NEWS & INSIGHTS

Into the Mud

Capturing Grit at the Stormy Southern Tier Obstacle Challenge Posted by Buffalo Photo Event | October 14, 2025

If you live in Western New York, you know that the weather doesn’t always cooperate. Honestly, for obstacle race photography, we prefer it that way. Last weekend’s event in the Southern Tier was a perfect storm of torrential rain, 40-degree temps, and ankle-deep mud.

There is a unique beauty in the struggle. That is the moment Buffalo Photo Event lives for. It happens when a runner is scaling a 10-foot wall with rain lashing against their face. The rain adds texture to the image, and the mud adds context to the effort.

Pro Tips for Shooting in the Rain:

1. The “Cheap” Weather Seal: We utilized high-quality rain sleeves to keep bodies dry.
2. Shutter Speed is King: We kept shutter speeds above 1/1000th to freeze individual mud droplets.
3. Wipe, Shoot, Repeat: We carried five dry microfiber cloths per photographer. You have about 10 seconds of clear shooting after a wipe.

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