Storm Chasing the Plains - 2011 Edition

jamesl · January 18, 2012

Well, it's finally that time again. I've been sitting on my 2011 Storm Chase pictures for quite some time trying to find time to post them here. I lost my job of 13 years in June of '11 but was very fortunate in being able to find another one fairly quickly. However, this new job has kept me incredibly busy (a good thing). I've decided it's finally time to get these pictures posted!

2011 was our best storm chase year ever! We had a large number of events fairly close to my home in Texas and went on a dedicated storm chase vacation. 2011 was also one of the most destructive and deadly years for tornadoes in modern history. :cry I will never forget watching the streams of the Tuscalusa Tornadoes tearing through their town. I'll also never forget the images and videos that came out of Joplin, MO. The latter half of this year was a vivid reminder for me that the beauty of the storms that I photograph also has a destructive and deadly side.

I'll be posting these images in no particular order and it may take me a few days to get through them all. Also, most of these images can be clicked on in order to view a larger version and order a print of the image if you are so interested.

Zack braves the insane mesquitos in South Dakota to grab a shot of this dieing storm.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 24-70L

A radar station near Rapid City, SD.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 24-70L

Outflow winds from a dieing storm stir the grass in Western Colorado
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 10-22

More to come....................

jamesl · January 18, 2012

A strong shelf cloud approaches Rapid City, SD.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 10-22

Sometimes the storms themselves aren't the best part of the day. Shot near Decatur, TX.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 24-70L

Peering into the core of an intense supercell thunderstorm in south west Oklahoma.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 24-70L

A beautiful high based supercell spins away in Eastern Colorado.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 24-70L

More to come..............

jamesl · January 18, 2012

The flanking line of a strong supercell storm obscures the setting sun in Western Oklahoma.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 24-70L

An intense downburst with winds over 70 mph drops from a high based supercell in Western Oklahoma.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 24-70L

A wall cloud illuminated by lightning crosses an empty field in Central Oklahoma
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 20mm

Looking straight up into the turbulent Mammatus clouds left by the deadly Tushka, Oklahoma tornadic supercell.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 20mm lens.

Lightning streaks across the sky near the town of Tushka Oklahoma.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 20mm

More to come.....................

nw scout · January 18, 2012

Fantastic!!!
Cant wait to see more

jamesl · January 18, 2012

I had a few chances to shoot storms near my home in Texas. Here is a shot from downtown Dallas.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 50mm 1.8

Here's a shot of Fort Worth shot on the same evening.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 20mm

A beautiful storm near the town of Decatur, TX spins across the Central TX landscape.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 20mm

Storms create awesome sunset light! Here's a small windfarm near the town of Decatur, TX.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 70-200L

The core of an intense supercell storm creates an eerie green light in south west Oklahoma.
Canon 30d with Canon 20mm

More to come.............

jamesl · January 18, 2012

Sometimes you get lucky in your own neighborhood. This was shot right outside my house in Allen, TX after a storm passed.
Canon 5d mk2 and Canon 24-70L

A shelf cloud overtakes us near Rapid City, SD. The intense winds here broke the mirror on my good friend's 5d.

Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 24-70L

It's been a dream of mine for a long time to be able to shoot lightning over the ocean. I finally had the opportunity this year while on vacation in Destin Florida.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 24-70L.

Another shot from Florida.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 24-70L

More to come.................

jamesl · January 18, 2012

The setting sun illuminates a beautiful supercell in Western Oklahoma near the town of Clinton.
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 10-22

Lightning illuminates an intense squall near the town of Denton, TX
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 10-22

A low storm base moves over the town of Denton, TX
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 24-70L

Lightning strikes from the base of a striated shelf cloud in Allen, TX
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 10-22

A shelf cloud passes over a Veteran's memorial in the town of Allen, TX
Canon 5d mk2 with Canon 10-22

That is the last of my images. Thanks so much for looking!

James

clickin girl · January 18, 2012

WOW!! These are stunning! I too live in Texas, in the panhandle, and love to shoot lightening! I would love some storm cloud shots like this but we are in the middle of a drought so storms are few and far between over the past few years. How do you get your lightening shots so smooth? I capture really good lightening but my clouds always have these wierd bands in them.

Not really noise but not sure what it is or how to prevent it. If you don't mind sharing some tips in this area I would love some input! Anyway, awesome shots!

thumb

bnickeson · January 18, 2012

Yes! I love seeing photos from other chasers! You had an incredibly successful year, those photos are just stunning James. Probably my favorite is the green core in the HP cell followed closely by the updraft base of the LP in Colorado. Keep them coming if you have more! Stormtrack doesn't have nearly enough photo posting so I have to get my fix elsewhere, lol.

Allan FG · January 18, 2012

Wow those are pretty amazing photos, thanks for sharing them with us.

Doug Solis · January 19, 2012

Hard to pick a favorite among all these images, really nice series.

Crokey · January 19, 2012

I've got to agree with Doug above, can't choose a favorite. The feeling of movement is so strong in some of them that I'm just waiting for the clouds to move. Beautifully composed and captured. I think I would definitely hang number 3 on my wall, love how subtle it first seems before the eye realizes what's going on.

jamesl · January 19, 2012

clickin girl wrote: »

WOW!! These are stunning! I too live in Texas, in the panhandle, and love to shoot lightening! I would love some storm cloud shots like this but we are in the middle of a drought so storms are few and far between over the past few years. How do you get your lightening shots so smooth? I capture really good lightening but my clouds always have these wierd bands in them. Not really noise but not sure what it is or how to prevent it. If you don't mind sharing some tips in this area I would love some input! Anyway, awesome shots!thumb

Thanks for the comments! The panhandle is a wonderful place for storms.

Hopefully the drought will turn around this spring for you and bring some good rain your way.

Banding can come from a number of issues. Do you have an example? Do you shoot in RAW? That would be my biggest suggestion to you if you do not.

James

jamesl · January 19, 2012

bnickeson wrote: »

Yes! I love seeing photos from other chasers! You had an incredibly successful year, those photos are just stunning James. Probably my favorite is the green core in the HP cell followed closely by the updraft base of the LP in Colorado. Keep them coming if you have more! Stormtrack doesn't have nearly enough photo posting so I have to get my fix elsewhere, lol.

Thanks! I used to be very active in Stormtrack but have not been there much lately at all. Too much drama and infighting and not enough Storms.

I'm hoping I'll get a chance to chase some this year but it is going to be tough.

Take care!

jamesl · January 19, 2012

Allan FG wrote: »

Wow those are pretty amazing photos, thanks for sharing them with us.

Thanks Allan!

jamesl · January 19, 2012

Doug Solis wrote: »

Hard to pick a favorite among all these images, really nice series.

Thanks Doug!

Very appreciated.

jamesl · January 19, 2012

Crokey wrote: »

I've got to agree with Doug above, can't choose a favorite. The feeling of movement is so strong in some of them that I'm just waiting for the clouds to move. Beautifully composed and captured. I think I would definitely hang number 3 on my wall, love how subtle it first seems before the eye realizes what's going on.

Thanks!

That shot was really an afterthought at the end of a long day. I'm really happy with how the movement of the grass lends itself to the shot.

Moving Pictures · January 19, 2012

I'd be interested in the systemic for capturing the lightning shots. I've never given it a great try, but I'd like to ... What kind of exposure times do you work with?