One of our hardcore street photographers here once told me... If dust gets on the sensor, clean it. If sand gets into the lens, send it to NSC. If water cause problems for your camera, send it to NSC. If shutter breaks, get it replaced. Don't stop shooting.
He has replaced his shutter 3 times already. Clocking close to a million shots. He shoots in the sand dunes, shoots in the rain, shoots up close. I have seen his lens got whacked with a sweet potato, all he did was looked at the guy, took out his lens cloth, wipe it and shoot on. I have seen him run into the sea with his camera, water up to his chest. I have seen him get down on the wet street in the dirty rain water, just to get his shots.
And people look at his photos and ask him how he got his shots. I have shot with this man, walked in the rain with him, in areas even the local photographers told us to avoid. And it was the one best experience I had in a long time.
The camera is used to take pictures. The moment you decide to keep your camera in your bag at the first smell of rain or other elements, you lost the opportunity to capture the moments. The moment you decide not to change lenses because of dust, you lost the perspective to make the photos you want.
The man in action - Tungtong
His shot in the pouring rain, camera over his head, walking in the rain by the subject. The expression he caught... priceless.