Photographing a Storm - I was Terrified

[@GriffinStorm]

I have been photographing lightning for years. I have done some crazy things for photos but what I love the most is that often it is only me with the storm in the late hours of the night and I am able to record and capture scenes no one else will ever see in person. I have a multitude of images from my hobby but nowhere to share them without the risk of them being stolen. I have managed to get some amazing photos from less than desirable conditions. Experience and knowledge about the mechanics of storms and meteorology in general have allowed me to develop a sixth sense about storms. I repeatably am able to frame my composition in just the right way to catch bolts in the best setting. I need to get back out there but it's winter now. Nice to see someone experimenting with the field of lightning photography.

[@tom_hawki]

Maaan. The photo at 7:28 is pure joy. It is literally giving me chills. Very nice job!

[@ryanstark2350]

The last shot was great. The blue distance, warmer foreground with nice textures in the sand and blue reflections in the water.

[@berryoaks]

What you experienced is typical, in the summer, late afternoon weather here in the Savannah, Georgia area. We love these storms as they roll through. Sometimes they are accompanied by high, gusty winds, but most often with lots of lightning and thunder, and heavy downpours. Me and my 4 Doodles just sit in the window and watch. Hope you get to experience more , moderately severe weather in the future. It makes for awesome landscape and sky photography. Love your videos. Keep them up, please.

[@alexandermenzies9954]

Storms certainly can be exciting. Down here the fatalities (and there are plenty) from strikes tend to be greater on wide beaches, swimming next to wide beaches and on golf courses. Not to mention sheltering under trees. These are all excellent places to depart Planet Earth. Having a Faraday cage handy (car, van etc) is a life saver. A sure indicator of imminent danger is hair rising on your skin (induced like charges on the skin and hair cause repulsion of the hair). I'm very glad you are still with us, Thom :-)

[@robertsmiley8829]

This is my new favorite upload from you. Keep hunting that strike over the castle, it will happen again. Thanks and good luck.

[@tobaldy]

Listened to your recent podcast with Nick Page. Love the authenticity, helps us amateurs realize that great images are always possible and the frustrations/burnout we experience are experienced by the pros too.

[@PlayedWith]

I love being in storms

[@anthonyjohnhart7355]

Played With .

[@animefan9944]

Good for you!

[@canadianphotography6972]

Same.

[@MrChrisromero3]

that part with the train in the beginning was nice. Your filmmaking skills are getting so much better than when I first started watching you. Keep up the great work and motivating people. Awesome, Tom!

[@jonglass]

I'm sitting here, watching your video, and I can feel the wind, and smell the ozone in the air, it was so real.... and then suddenly, with a clap of thunder, I realized that we were having a storm roll in as I'm watching your video! Goodness! goosebumps! And perfect editing towards the end there, building the climax to the image show. Topnotch! Thanks.

[@990drifter]

Loved the video Tom and that's showing the real side to photographing nature and know the feeling about thunder and lighting, can be very scarey. Keep the coming mate, cheers.

[@deannahoward8748]

We have these kind of storms almost every day in Florida. You are brave to be out there, great images!!

[@foofreddy]

That storm came over me in North Yorkshire and it was crazy. Never seen lightning like it. I tried to take a picture of it but failed miserably. I saw Simon baxter had abandoned also because of it. Really glad you documented it, you can’t beat a bit of jeopardy to add to a shoot.

[@ajayattuchirayil292]

Images and the video just kept getting better and better... Great experience

[@mikewinburn]

The couple in the 2nd image makes the shot for me... just brilliant, the first image was my favorite of the images. Being the tallest thing on the beach was eeLly dangerous, man

[@MrZagiel30]

Your channel, which I heard about from a friend from the channel PolandInTheLens, is good to watch. You take great pictures and put a lot of heart into it. Greetings from Poland

[@uappoz]

Im italian,i discovered your channel recently and i really love your content and your photos..thank you Thomas and keep going!👍👍👍

[@richardfarrar3247]

Another great video Tom especially exciting at the end......you got the storm you went for. Keep them coming...please.

