Stormy Skies
The view of the incoming severe thunderstorm from our sailboat (we were safely docked at our slip). It was incredibly calm before the storm hit...
Read more
The view of the incoming severe thunderstorm from our sailboat (we were safely docked at our slip). It was incredibly calm before the storm hit
Read less
Read less
Jul, 2016Views
49
Likes
Awards
Peer Award
Superb Composition
Absolute Masterpiece
Outstanding Creativity
Top Choice
Top Ranks
Top 30 rankCategories
Same photographer See allBehind The Lens
Discover more photos See all
Behind The Lens
Location
This was taken from our slip at Maitland Valley, located in Goderich, Ontario, Canada (this is where we dock our sailboat). We were safely at our slip as this storm was coming in.Time
This photo happened by accident. I happened to have my camera with me; I was not planning on taking any photos that day. Having a lifelong fascination with severe weather, and being CanWarn Storm Spotter certified through Environment Canada, I was thrilled to see this coming in! This was taken around 6;00 pm on July 9, 2016.Lighting
Overcast lighting is very diffused, and doesn't cast harsh shadows (especially with portraits of people). There was an eerie calm before the storm hit, as seen in this image. The evenly diffused lighting that overcast conditions offer, allowed for the reflection in the water to show a lot more detail.Equipment
This was shot with a Nikon D2X, Sigma 10-20mm lens (at the 10mm setting). No other equipment was used.Inspiration
I've had a lifelong fascination with severe storms (particularly tornadoes); I am always after severe weather images! If I weren't a photographer, I would've been a meteorologist.Editing
Very minimal post-processing was done to this image; I don't like to alter landscape work too much at all. I shoot in RAW, so I slightly lightened the shadows when I opened the RAW file. I then SLIGHTLY intensified the colours and added just a touch of contrast. That's it! It took me maybe 2 minutes to post-process this image.In my camera bag
Aside from my Nikon D2X camera, I always carry all of my lenses and my flash unit in my bag. I have a Sigma 10-20mm lens, a Nikkor 50mm prime f/1.8 ED lens, and Tamron 90mm macro prime f/2.8 (I LOVE this lens for portraits!). I also carry a tripod in case it's needed, and an external remote shutter release. I never leave any equipment at home; that's always when I needed that particular piece, when it's not there!Feedback
Storm images take a LOT of patience (particularly lightning images), advanced planning when watches or warnings are issued, and some storm chasing may be required. It's like tornado chasing, although to a much lesser degree. You also have to act quick on all counts. This image, we were already at our slip, and I had my camera with me, so this was one of the easier storm shots I've taken. Most require me to do a little bit of chasing.
