Tucson Lightning

Photograph Story | Tucson Lightning

I anticipated monsoon season, while living in Arizona, for months. The cooler temperatures would surely be welcome, but I also had a great deal of excitement around the photographs I might be able to capture. Enhanced sunsets, lightning strikes, water in the desert landscape, dramatic clouds and pops of color from the flowers and greenery that come with the rain.

As luck would have it, there was a nice clearing at the edge of my neighborhood where many of the storms came rolling in, over the mountains. I spent many evenings walking to this lookout point to see the sunset colors and distant lightning strikes.

When I captured the Tucson Lightning photograph, the storm was approaching quickly. I noticed the lightning bolts were coming in pairs, about two seconds apart from one another, almost every time. Without a tripod to set up a long exposure shot, I knew the likelihood of capturing the first bolt of lightning was a slim chance. I could, however, time for the second strike, given the rhythm of the storm.

I stood with my feet in a wide stance for extra stability and held my arms close to my chest with my camera pressed against my left cheek. I would watch through the viewfinder and when I saw the first lightning bolt, I would count and press the shutter button, while holding my breath, two seconds later. Admittedly, I missed several lightning strikes before capturing this photograph. Having patience to keep trying paid off.

I ended up running back to my house in the dark as the storm quickly rolled into my neighborhood.