[@BillGiles]

Hi Thomas! Great video! I'm a storm chaser living in Colorado and it's interesting to see severe weather in other countries, as well as your approach to storm chasing. I must admit that I'm jealous of your trailer and being able to wait comfortably for storms to initiate. I'm DEFINITELY jealous of oceanside beach shots. If photographing storms is something you're going to be doing more often, you might look into a mobile radar app. However I'm not sure what you have available in your neck of the woods. Being able to determine storm motion, distance, and speed helps out immensely for both photography and safety sake. If you ever find yourself in the Denver area during chase season, let me know! :)

[@guyroberts4181]

Nothing more terrifying than being caught in a thunder storm. Had the experience once on a golf course. Glad you are OK and lovely shots as usual.

[@ceilihmcgrady4125]

That was so exciting! Good for you for sticking it out and filming it for us!

[@andysartyautoimages]

Tom, another cracking video and great images showing how again how beautiful Northumberland is even in the worst of weathers. I chose to sit indoors with a cuppa and watch the storm, probably why I'm not a pro photographer!

[@nahsnter2867]

All the pictures you took on your tripod are great, but to me the best shot is the one at 13:04. With the lightning reflecting in the water and the dynamic clouds! A lightning storm without rain would be perfect to take photos of.

[@chriswoodbine2147]

What drama... fantastic storms and great images, gotta love the British weather!

[@northernspirephotography2451]

Another great video Thomas, I had almost same experience last Friday at Sunderland air show while I was trying take some photos, but looking I wasn’t far from the car, you are very inspirational.

[@TotalBarber]

I am a new photographer and videographer and have watched alot of photographers and your are probably the must real and passion person. I absolutely love watching and learn9ng from you! Thank you for these videos!

[@ISOPhotography]

That first image is absolutely gorgeous I love it

[@dcallan812]

I live on the coast down the way from you. We are on the top 3rd floor of a small block of flats. I had my canon 5d mk4 setup are ready, but I wouldn't open the door to go out when the storm really hit. Just sat looking out the French doors at the turmoil. FANTASTIC!!

[@matteoferrettiphotography]

Wow, what a storm! I would be sooo scared in such a bad situation....but you get some incredible photos, well done Thomas

[@anisab9506]

Inspiring, all your videos are inspiring. The combo of outdoor adventures and photography such gratefully shared in the moment. Love it! Thank you!

[@richn1751]

This remains one of my favourites of yours Thomas

[@joannwilson8263]

An epic episode! Amazing to see what all you do to get a photo, but stay safe Tom, we want to see more videos!

[@tamojitnandi2320]

You have always inspired me in taking pictures. your clips and clicks always helped me exonerate from burdens of the real world.

[@isds6310]

I am amazed by your skills, you can make a great shot come from any weather. The skill of a photographer is not one who can shoot great photos during golden hour, but one who can shoot brilliant photos in a downpour. Fantastic job.

[@itaylorm]

Thank you for sharing your experience. Inspirational. I plan to take a trip to the stormy Oregon/washington coast this winter so this inspires me to to for sure

[@MrTomadevil]

I love that photo with the walking couple. It makes the photo complete :)

[@antont7357]

That square crop is your trademark, ,loved these shots, especially the first one.

[@KSnyder1025]

The two things I love shooting more than anything are sports, and lightning. There's nothing quite like the adrenaline rush of capturing an breath-taking bolt exactly where you planned.

[@derekwillson2538]

Superb vlog Tom, like a mini-disaster movie! I can hear the adman with a gravel voice now "He came for a photo!...he didn't bring a flash!...BUT GOD SENT HIM ONE! thanks Thomas, see you next time Del.

[@Csoery]

Ahhhahahaha that's some catchphrase!!!! :) 10/10

[@chaitusunkara]

This video is really an inspiration for anyone out there who are giving reasons for not going outside and taking photos (including me). It was an eye opener for me. Thanks for the video.

[@domcoke]

As an editor myself... I gotta say: your videos are beautifully conceived, shot, and edited. And a pleasure to watch. Most professional productions would be envious of the production values and thought that goes into them.

[@mannttu]

The way you direct your video I like very much, it tells a story and specially background music or sounds.

