It had rained all day, on and off, and was still raining hard late in the afternoon. It was the kind of day that could be called cloudy bright, perhaps, with enough daylight still for shooting without a flash.

We were on our way back from a field trip. Our work was done for the day.

I think we both noticed them about the same time: the domes of the Ukrainian church sparkling white in the distance.

“Let’s go to that church,” I said.

“You can’t take pictures in the rain,” my companion replied.

“Let’s go anyway,” I persisted.

The rain was still pounding on the car when we stopped outside the church a few minutes later.

“How are you going to take pictures in the rain?” I was asked as I collected the camera for a quick step outside and back in.

There was no need to reply, though. For suddenly there was no pounding anymore. The rained had stopped!

As I scrambled out I noticed the clouds, clustered like huge grapes overhead. Immediately, for me, the sky took precedence over the church. I had not seen these mammatus clouds before.

The ground sloped away from the church so I sloshed through the soggy grass to find a position from where I could include both clouds and church in my shot. But that was not possible while standing. I had to be looking almost straight up to get the pendulous clouds in the picture.

I could do that now because the rain had stopped.

I found a place and lay back, sliding around to compose the image. I got my pictures. Here is one of them.

When I got back in the car my clothes were sopping wet at the back, but absolutely dry in front. And so was my camera.

We fastened our seat belts. My companion settled down to drive. He turned the ignition key and the car started, and so did the rain, at the same instant. And it came down even harder than before. 

It rained the rest of the day.

As I scrambled out I noticed the clouds, clustered like huge grapes overhead. Immediately, for me, the sky took precedence over the church. I had not seen these mammatus clouds before.

The ground sloped away from the church so I sloshed through the soggy grass to find a position from where I could include both clouds and church in my shot. But that was not possible while standing. I had to be looking almost straight up to get the pendulous clouds in the picture.

I could do that now because the rain had stopped.

I found a place and lay back, sliding around to compose the image. I got my pictures. Here is one of them.

When I got back in the car my clothes were sopping wet at the back, but absolutely dry in front. And so was my camera.

We fastened our seat belts. My companion settled down to drive. He turned the ignition key and the car started, and so did the rain, at the same instant. And it came down even harder than before. 

It rained the rest of the day.