When I got to work this morning it was pouring. I thought, “Hmm, maybe a good day for a weather feature.” I have a mental list in my brain of places to go for features. I happened to have an idea for a graphic weather feature. Two years ago my parents came to town and stayed at a place called Clayton on the Park. I remembered the beautiful rooftop deck that covers the entire property. You can see most of Clayton from 24 stories up, and it gives you a birdseye view with your camera minus the cost of a plane.

Next, I thought about timing. When will people most likely be walking around Clayton with their umbrellas? Lunch time. Bingo. I headed to Clayton at about 11:30. As I was parking, a man with a giant umbrella walking a dog crossed the exact crosswalk I was hoping to shoot. Awesome, I thought, this will be easy. I talked to the building’s management and rode the elevator to the 24th floor. I checked out the angle from each side of the building. My exposure was set. I was ready to rock and roll.

But, wait, no rain drops? And then I looked out at the streets of Clayton. No umbrellas, not even six blocks away. Everyone had their umbrellas tucked under their shoulders or in their bags. So I waited and waited … and waited … I started shooting the compositions I liked, envisioning the bright colored umbrella in a particular spot. Still, no umbrellas. No rain. After more than an hour passed I decided I better try something else. The sky was dry.

Back in my car I started to head out of Clayton when the drops started to fall. A nice 10 minute pour. Sometimes your ideas don’t work out, but next time it rains, I’ll get up there and make the picture I wish I had today. (And, yes, I’m still thinking about what that man and his dog would have looked like in my picture from 24 stories up!)