Wednesday, August 8, 2012

rain, thunder and lighting oh my...

It has been a very unusual monsoon this summer.
The storms are acting somewhat different in the way some of them are forming.
But we have had a lot of rain this summer unlike the last two years
so I can not complain.
This Monday storm looks and felt more like some of the storms
I remember from when I was growing up in Tucson. 


Monday storm at 7pm.


looking west from my home

same storm different setting 

It only took me 50 photos to get this lighting strike, with my little point and click it is hard.
I count from the last strike and thunder and click, sometimes it works and sometimes (lots) it doesn't.
Out of all the photos I have taken over the last five years,
I have only gotten two lighting strikes this way.
And some very tired arms !
This storm was very slow moving and there was lighting strikes all around.
At 9pm it was over my home thundering and lighting strikes hitting everywhere.
The Square Ones slept through it, such great guard doggies !
I love these crazy storms.

If you look to the left see the sparkles and bright spots on the lower part of the cloud....
thats lighting striking behind and insides the clouds.

another setting of the same view.

lighting. . . parsnip
music... Riders On The Storm, The Doors
what else would I play ?
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19 comments:

  1. Hello Gayle:
    These really are amazing images and we think the one of the lightning strike, finally achieved(!!), to be most dramatic. There is something very fascinating about storms such as this one although when too close at hand we find them just a little bit frightening!

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    1. After moving to Tucson from Chicago as a child I grew up around these summer storms.
      I just am in awe of them now, instead of being mad that I must come in an get out of the pouring rain and lighting when I was a child and playing outside

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  2. I saw that awesome cloud Monday evening! I love your pictures, I've never been able to capture a lightening strike. Some people suggest shooting a movie of lightening and taking a still frame from the movie, but I haven't tried it yet.

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    1. I just found the movie button on my little point and click. I have used it twice when getting photos of The Square Ones.... why I didn't think about this last night for the storms I will never know ?
      Such a good idea. Now I can't wait for the next storm !

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  3. Bravo for the lightning strike! Fabulous, dramatic skies.

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    Replies
    1. It really was a great evening.
      Are you back from London ? It sounds like you had a fabulous visit to the Olympics !

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  4. Ooh, looks quite an evil storm! but I know you need rain where you are. Hope the 2 little ones don't mind storms.

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  5. Not so much evil as exciting. These types of storms can be either quiet and very soothing or loud like this one.

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  6. i've never gotten the lightening shot, tried many times though!

    boyswhereareyoutodaynapping?eatingchickenstrips?playingwithtoys?yert!

    smiles, bee
    xoxoxoxoxoxo

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  7. I can smell that storm. Nice photos!

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    1. Yes, the air has smelled so lovely and the mountains are so green that you really can see the saguaros on the hillside.

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  8. Hi there. I've just joined your site. I've seen your name amongst comments on others' blogs and thought I'd check you out! A lot of my followers seem to be yours too. Love the photos, the dogs and your sketch at the top. Am off to investigate further.....

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    Replies
    1. I have stopped by your blog too. I try to tell everyone that I read them all, some times it takes a day or so but I always don't comment. I love blog that are in places I have traveled to or would like too.
      Thanks so much for stopping by.

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  9. Replies
    1. In the desert our two small rainy seasons are very much appreciated.

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  10. Very beautiful when looking at it on a computer screen knowing you're not going to get wet.

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    Replies
    1. When you are a desert dweller one stands in the rain. It is like gold to us.

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  11. Very dramatic skies. We've finally been getting rain the last couple of days, off and on, just when we need it. Hopefully it stays around a few days...

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    1. So glad to know you have gotten some rain...
      It has been a bad summer all around. My friends in the UK are flooding and most of the US is having drought conditions.
      Hope all is getting better for you.

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