April theme: April showers

You voted for "April showers" as the theme for this month, and it looks like Mother Nature heard you -- it's pouring outside today!

We were a little strict with the March "Nighttime" theme, disallowing photos taken at dusk, sunset, or twilight. Let's be a little looser this month, and allow photos taken not just while it's raining, but also photos that show elements or the aftermath of a rain shower or thunderstorm: Lightning, puddles, shiny wet streets, flooding, wet flowers and leaves, umbrellas .... storm clouds with no rain are dicey; the word "showers" is important, so make sure there is something wet in the shot.

To inspire you, here are 35 Beautiful Examples of Rain Photography from Smashing Magazine's website.

Try to avoid the cliched shot. Remember, everybody shoots puddle reflections and rain drops on roses (and whiskers on kittens...), so be creative as you compose those shots. Then again, this is a site for amateurs, and just because hundreds of other photographers have taken certain photos doesn't mean you shouldn't as well. This contest isn't just about winning; it's about practicing, and challenging yourselves with a theme.

I think we'll skip photos of people taking a shower, or shots of Rain vodka (so to speak). Oh, and let's not add a Rain effect in Photoshop.

Want some tips on taking photos in rainy weather? Here are some links I gathered, followed by more photos by pros. To enter the contest, read the guidelines here. The deadline is midnight April 30.

> Taking good photos in bad weather -- a tipsheet by Globe staff photographer Essdras M. Suarez.

> Taking Photos in the Rain -- a blog entry on Matt Greer Photography.

> Tips on Taking Photos in the Rain -- an article on Bright Hub, a science and technology information site that has a Digital Photography section.

Here are more pics from the Globe's photo archives:

With some of these next shots, notice that more of the subject is viewable in the puddle than is viewable above the puddle.