Today marks the 30th. anniversary of capturing the tornado image near Miami, TX that would eventually be used for the original motion picture
#Twister
. I shot this picture as the LP supercell painfully dropped golf-ball hail on me. On some frames, you can actually see hail
Here is another shot of the LP supercell that produced the Twister Movie image. I shot this wide angle image before moving closer and capturing the tornado that ended up on the movie poster. I was hammered on the head with golfball-sized hail as I took this picture. 5/94
#twister
Finally have a cell signal. Total insanity. Cyclone remote cam 1 was taken by surge. Ft. Meyers Beach is a disaster. Worked AM as S&R volunteer. Tragic scenes. Was in neck deep surge to the south. Will post footage soon.
#HurricaneIan
I don't recall a moment in storm chasing when I was so impressed by the unselfish actions of chasers during a disaster. Reed Timmer (and other chasers) transported injured residents to regional hospitals. Ryan Hall raised over $100k to help the victims.
@ryanhallyall
Remembering the 25th. anniversary of Twister. I will always be grateful to Warner Bros. for the opportunity to work with them on the film, including my poster image. I officially apologize for chuckling at the "ice-chip" hailstones during the premier in OKC.
#twister
#stormchaser
Remembering May 15, 1991. I captured this large tornado as it narrowly missed hitting Laverne, OK. It was rated F3, traveled for about 12 miles and was 900 yards wide at one point. My simple and fast forecast (inset), was one of my most accurate to date. (Luck mostly😇).
@GoldingBF
I think it's great to incorporate younger people into the design and research of such technology. However, there is a reason most top-of-the-line airline pilots and heart surgeons are over 40-50 years old. There are some professions where "experience" outweighs knowledge.
@LiveStormChaser
Sorry to hear this. Mike has always impressed me with his no-nonsense reporting. As some of you know, I've had my issues with TWC, so he might be better off with a new provider.
With the SW Monsoon going into full hyperdrive tomorrow (6-20), it's time to post image no. 2 of my Top 100. Nicknamed "Wildthing," I shot this on 7-31-89.' I became obsessed with finding an isolated thunderhead dropping lightning at sunset, and my patience finally hit the
The "Dimmitt Sisters" encountered in June of 1995 comes in at photo number 35 of my Top 100. At one point, there were 4-5 landspouts and one larger tornado occurring at the same time with this supercell. I'll post the video in the future. I reported this rare event to the NWS in
Several people have asked me to post a "Top 100" photos list from the last 35+ years of
#stormchasing
and extreme weather
#exploration
/
#photography
. So here you go... no 100, Tornado near Simla, CO on June 4, 2015. I'll post more in a spontaneous manner. 🤠
#NaturePhotography
My Top 100 continues with number 5. Captured near Miami, TX on May 29, 1994. I would have never imagined at the time that this image would end up as the main marketing picture for the original
#Twister
motion picture. The final 4 are coming soon!
#Twisters
#tornado
#texas
Please don't post unconfirmed wording like "the town is gone," or there is "nothing left." I'm seeing a lot of these comments on X and other sites. People often have friends and families in these towns. Confirmed damage or images are fine, but rumors are not good.
"The Devil's Finger" comes in at number 21 on my Top 100 countdown. This is ultimate stretching of vorticity! This little demon touched down near McLean, TX in June of 1997. I also shot 35mm motion picture footage of this scene, which was the first time in history a
#tornado
was
As noted, did not want to ruin the
#eclipse
moment, so attached my iPhone to a pole with a rubber band and did a time lapse. Nothing crazy. One of the top ten things I have ever witnessed in my life.
@rawsalerts
All this "verification" is just another way to make money. It's going to totally drive people away to free sites. If they want to do this, they should remove all advertising on the site.
We are down to the last three of my Top 100 pictures. No 3 was captured near Attica, KS on May 29, 2004. At the time, in the marketing world of stock photography, this would be considered as an almost perfect tornado image. I made the very wise decision to stop where I was (as
@joshuagates
@OceanGate
Thanks for making a smart decision, not only for yourself, but for those considering similar adventures involving questionable creditably and /or non-certified engineering.
Hard to believe it was 33 years ago tonight that I captured the photograph that would launch my career as a full-time storm photographer. The image shows a lightning bolt striking a light pole 400 feet away. Life Magazine published the image and the rest is history.
