RFDCutCopyright
Jul, 2014Views
6015
Likes
Awards
Featured
Contest Finalist in Adrenaline Rush Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Stormy Weather Photo Contest
Contest Finalist in Fstoppers Volume 3 Photo Contest
Peer Award
Absolute Masterpiece
Superb Composition
Top Choice
Magnificent Capture
All Star
Superior Skill
Jaw Dropping
Outstanding Creativity
One Of A Kind
Great Find
Genius
Virtuoso
Emotions
Impressed
Sad
Top Ranks
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 1
Top 10 rankTop 10 rank week 2Top 10 rank week 1
Platinum
DebbieKMiller81
July 18, 2014
Amazing photograph. Are you a storm chaser for a career or on the side? Great picture. Deb
PRO+
angelamarks
July 22, 2014
WOW! Crazy scary image....I wouldn't have wanted to be in your shoes when this image was taken! I will be very happy if I never have to see one of these up close and personal....
PRO+
Platinum
jasongreen
September 02, 2014
Strange how something so bad, can be so beautiful at the same time, it is an incredible image, well done
nicken
September 02, 2014
Spectacular - well done. Pitty about the location of the copyright though.
Platinum
PRO+
RhondaMcD
November 29, 2014
This has got to be one of the most amazing photos I've ever seen. Congratulations.
PRO+
Premium
candywoodcollins
October 13, 2016
This picture just caught me off guard! Back on July 24, 2014 my husband was driving a white tractor trailer that was actually picked up by a tornado and turned over in the medium!! It was hit by either lightening or some type of electrical charge. He was knocked unconscious. He had a baseball size knot on the back of his head with 2 puncture wounds. He suffered from a concussion, PTSD, and a frontal lobe brain injury! Your picture really is awesomr, it just caught me off guard because it hit so close to home....
Platinum
PRO+
barbsinsley
May 06, 2017
Join the conversation. Add a comment or even better, a critique. Let's get better together!
marchesedp
July 06, 2017
I am sorry I gave you a "peer" award by mistake. You are many steps above me, I am not a peer at all. This shot is unbelievable.
PRO+
carolynfay
March 31, 2018
Simply amazing... scary... I’ve been close, hated it but will always remember eerie green sky
Platinum
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Behind The Lens
Location
This photo was taken facing north at the Colorado/Oklahoma border near the town of Campo, CO. My tripod was sitting just inside the Oklahoma border.Time
Around 5:30pm.Lighting
Photographing tornadoes requires finding a physical location that offers excellent contrast and an opportunity to capture the might of the storm. This photo, in particular, was intentionally set up along a "dryline"--an area on the back end of the storm where the air is so dry that little cloud cover will be present, allowing unfettered sunshine to amp up the number of stops of contrast.Equipment
Camera: Canon EOS Digital Rebel shot on a generic tripod. Sigma 25-200mm lens.Inspiration
I've been chasing storms for over two decades. This tornado represents the elusive "picture perfect" tornado--when the day began, I had no idea the series of events which would ultimately conspire to create the tornado of a lifetime. Being present to witness this tornado from the parent thunderstorm to dissipation is easily one of the largest highlights in my chasing career.Editing
Post-processing is a new thing for me. The original photo was awesome, but I found that it was still lacking that oomph that I wanted. I use Adobe Photoshop CC 2014 and Nik's Software filters (now owned by Google). Of particular help was the "Professional Contrast" filter that allows for a way to correct contrast without much ghosting or pixelation. Given that I had shot this on my older digital camera, the quality of the original file doesn't add up to my current standards. But I did not alter any of the objects or stack. This image is how it appeared to my eye.In my camera bag
Canon T2i, 25-700mm lens, steady tripod with weight, polarizing filter, UV filter, batteries and chargers. Spare 70-220mm lens. I'm pretty uncomplicated.Feedback
I think the key to good landscape weather photography is capturing the cloudscapes with dramatic foreground landscapes. If interested in chasing, I HIGHLY advise learning the ropes of chasing for a few YEARS under the tutelage of more experienced chasers. The best way to break in to that experience is to go on a storm chasing tour (Google :)). That said, once experienced with how to chase safely, remember that cloudscapes warrant framing: always include ground structures. Unlike most landscape photography that asks at least 1/3 of the photo be in the bottom of the photo, the verticality of storms allows for a slight loosening of this rule. Also: don't get over-invested in the tornado itself--don't forget to capture the dramatic clouds, and pan out. A close up tornado photo rarely is as dramatic as a whole storm (at least for me).
