The Day My Photography Umbrella Almost Flew Away

One of the funniest—and most embarrassing—moments I’ve had in photography happened because of a simple umbrella. 

I had just bought my very first lighting umbrella, and honestly, I felt unstoppable. You know that feeling when you finally get a new piece of gear? You walk around like you’ve leveled up in life. That was me.

So, I set up for an outdoor shoot. Bright sunny day, light stand up, umbrella in place, subject ready. Everything looked good. I was ready to show off my “pro” skills.

Then came the wind.

At first, it was just a little breeze, nothing serious. But out of nowhere—WHOOSH—the umbrella caught the air like a kite. My so-called professional setup turned into a flying circus. The stand tipped, the umbrella took off, and there I was, sprinting across the park like a crazy person trying to catch it.

People stopped to watch. My client laughed so hard she nearly cried. Meanwhile, I was out there chasing an umbrella that clearly had no interest in being part of my photography career.

When I finally caught it, the poor thing was bent and twisted like abstract art. Not exactly the “professional look” I was going for.

That day taught me a lesson I’ll never forget: umbrellas are great for lighting, but they’re also magnets for wind.

Since then, I never shoot outdoors with an umbrella unless I’ve got sandbags or something heavy to keep the stand from turning into a rocket. And honestly, sometimes it’s just easier to stick with a reflector or softbox outdoors.

Looking back, I can laugh about it now. But in that moment? Let’s just say, if anyone had filmed me running after that umbrella, it would’ve gone viral.