[@molopez619]

I loved the cinematic music! Provided so much drama and enhanced the feel of the climate

[@WoodsmanLandscapePhotography]

If you are ever looking for low-hanging fruit regarding storms, dark clouds, and lightning (particularly strikes), I would highly recommend checking out northern New Mexico near Jemez Springs in the United States during late July. Monsoon season there is incredible, storms come out of nowhere and frequently form over red rock canyons and rugged stone structures which would make an awesome composition.

[@StevenSugref]

Brilliant editing Thomas! I know it's a photography channel but your video editing has came on leaps and bounds over the years! There was so much drama in this "episode", hats off to you for going out on those conditions to shoot. It was definitely worth it going by the photos.

[@MrRenoman2011]

Thanks for video Thomas glad you didn’t get struck by lightning.

[@Derginator]

The calm before the storm is the oddest thing to describe and feel. Like you know something is gonna happen at any second. It’s like how pets and other animals go and hide before storms.

[@richparker]

First, I love your compositional eye... the rock and castle combo was stunning as it was. Second, welcome to the nightmare fun house of lightning photography. Getting a good shot, safely, is truly challenging. One thing I would suggest is that you think of this like nature/animal photography: Consider a 'blind'. Somewhere where the target doesn't see you (safer from the weather, like a porch, an eave, or a cover attached to the van. Good luck, and happy storm chasing!

[@MrsSusanCreighton]

I love your honesty, thank you!

[@BRP42]

Great video again Thomas! I think it falls into that “beware what you wish for” category, huh? I’m impressed how wet all of your equipment can get.

[@94nagendra]

Seriously who are these people who dislike....damn! They must be leading some sad life...not having the ability to appreciate art and the immense effort

[@helenj9844]

I managed to just get home before it all erupted! Was incredible watching it going over, but I'd never go out in it! Great photos as always.

[@EwanDunsmuirImages]

Seriously Tom - One of your nicest images yet at 7.17. The reflected mood in the wet sand is insane! Love it! Regards Ewan

[@Dannygagg]

It's amazing, while it was thundering and lightning here in the peak district and i was huddled up inside keeping safe, you were actually trail blazing it up and chasing the images! that's what i aspire to do, it' just taking me a little time to get there.

[@burrdaddy]

Who in the world clicks thumbs down on this! What were you expecting? Did you think it was a cooking show? Don't like the color green of his jacket? Were you mad it rained? Come on! This guy, on his own, just delivered another fantastic episode - genuine and fun. Thanks, Thomas. Keep them coming.

[@waltherziemerink]

I think they might be dyslexic🤣🤣

[@scotty4418]

Remember a while back you did a vlog in weather that was awful but this took it to another level Thomas. Loved the images you shared and this episode had loads of drama and glad you made it back to the van safely

[@tomhughes5123]

do you not find you get more of a buzz out of it than ever .. like a russian roulette thing .. it may be me

[@BigfootDigger]

I enjoyed that i often go out on wild weather days to see what I can capture , thanks for sharing ..

[@wenyulian9584]

Great one! Enjoy watching you in action! Dramatic!

[@davidchandler7810]

I'm terrified of thunder and lightning, had to watch this one from behind the sofa! Glad you survived the storm.

[@kingxmustard]

That last shot is just unreal, I love those blues!

[@santoshvk]

Excellent Thomas. Really admire your work and commitment.

[@taniahutchings9346]

Definately the most entertaining video so far! I love a good storm and this one looked very dramatic.

[@iancar29]

Few tips for capturing lightning Thomas. 1 - No filters. Unless the lightning is literally dropping right in front of you, you are reducing the light that only lasts for a split second. 2 - Without it being dark enough to be able to shoot at relatively small aperature and exposure longer than a 0.5s then you will need a lightning trigger (fires camera instantly when it notices a change in exposure) 3 - When dark enough, shoot as per timelapse mode + point 1. So depending on intensity, frequency and distance of lightning you could be aiming for rougly 8-10s ISO 800 f3.5. Something like that and let it fire away for as long as needed. 4- Im sure you know this one alread but always have camera in manual focus and have it set at infinity. 5- Using apps/sites like Sat24, lightning radar and blitzortung to alert you when lightning is detected within 50km. All the best, Ian

[@LeiderVerdrueckt]

I like the fact that you put so much effort in your videos and photographs. I really appreciate the way you show the arts of landscape photography to all of us. For me you are one of the real photographers on youtube. Keep it up! :D

[@richardfootitt9557]

Come visit Florida in the summer! Lots of lightning strikes-- sometimes 5000 per hour when storms are coming through. And you usually can be a safe distance under cover but with a clear view for photographing the lightning and storm clouds.......