Finally got a storm where I wanted it last night in
#Tucson
. The precipitation bomb to the right of the rain shaft, caused major tree damage at my home -- all while I was feasted upon by thousands of blood-thirsty
#mosquitoes
. All in all, a good night.
#azwx
#naturephotography
@elonmusk
LOL.... it's a prop from a movie. Just found it amazing that so many people were fooled. I was using this as an example of how people are so quick to assume anything they see on Twitter is genuine. 🤠
My Top 100 pictures of all time continues with an F3
#tornado
that
#TomWillett
and I intercepted near Laverne, OK on May 15th, 1991. We went through multiple rolls of film (as it was done back then), to make sure we had at least one sharp image, given the low light and desire to
@AaronRigsbyOSC
Hi Aaron... Here is the original image I shot near Miami, TX on May 29, 1994. The studio added the image of Bill and Helen running like crazy as the building explodes. I would have turned around and shot a few frames if I was them. 🤪
Another Fuji Film wonder shot from the early 90's, south of
#Tucson
. No 40 of my Top 100 pictures. Shots like this were a "one-frame" risk in the days of film. There was no "Photoshop" to correct under-or-over exposed frames.
#fuji
#lightning
#weather
#landscapephotography
Storm chaser recalls the day a house landed on a Kansas highway: "I was traveling east near Liberal when I hit a road block. A teenage girl with a small dog said the house was "picked up by a twister." When I departed, a woman dressed in all black was arguing about her shoes."
Was driving out to chase when I saw a baby packrat trapped in the middle of an intersection, running back- and-forth avoiding cars. I waited until the intersection safely cleared, stopped and got out of the car. It ran right up to me. I grabbed it and let it go in a safe spot.
A "bulber" is captured south of
#Tucson
#Arizona
in the mid-1990's, hitting the charts at no. 28 of my Top-100 images of all time. Yes, Fuji 50 film. Likely a 30 sec. to 1 min exposure at f5.6 /f8 on a 6x45cm Mamiya format. No filters, just natural light. Make sure to follow me
I swear.. I tried so hard not to post two of my Top 100 images on the same day, but resistance is futile when it comes to my storm picture countdown! No. 71. Shot in the mid-90's. Bolts hitting the western end of the Santa Catalina's in
#Tucson
. Fuji 50 film.
#lightning
We are down to number 25 of my 100 favorite pictures. I found this rogue twister roaming the countryside near Simla,
#Colorado
on June 4, 2015. Two of my private tornado
#expedition
clients had a front row seat to an extraordinary event. Follow me for the last 24 pictures!
Image no 65 of my Top 100. I'm often asked about the most destructive tornado damage I've ever witnessed. The answer is the Joplin, MO EF-5 tornado on May 22, 2011. The winds were so strong, "one of the hospital's towers (seen in the distance) was rotated four inches on its
No. 93 of my Top 100. I decided to include one self-portrait, mainly because of the story behind the image. During the May 2004 outbreak, I shot
#tornadoes
for three days. On day two, I planned this shot in the AM, including the perspective. I was lucky to find the envisioned
After taking a break from posting my Top 100 images of all time, it's back to the countdown with number 38. The Joplin tornado in May of 2011 produced some of the most intense damage I have ever witnessed. One can only imagine the force required to wrap a heavy-duty truck frame
Found this image in the "lost scan" pile today. Back in the day, before Photoshop, any defect in a frame was a disaster and basically ruined a shot that could potentially bring in 5-figure loot. The aircraft (light trails) going though the frame here would have "killed" this
Nicole did not disappoint! Hit by massive, rogue, surge wave in Vero Beach just as daylight was fading. Took an hour to remove sand from body and gear. HurricaneNicole
#verobeach
#nicole
#monsterenergy
@Skstormchaser
@GibranMarquez7
@ratzlaff
Yes, avoid all the vultures looking to capitalize off this video for free. Charge them at least $1,000 per use and for their own use only, no "partners" or 3rd. parties. Require them to place your copyright on the footage.
Very little information coming out of the
#Medford
region last PM / this AM. This has to be the most negligent news reporting I have ever seen with a natural disaster. Local stations had zero information last night. Shame on you. People are begging for information.
