Double Rainbow over Manhattan

5DMKII + 16-35mm, 1/5000 at f/3.5, ISO 200 + Photomatix.

I’m always chasing rainbows. Any time I see rain clouds part and a burst of sun stream through I think, “there is a rainbow somewhere!” Fight or flight kicks in, I grab my camera, and I race against the clock to grab the perfect shot.

I was in my living room when I see the thick thunderclouds break with a bolt of sun and I instantly lunge for my camera (which of course has no memory card in it). Gah! I frantically search my apartment and find one… that is completely full. Arg. I delete some photos and dash out of my apartment towards the elevator.

After a few agonizing minutes it arrives and I head up to the sky deck. I open the door and BAM — the most vibrant double rainbow I’ve ever seen. It’s still pouring out and I’m getting drenched, but I have the biggest smile on my face. This shot is perfect. I turn on my camera, look through my 24-70mm lens and realize, with utter dread, that this lens isn’t wide enough to get the whole rainbow in the shot. I’m gutted. I feel the floor cave in while my perfect shot is slipping away. I pout. Maybe swear a little. I reach for my iPhone and I grab a few shots. They are cool, but I need my 16-35mm.

Taken with Camera+, FX: Vibrant.

I decide that I can’t give up and book it to the elevator. As I’m heading down again, my stomach is literally sinking. I know the rainbow is fading. I get off the elevator and run to my apartment. I turn the key in the lock and it doesn’t work. Wrong key? I try a different one. Wrong FLOOR. Ahh!! At this point I nearly lose it.

The elevator is taking ages to arrive again. Each second that passes, I feel my dream photo vanish. I finally get back to my apartment, grab my 16-35mm and head back up. I burst through the sky deck door and start shooting furiously. The rainbow is fading rapidly, but I manage to catch it’s last few breaths before it dies.