[@hugostj]

Love this! :) I myself loves the thrill of shooting lightning photograph. So much is up to chance but when you get that magic picture it feels so much better :)

[@jomormont]

This is so fun and exciting. You should do more like this! Just stay safe of course.

[@GraemeSomerville]

Hi Tom, I saw your trailer on Twitter yesterday. I was really looking forward to this video. It did not disappoint! Awesome! I've photographed a few storms here in the States and it's a hell of a scary adrenaline rush. Glad you got out of there when you did. Thanks for sharing -

[@stephball6011]

Epic vlog Thomas! Weather and photography, my 2 favourites all in one video....brilliant!

[@kaifilbrandt8110]

Nice pics and a great vid, Tom! Loved watching it, looks like quite an adventure.

[@tonymurphy9112]

Love the music during the storm 🎶🎵

[@epstar83]

What an experience! I loved the first and the third images! The colour was sublime!

[@jamessharp1321]

I'm one of those in Oklahoma where alot of our storms happen. I love chasing storms but not really work for one of our Television local channels. I really in enjoy your photography and video bro.

[@knightd427]

I have been shooting lightning for over 10 years & even I felt a little anxiety watching you out in the open, so exposed during a storm. Getting a lot more opportunities for lightning here in Kentucky, I made it my number 1 rule to always shoot lightning from the relative safety of a hard top metal vehicle. I have ball heads that clamp on my side car windows and look for compositions in which I can safely shoot that way. My car has been struck twice in the last 10 years, but I've never been struck myself...knock on wood I never do.

[@DvjLuna]

Hello from the USA Thomas... I stumbled onto your video and really liked the content you put into this video. I love shooting pictures of lightning and being that I am in the south east corner of the USA in the state of Florida, we get a lot of intense thunderstorms here. Some of the lightning shots I successfully captured are quite stunning especially the ones that I get near the beach where I live. As I was watching your video, you had mentioned that it was one of the most difficult photo shoots you have taken on and I TOTALLY agree with that statement. I see that you have a great approach to the art of lightning photography and you got the right equipment for shooting great lightning shots. Try these settings and time frame and this will make things a lot easier to capture that EPIC lightning shot. First, shoot during the evening hours when you have low light conditions and gives you the greatest amount of contrast between the lightning and the ambient light. With your current lense that you used, set your F stop to around 10 to 15. I would not go any lower than F8 or F6. I would shoot at around 30 to 50mm focal point and use manual focusing where as the automatic focusing features tend to be inaccurate and takes longer. Use ISO around 100 to 400. No more than 400. White balance for cloudy weather. Don't use any ND filters as that will bring down the exposure too much. Set your shutter to anywhere form 5 to 20 seconds in length and then use a shutter release cable to keep your camera on your tripod as ABSOLUTELY still as possible. Lastly, there are great apps out there for your smart phone to see doppler radar to see where the storms are located at that moment in your location. Try to rear flank or side flank the storm whereas the storm will be moving away from you and wont be approaching you thus threatening you of getting yourself and your gear wet. More importantly, remaining safe and reducing your risk of getting hurt from a potential lightning strike. I hope some of my tips will be a guide to get you that AWESOME lightning shot. If you have any questions, feel free to message me through my profile and I will try to answer them with the best info I may have for your inquiry. Cheers form the USA. :)

[@maxxwellwalt]

Wow..!! Great video.. Amazing scenery, gorgeous images + @ 12:12 the music reminded me of Interstellar(the movie).

[@lonnieclemens8028]

The pictures are beautiful and you are using a very sharp lens. I always enjoy your videos.

