Rainy Day Dancing Women

Two women dancing in heavy rain on a wet street along side a row of parked cars. One wears a black outfit and raises her arms joyfully. The other, in a yellow top and blue shorts, wears a straw hat and extends her arms. A black SUV with a red umbrella extending partially over its roof is parked nearby, presumably waiting for the women to finish their impromptu celebration of being caught in a rain storm. The rain creates a blurred, misty background, emphasizing the lively, carefree moment.
Two women dance in the street alongside parked cars during a rain storm. — J. Matthew Buchanan

A sudden downpour rolled into St. Pete Beach one night as we sat on our patio. We’ve got a view of a main street along the beach, which provided some interesting drama as people hurried back to their cars. I grabbed my 100-500mm lens and starting shooting as individual scenes developed.

This photograph is probably my favorite from the whole thing. We watched as these two women danced in the rain for a good five to ten minutes. I never saw anyone get angry or even overly frustrated throughout the whole thing, despite the challenges Mother Nature was throwing at them. These two took that attitude even further, showing nothing but absolute joy as the rain poured over them. I loved it, and I’m committed to trying to be more like them the next time I’m trapped in a downpour.

The red umbrella resting on the car to the right is one of my favorite details in this photograph. I think one of the women rested it there just before starting the celebration. This adds to the story for me, because they were mostly dry before deciding to embrace the situation fully and dance in the rain.

The title, by the way, is a nod to Bob Dylan’s Rainy Day Women Nos. 12 & 35. “…[B]e so good”, and don’t let others stone you when you do.

Technical Notes

I took this from an elevated patio on a second floor, using every bit of the 500mm reach of the lens.

Elsewhere

  • Flickr Featured in Flickr Explore on February 10, 2026

Metadata

Published
April 14, 2026
Camera Make
Canon
Camera
Canon EOS R5m2
Lens
RF100-500mm F4.5-7.1 L IS USM
Focal Length
500mm
Aperture
f/8
Shutter Speed
1/250s
ISO
ISO 6400
Captured
August 8, 2025, 7:05 PM
Exposure Program
Manual
Metering Mode
Multi-segment
Flash
No Flash
White Balance
Auto
Creator
J. Matthew Buchanan
Sublocation
Upham Beach
City
St. Pete Beach
State
Florida
Country
United States
Copyright
Copyright 2025 J. Matthew Buchanan
Rights Usage Terms
All use of this image requires a license from the copyright holder.
Copyright URL
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