefully and they came out perfectly. I guess my error was thinking I could multitask! They were yummy.
The flowers are beautiful glistening with the rain drops. Sure beats looking outside where I live looking at the drab winter!! Thanks for brightening up my day!!
Thanks a lot! I hope spring soon comes your way. We all need that now after the seemingly long winter.
These photo’s are absolutely beautiful!!! Amazing that you can show me the pleasure of rain. As I grew up in the Netherlands I must confess I ‘hate’ rain!!!….
Thanks a lot, Letizia. With gray skies and rain, we always say that’s typical Dutch weather. I learned to look at it another way.
Wow! Beautiul shots Malou!
Thanks a lot, Madhu.
you have such a talent capturing the beauty of things with your photos
breathtaking!
Beautifully done ! Makes me pine for spring.
Beautiful shots of the droplets..:-)
Thanks.
Thanks a lot. Vic.
I’m so glad it rained (sorry…) because we have these stunning photos to admire now… My goodness… what lens did you use, was it a macro? You have an eye for beauty!!
I just used the kit lens (18-55mm) of my Nikon D60. Having a real macro lens is still a dream.
Stunning shots! Way to make the most of the opportunity you were given!
Stellar pictures!
Wonderful photos! There’s something about water drops that really add to the images.
Love the clarity of the world reflected in those droplets! There is nothing like the intensity of colour just after the rain has ended… Lovely photos!
Thanks a lot. Indeed the intensity of colour is far stronger after the rain.
Truly beautiful!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
You’ve taken some amazing photos! I too love the beauty of rain!
Thanks a lot, Alisa.
I always love your photos. I posted a few on my Pinterest board and see that they have already been repinned.
Thanks a lot, Leslie. Glad to know that these pictures generated interest.
Mmmm….I love going out after a nice rain and watching the rain drops dancing across the bush. Great shots!
There is always something refreshing in that after the rain world. I love the world feeling fresh, clean and new.
You really are such a talented photographer…lovely images!
Thanks a lot, Betsy.
Beautiful shots. You have an eye for the small miracles that surround us. Thanks for the “like” on my “distorted” photo.
Gorgeous photos! I want to make a slideshow for a screensaver…
Thanks a lot, Jean Marie. Sure, you can make a screensaver from these pictures.
Beautiful macros
Your photos are spectacular!
Absolutely stunning photos. I so wish I could do macro photos like that. I love the top one, but I also like the jewellers inspiration – oh, they are all lovely!
The beads of water look like jewels.
The raindrops give the flowers the appearance of crystal chandeliers. I particuarly like the photos of raindrops on the Allium. They look like fireworks!
Gorgeous! I love the ‘rain effect’ too. Rain tends to be a bit more tropical here though, not so dainty! Some pics here: http://lightswimming.com/2012/01/31/rain-rain-rain/
Thanks a lot! I love your tropical version of drop shots. Gorgeous! They made me long for those times back home.
Beautiful images!
Malou, Your images are book-worthy! They’re beauties. What an incredible series. Theadora (Now I’ve got that “Raindrops keep falling on my head” song in my mind!)
Thanks a lot, Theadora! I can hear you singing from here.
Absolutely stunning photos. LOVE them.
Your photos are astonishing. You’re truly an artist with your camera.
All these photos are dazzling! Each one a gem in nature’s encrusted crown of glory.
Beautiful!
STUNNING photos!!!
The one of the blue butterfly is definitely my favourite.
- s
Again…gorgeous! You are a fantastic flower photographer!!!