[@skswany0419]

Great video! Come to America if you want to shoot storms. Images can be had from a safe distance ( usually). Love the first image you showed of the castle with the rain coming down. Wow! Just lovely!

[@fantomfoto]

Great vid Thomas! Lightning is so difficult to photograph, I've only managed to do it a few times. With your van so far away this technique would not work, however something I've found helpful in the Mojave desert and Death Valley is when I can get an acceptable roadside composition or somewhere just slightly off the road, I setup the camera/tripod and remote trigger it from inside my car using a intervalometer controlled by my iPhone. It keeps me relatively safe from the lightning being inside my car and there's potential to get some epic shots. I use an Alpine Labs "Pulse" on my Canon cameras for this and a Alpine Labs "Spark" on my Sony. I'm not sponsored by them or anything, I just really like their products. You can adjust settings through your phone and even review shots.

[@MadsPeterIversen]

Thoroughly enjoyed this episode! Also fantastic music you used near the end when hell broke loose! Those clouds looked gorgeous and frightening all at once! Pretty sure we had the same storm hit parts of Denmark. We also had thunder and an absolutely epic front of clouds hitting us. Thanks for the suggested video :)

[@Jacob-64]

Had a wee chuckle to myself @ 2.17 "A!!!" jaffa cake .....noone just eats one jaffa LOL LOL

[@eightdragonkings]

Your photography is getting better and better. I really like the understated simple, almost minimalist style you’re developing.

[@bugner01]

Excellent video Thomas. Those shots you took are amazing and such clean n simple compositions. You definitely need to do more lightning attempts. I’ve never attempted lightning photography but my best photos were during a massive storm so I’m going to give it a bash sometime here in Dorset. Thanks.

[@hugovangool]

Awesome video Tom, it looks quit scary! It's always surprising to see how quick the condition can change by this kind of weather.

[@Mindy-s-channel]

Wow! Thank you so much for Sharing this experience and process

[@OmriDavidson]

That was amazing, really enjoying your photography.

[@ChrisDavisStudio]

Great video, that storm was crazy! looks a bit like Embleton, shot a fashion editorial there recently, beautiful location.

[@wayfaringbroad7278]

Lol this made me laugh. A friend and I just spent a week around FL unintentionally doing exactly this. Storm chasing, getting soaked, and cleaning camera gear.

[@Jalexander61]

Always well done! Thanks for putting these together,,, I am learning so much!

[@krakentowa8727]

Shooting lightning is my favourite photography thing to do. I love it, unfortunately it just doesn’t happen often enough in Western Australia.

[@gregorsnell]

dude that intro with the backlight lightning was INSANE!!! Putting the gear to the ultimate test eh. Don't stop until the camera breaks.

[@TheNonsenseAdventures]

Dude, thats dedication, with how rubbish your internet was yesterday, still checking Mr Heaton's Vlog!! Lightning is on my list of "Want Shots"

[@ThomasHeatonPhoto]

Greg Snell Cheers, dude. It made Pata feel tame!

[@andyjamesmciver]

Oh the drama!! Had me hooked... well filmed.

[@rvboondocker2559]

Very fun Tom! Thanks for the cool adventure! Lightning scares the crap out of me too but I’m still looking for that money shot!

[@aidanjacqueline7089]

You should make a trip to the Canadian prairies with some storm chasers during tornado season. The clouds are magnificent and the lightning is stunning. You would have a blast.

[@Barbatian]

Absolutely fantastic shot on the 3rd one. Definitely worth the effort!! Great video as always. Loce it! :-)

[@MarkKellyPhotographyUK]

Full on action video, thats what we like, 10/10 for hanging around out there, some cool images to remember the trip with.....

[@adventuresbeforedementia3372]

Thomas, that was amazing, big respect to you....

[@johnallibon2792]

Great adventure and very good pics in adverse conditions. Always enjoyable.Well done. Rgds, JA.

[@simonpaterson84]

Wow! That looked scary but a lot of fun at the same time. Very well done for trying and I think you got still got some great dramatic images. Really enjoyed the video. Very exciting 👍

[@TheGeneralWaldo]

I love your style man :) . For me it feels so painterly the photos you take!