Rule Basics
Weather rules are the heart of PhotoWeather - they automatically detect when weather conditions match your perfect photography moments and send you notifications. Whether you’re looking for golden hour drama, perfect fog conditions, or clear astrophotography skies, rules watch the weather for you 24/7.
What Are Weather Rules?
Section titled “What Are Weather Rules?”Think of weather rules as your personal photography assistant that never sleeps. You tell PhotoWeather what weather conditions create your ideal shooting opportunities, and it continuously monitors weather forecasts to alert you when those conditions are expected.
Each rule can include:
- Weather conditions - temperature, cloud cover, wind speed, precipitation, visibility, and 25+ other measurements
- Advanced conditions - photography-specific calculations like fog probability and golden hour quality
- Astronomical timing - golden hour, blue hour, civil twilight, and precise solar angle conditions
- Logical combinations - combine multiple conditions with AND, OR, and NOT operators
- Time windows - optional timing constraints to limit when rules are active
For example, your “Perfect Portrait Light” rule might trigger when it’s golden hour AND there’s partial cloud cover AND low wind speed AND minimal chance of rain.
How Rules and Locations Work Together
Section titled “How Rules and Locations Work Together”PhotoWeather uses a flexible system where you create rules once and then choose which locations to monitor with each rule.
The Two-Step Process
Section titled “The Two-Step Process”- Create your rule - Build it once in your rules library with all your conditions
- Enable at locations - Turn the rule on/off at each of your saved locations
This means you can:
- Use the same “Golden Hour Drama” rule at your mountain, beach, and city locations
- Disable your “Fog Photography” rule at desert locations where fog never occurs
- Test new rules at one location before enabling them everywhere
Each location evaluates your rules independently using local weather forecasts, so you get location-specific notifications.
Rule Structure
Section titled “Rule Structure”Basic Rule Structure
Section titled “Basic Rule Structure”Rules combine multiple weather conditions like temperature, wind, and cloud cover to detect optimal photography moments.
Weather Parameters
Section titled “Weather Parameters”PhotoWeather provides access to 25+ comprehensive weather measurements including temperature, humidity, wind, clouds, precipitation, visibility, and advanced atmospheric conditions.
For complete details on all available weather parameters, ranges, and photography applications, see Weather Parameters.
Advanced Conditions
Section titled “Advanced Conditions”Advanced conditions are photography-specific calculations that combine multiple weather factors to detect optimal shooting conditions. PhotoWeather provides 9 specialized advanced conditions including fog probability, golden hour potential, cloud drama scoring, and storm intensity analysis.
These intelligent conditions save you from manually combining complex weather parameters and provide photography-focused insights you won’t find in standard weather apps.
For complete details on all advanced conditions, ranges, and applications, see Weather Parameters.
Astronomical Conditions
Section titled “Astronomical Conditions”Astronomical conditions let you target specific lighting periods and sun positions for optimal photography timing. This includes golden hour, blue hour, civil twilight periods, and precise solar angle controls.
For complete details on all astronomical periods, solar/lunar positioning, and timing options, see Weather Parameters.
Logical Operators
Section titled “Logical Operators”Combining Conditions
Section titled “Combining Conditions”AND Logic - All conditions must be true (default)
- Temperature between 15-25°C AND wind under 10 m/s AND low precipitation chance
OR Logic - Any condition can be true
- Partial clouds (30-50%) OR heavy clouds (80-95%)
NOT Logic - Exclude unwanted conditions
- Good temperature and wind, but NOT rainy
Value Comparisons
- Set minimum and maximum values for weather parameters
- Specify exact values or ranges
- Include or exclude specific conditions
Getting Started with Rules
Section titled “Getting Started with Rules”Two Ways to Create Rules
Section titled “Two Ways to Create Rules”Start with Templates (Recommended for beginners) Browse our collection of 20+ expert-crafted templates and instantly create proven rules for common photography scenarios. Perfect for getting notifications quickly without technical setup.
Build Custom Rules Create your own rules from scratch using our visual builder. Choose from 25+ weather parameters, 9 advanced conditions, and astronomical timing to craft precise conditions for your unique photography style.
Quick Start Guide
Section titled “Quick Start Guide”- Visit the Rules page in your PhotoWeather dashboard
- Choose your approach:
- Browse Templates for instant setup with expert rules
- Use Custom Builder to create your own from scratch
- Configure conditions using the visual interface
- Test and save your rule to your personal library
- Enable at locations where you want to monitor conditions
Rule Management
Section titled “Rule Management”Viewing Rules
- Browse paginated list with search functionality
- Filter by active/inactive status based on location assignments
- View rule details including conditions and associated locations
Editing Rules
- Modify conditions using the visual builder interface
- Update rule names, descriptions, and settings
- Changes apply to all locations where rule is enabled
Location Management
- Enable/disable rules for individual locations
- Bulk operations to manage multiple location assignments
- Visual indicators show which locations use each rule
Rule Validation
Section titled “Rule Validation”Rules are validated as you create them:
- Real-time feedback in the rule builder
- Error messages guide you to fix issues
- Ensures all conditions are properly configured
Note: Rules are validated for structure, not tested against current weather conditions.
Rule Templates
Section titled “Rule Templates”PhotoWeather includes 20+ professionally crafted rule templates for common photography scenarios. These expertly designed templates provide starting points for various shooting conditions.
Example System Templates (showing 5 of 20+ available):
- Dense Fog - Multi-factor fog analysis for atmospheric photography
- Deep Sky Astrophotography - Dark sky conditions for Milky Way photography
- Perfect Portrait Light - Ideal golden hour conditions for portraits
- Blue Hour Cityscapes - Architectural and cityscape photography timing
- Rainbow Chasing - Sun break conditions during rain showers
Templates span landscape, portrait, astrophotography, weather, architectural, and macro photography scenarios. Browse the complete collection at Rule Templates and create rules with one click.
How Rules Work
Section titled “How Rules Work”Rule Processing
Section titled “Rule Processing”- Weather Monitoring - Continuously checks weather forecasts
- Condition Matching - Evaluates your rule conditions
- Opportunity Detection - Finds periods when all conditions are met
- Notifications - Alerts you when opportunities are detected
Automatic Monitoring
Section titled “Automatic Monitoring”- Rules check weather forecasts automatically
- Covers up to 7 days of future weather
- Notifications sent when your conditions are met
Subscription Features
Section titled “Subscription Features”Free Users
- Can create and use all rule types
- Access to all weather parameters and advanced conditions
- Can use advanced conditions in rules and templates
PRO Users
- All free features
- View advanced conditions in weather charts
- Advanced weather data display
Next Steps
Section titled “Next Steps”- Weather Parameters - Complete reference to all 25+ weather measurements and 9 advanced conditions
- Time Windows - Learn about timing constraints and astronomical periods
- Templates - Explore 20+ pre-built rule patterns for photography scenarios
- Complex Conditions - Advanced techniques for combining conditions with logical operators