I especially love the images of reflection in the droplets… a world within a world…
Hello Malou,
Thanks for visiting and following my blog. I really like your writing and photography, and like you I’m fascinated by the beauty of the natural world, particularly at the micro level. This rain bejewelled flower series is lovely. Isn’t WP a great forum for finding out about life and ideas in other parts of the world, without the normal media’s commercially influenced opinions? Best wishes from a drizzly West Wales where we get over 1700mm of soft Welsh rain every year…and the flowers love it, Julian
You have a wonderful blog going, Julian. Gardening from a Welsh perspective is interesting in the sense that your climate out there is influenced by the Atlantic (or not?). I remember going to Ireland and visiting a lovely garden which has many tropical plants because I learned that that part of Ireland already has this sub-tropical climate.
Thank you for following my blog!
And I couldn´t agree with you more, there´s magic in rain, at times I get the feeling it washes my sins away.
Absolutely stunning photographs! Beautiful!
Wow are these gorgeous shots! I want to do some work with macro shots and love the idea of catching rain drops on spring flowers and leaves. Beautiful.
Love your photos!
Fabulous, fantastic photographs Malou! Just outstanding.
Oh, Malou, these are wonderful. I’m going to be coming back to see them often. I do miss the rain here. Haven’t had any since last August.
I wish I could capture those great close up shots you always achieve! My camera just won’t do it (or maybe it’s me!)
Ashley
Absolutely inspiring!! and now want it to rain so I can see what water close-ups I can get.
Awesome pics! I have always wanted to see close up raindrops!
Reblogged this on Been There Done That and commented:
Your pictures are so captivating! I’m so taken with the strong bong you have with your family. It’s truly inspiring. BTW, The Beauty of Rain should be published in book form!
Your photography is absolutely stunning! So delicate, yet powerful! Thank you for following along http://www.bellableue.com! It is wonderful to have you on the journey!
Blessings,Erin, Bella Bleue
Pingback: Rain-Washed Blessings Inspired by the Irish | Bella Bleue Healing, Health & Inspiration for Your Life
WOW!
Wow, what stunning photos!
Having lived nearly my life in England, I never thought the day would come that I would pray for rain. I now live in Spain, in a valley where there are no water pipes and the only wtaer we have comes from the mountains, through tubes to each person’s garden, The normal extreme downpour (double the annual rainfall of England usually falls here between December and April) didn’t seem to be coming this year.
BUT it rained yesterday!!!!
Wonderful, beautiful rain ….!
Beautiful photos! I enjoy rain; the sound on the windows, the smell of the air after it’s over, the light as the sun peeks through the clouds. It’s all good!
What a wonderful post….made me smile at the end of a hard day. Thanks.
Beautiful, beautiful pictures! Living in Seattle we have to appreciate the rain – it’s here frequently. And I think it’s a great lesson you’ve shared that even when things don’t turn out the way we expect (or want) there is always still something of value.
Wonderful photos, thanks for sharing. We can never get enough of nature and images of nature. What kind of camera do you use?
WOW. I really loved the photos on this posting. You give me some great ideas for my own postings. Your photos are excellent. So happy you visited my garden Blog and I found your Blog. I look forward to lots of visit. I so love going over Blogs that do lots of photos and no so much wording. The pictures do the “talking”. Very nice. Jack
thanks for sharing the beautiful photos
Lovely pictures! They made my heart feel good while looking at them. I’ve gotten some excellent pictures in fog as well. Sorry about your camping trip but you certainly made good use of the bad weather.
Beautiful photographs and great job “going with the flow.” What lens did you use to capture those stunning images?
And thanks for the comment on Travel Inspiration.
Refreshing! Thanks for sharing!
Such pretty pictures, Malou, I hope you have lots more rain to look forward to
!
Wonderful writing and stunning photos! Thanks for sharing and thanks for the follow / like!
Jamy
Your photos are always stunning. What lens do you use to capture these images? My husband is a amateur photographer and I’m always on the look out for nice lenses! Beautiful!
You brought tears to my eyes this morning seeing your beautiful pictures. One of my most cherished sights in nature is morning dew on grass sparkling in the sunlight. “Dew on the lawn glistens til dawn, twinkles and sparkles and then is gone.” Thank you for looking at rain for what it is….a beautiful gift.