#OregonFires
Another scan is done! This is a 115 mb (cropped) scan of lightning hitting a tree behind my house. Not too often you can work from your second story patio with a beer in your hand. The upward streamers really came out in this scan.
#Lightning
#cyclonecowboy
#NaturePhotography
Another new scan converted to b/w. This was shot near Greensburg, KS on June 9, 2009. The storm was getting quite dangerous until a front / boundary undercut the base.
#stormphotography
#weather
#cyclonecowboy
I'd hate to be a television meteorologist today in the out-looked areas. You KNOW people are going to lose their minds when the Superbowl is interrupted for warnings.
Throwback Thursday. I just discovered this brief clip that I thought was long lost. It shows the ending stage of the 5-29-94 Miami, TX tornado. The same event that produced the
#TwisterMovie
photograph a little earlier. I'm glad my priority back then was still images first.
Number 85 of my Top 100. This image illustrates the reason why photographers drive zillions of miles on a whim and a dream. It's not always the tornado of a lifetime, but rather, a chance encounter at the end of the day. W. of AMA TX 1990's.
#Fuji
#Velvia
50 film.
I'm under the impression that we have reached the upper limits of warning people in advance of violent weather. Outlooks days in advance, local media coverage, social media, weather alerts on phones, watches, warnings, sirens, etc.
Number 8 of my Top 100 takes us NE of Hastings, NE on May 24, 2004. I always wanted to capture a "Wizard of OZ" tornado. I was so mesmerized, I almost lost track of the storm/tornado as it neared. A tornado outbreak from May 21 - May 31 produced some 389 twisters. It was one of
Top 100 pictures, No. 80. As a journalist, I'm always looking for images that tell a story. I snapped this image during search & rescue efforts in Moore, OK, following the May 20, 2013 EF5 tornado. Twenty four people survived the
#tornado
in this bank vault. Story link below:
Throwback Thursday: Chilling in a low budget New Mexico motel circa 1989 after a chase. No cell phones, no laptops, no Twitter, no radar. Just maps, a beer and an old TV with 6 channels. The motel eventually burned to the ground, taking the lives of several million bugs.
The "Brainstorm" comes in at number 36 of my top 100 images. This unexpected thunderhead popped up at twilight, so I had to climb to the roof of my home and grab a couple of quick time exposures. Mid-1990's, Fuji Velvia film. Likely a 30-60 second exp. at f5.6.
Successful tornado intercept after a fun sprint from Hobbs to SE Colorado. Was able to capture the "Son of Campo" tornado before sunset. My wife grabbed this image as I kept an eye on radar. Thanks to my crew for some excellent work.
#tornado
#stormchasing
#Colorado
The "Smelter Melter" comes in at number 30 of my Top 100 Images. I shot this near San Manuel, AZ in the late 90's. The "megabolt" is seen hitting a copper smelter. (Not altered, natural light from long exposure on Fuji 50 film - f5.6 @ 1 min.) 🤠
#landscapephotography
#lightning
Was editing some images for a speaking engagement next year and came across this new scan of an older image. I love the "claw" bolt grabbing the mountainside to the left.
#lightning
#NaturePhotography
#
@xWxClub
@Piclogy
Here we go! My Top 100 finishes with No 1. The shot that launched my career as an extreme weather journalist / photographer. Shot on October 16, 1988 in Tucson, AZ. The story is too long and detailed to post here, so here is a link to the text:
#lightning
New scan from my "lost files." This was one of the very last images I shot on 35mm Velvia before switching to digital cameras. I should have departed this high vantage point, as another bolt hit even closer. Hint... in the top 20. Likely a 15-20 sec. exposure at f 5.6 / 8.
Noticed
#Tucson
was trending for some reason. Just happened to be scanning the "lost image files" and found this never before seen
#lightning
image shot near Tucson. (Marana). Another Fuji film freakazoid, likely f5.6-f8 at 30 sec to 1 min.
#landscapephotography
#weather
Photo no 37 of my top 100. This was my first attempt to capture a "light bulb" thunderhead in the late 1980's. I had witnessed such events, but there were few, if any, images at the time. Although this shot did not produce what I wanted, it's color and simplicity was acceptable.