I was driving away from one scene to the next when I spotted a rainbow in my rear view mirror. I stopped and grabbed my gear. I moved fast to snap a few shots. Rainbows appear quickly and they can vanish equally fast. Time is of the essence. We cannot always wait to get to the perfect scene because by the time we get there the rainbow already hid its pot of gold and disappeared to keep the location secret. Look around you and just make do with what you have to work with.

          Here are two images that were captured:

Always think composition even though you may not have lots of time at your disposal. I quickly found a plant that was different from the other plants to anchor the foreground and to balance out Cathedral Rock in the background. The rainbow just adds color, excitement, and interest. In the next image there is not much to speak of in terms of composition. The rainbow is the shot.

In post processing I darkened the left and right edges somewhat. Where light fell already in certain spots in the middle of the image I lightened to lead the viewer into the image.

          To capture rainbows even better, remember to use your polarizing filter. Be ready with protective gear to cover your photographic equipment in case of sudden rain (watch behind you).