What a beautiful way to start my day. I feel as though I’ve just taken a stroll down a dewy mountain path, complete with heavenly rain-scent. Thank you for taking me with you.
Stunningly beautiful, Malou!
Lovely photos! I loved every one.
I spy a common blue!
Beautiful pictures Malou! We too have lots of rain, but not many flowers out yet. Just crocus. Your spring is inspiring – i hope ours arrives soon!
Gorgeous photos, and a lovely reminder that our plans don’t always work out… but something works out anyway! Best, Sarah
The photos are gorgeous. They would make such beautiful wallpapers. Pretty colors and so eye-catching!
Gorgeous photos–so inspiring!
Hi. I just love your photos, especially ‘an inspiration for jewlers’. Many of these plants are familiar to me in Canada, so they must be the same or close relatives of our species. I really enjoyed this post. Jane
Yearning to visit Salzburg myself one day, I enjoyed reading your post and then was pleasantly surprised to find such an abundance of photographs accompanying the text. Seriously some of the most stunning photography I have ever seen. Thanks also for visiting my blog
The rain droplets make all the flowers look so fresh.
Incredible photos – beautiful.
What a great eye you have for beauty!
Extraordinary, beautiful and oh so inspiring. Your right we are always disappointed on holiday when it rains but to take a different perspective on appreciation of the rain and it’s true purpose is worth honouring.
Thanks for visiting my blog and sharing your gift.
Be Well.
It was so beautiful with the little drop of the water touching the nature so fine..
Very impressive. I love the photos of the raindrops reflecting other things. Stellar!
Barbara
Wow beautiful blog incredible pics!
Thanks a lot, Candice.
Great pictures!
I like the turnaround in your perspective and love the gorgeous pictures! Thank you!
Glad to know that you like the pictures and the story behind them, Nicola.
Hi ,, nice photos you got in there,,,,,Thanks you also for dropping by my Blog,,,
What a wonderful set of pictures. Fantastic.
Absolutely stunning images.
these are magnificent. I love the way you captured the raindrops on the flowers. Absolutely gorgeous
Awesome! Incredible photos. Incredible creation!
WOW! Your photos are beyond amazing!
These are some really great macro shots! I love your blog! Thanks for following mine.
fabulous images, you are a wonderful a photographer and you make the rain look so nurturing, so beautiful in each shot, the delicate shining drops, hanging and falling, i love it! thanks for following my blog too malou
You have really captured the essence of the raindrops in these photos. Beautiful entry.
Your photos are stunningly beautiful!
Wonderful photography and an inspiring story of making the best of the situation.
Beautiful rain shots! Glad to rain appreciation! I posted a photo today of a raven in the rain. It rains a LOT in my part of Oregon, so I either have to photograph it, or leave my camera home! Thanks for following my photo blog. ; )
Oops, I meant glad to see rain appreciation.
Hi! These are beautiful photographs! Thanks for checking out my blog (jyotir vidya). I hope you’ll visit again. I am looking forward to reading more of yours!
These are absolutely gorgeous! The clarity & the “drama” in these photos is wonderful.
Thanks for visiting my blog & liking my post.
Really beautiful photos. I love the Netherlands – I’ve even thought I would like to move there!
Love rain photos…
All are gorgeous!
Just gorgeous! They all look like precious gems.
Wow, Malou! An inspiration for jewelers indeed! These are so exquisite.
Nature’s beauty and mystery captured in a raindrop.
Evocative images.
Absolutely stunning!
Great pictures, You have a good eye for photos of flowers in particular. Thanks for sharing.
Reblogged this on Greenophilic.
What fabulous pictures!
Congratulations to this extremely beautiful photography!
Greetings
Sunelly Sims
Beautiful photo’s! I also love raindrops on flower petals, and yours are really gorgeous
Love your blog, thanks for stopping by mine!