"Neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night, stays these couriers from the swift completion of their appointed rounds."

That's the unofficial motto of the United States Postal Service. During my last road trip through the Capital Cities of the Southeast, I made it my motto for a few photo shoots!

The first stop on my trip was Nashville, Tennessee. Unfortunately, my day in Nashville was filled with cold and rainy conditions. For much of the day, the temperature was in the mid-30's--just above the point where the rain didn't transition to snow. Since I had just one day there, I decided to try to overcome the conditions and shoot in the rain.

In some ways, the rain is an advantage. By taking pictures in less than ideal conditions, the subjects are rendered in a way that is somewhat out of the ordinary. These subjects have been photographed under bright, sunny conditions countless times.

Here are a few from Nashville:

The DistrictThe District on Broadway at N. 5th Avenue in downtown Nashville, Tennessee on December 1, 2014

Tennessee CapitolRainy night at the Tennessee State Capitol building at 600 Charlotte Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee on December 1, 2014

War Memorial BuildingTennessee War Memorial Building at 301 6th Avenue from the Legislative Plaza in Nashville, Tennessee on December 1, 2014. The William R. Snodgrass Tennessee Tower building is in the background.

The weather during my time in Charleston, South Carolina was also miserable. The rain was coming down hard while I finally found parking in a garage downtown. The forecast was for rain all day, so I was hesitant to walk out of the covered garage. It was also very cold outside.

Since I had just one day to take pictures in the historic downtown of Charleston, I opened my umbrella and started walking. In the end, there were times when the rain let up or stopped for a while. While the skies remained overcast, I concentrated my efforts on subjects more suitable for the conditions. I find that subjects can become more colorful under diffused lighting.

Here are a few from Charleston:

Charleston windowFlowers under window of a pink building near the intersection of Queen & State Streets in Charleston, South Carolina on December 8, 2014 U.S. Custom HouseUnited States Custom House at 200 E Bay Street in Charleston, South Carolina on December 8, 2014 Charleston windowWindow with flowers at the Andrew Pinckney Inn at 40 Pinckney Street in Charleston, South Carolina on December 8, 2014

Several of my photographs from Nashville and Charleston were captured with my camera and tripod positioned under my umbrella! Another tried and true strategy for capturing pictures during adverse weather conditions is to select indoor subjects--and there were plenty of those to choose from in these two cities.

Corridor reflectionsCorridor on the main floor of the Tennessee State Capitol building at 600 Charlotte Avenue in Nashville, Tennessee on December 1, 2014