It’s pictures like these that make me a) want to do more photography, b) feel more in awe of nature than I already am, and c) wonder how the photographer didn’t pack up his gear and run away screaming. But thank goodness the talented storm chasers didn’t run away, they actually witnessed a very rare event, up close.
This astounding image was shot by photographers Francis Schaefers and Daniel Burger when they were chasing a thunderstorm along a beach in Vlissingen, the Netherlands. Chasing a storm along a beach. The best bit of the SpaceWeather.com article comes right at the end, where it says that Schaefers and Burger took a series of shots from “underneath a balcony where they figured the lightning wouldn’t reach.”
Let me emphasise that last bit: underneath a balcony.
Balls of steel comes to mind. For me, nothing less than a reinforced bunker surrounded by lightning rods will do.
Anyway, back to why this image is so fantastic. When lightning strikes the ground, if you are able to get the timing perfect, you might be able to capture ‘upward streamers’ rising from the ground to meet the leading edge of the bolt, as NASA lightning expert Richard Blakeslee explains:
Streamers reach upward from the water.
“In a typical cloud-to-ground lightning strike, as the leader approaches the ground, the large electric field at the leader tip induces these upward propagating streamers. The first one that connects to the downward propagating leader initiates the bright return stroke that we see with our eye. Upward streamers are often observed on photographs of lightning hitting the ground.”
It’s hard to imagine if this streamer phenomenon has been observed to reach out from water before, but this Dutch example must be very rare. It’s hard enough to photograph lightning streamers on solid ground, let alone on the surface of a body of water.
In case you weren’t already amazed, check out this shot. It’s called The Cruise You Don’t Want to Take for very obvious reasons:
This astounding image was shot by photographers Francis Schaefers
and Daniel Burger when they were chasing a thunderstorm along a beach in
Vlissingen, the Netherlands. Chasing a storm along a beach. The best
bit of the SpaceWeather.com article comes right at the end, where it
says that Schaefers and Burger took a series of shots from “underneath a
balcony where they figured the lightning wouldnt reach”.
Fabulous photographs, stunning atmosphere!!! nice work!!You give nice effect in these photographs.I like your art of photography.
Thanks. wedding photographers bristol
astroengine.com 
Something to think about the next time you take a cruise!
wow thats wonderful lighting, it is really? and i'm very interested. how do you take this photo? are you not fear with lightning
F-ing crazy
how can you just stand there and watch while your whole life could be in danger!! I would just run and take cover!! soo scary but awesome
PENISES!!!! I LIKE PENISES!!!!! PENISES!!! I LIKE PENISES!!!!
Nice picture, but probably scared the pee out of the photographer.Benjamin Koshkin
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awsome man
Oh my god, it's very nice. Where did you get that? Really amazing
classic shot- difficult to get the exposure on lighting
what exposure was this taken at?
If you were an electron in lightningm where would you be?a. In the main boltb. In the streamsI choose A.
Someone wants the dead divers
Awesome photo. Love to know what camera settings you shot this. Its an amazing image.
Brilliant image. The lightning is such a dominant force of nature. Its a in a million shot. Cool site!
thatis relly relly frecky
Fantastic…Good Picture..I Like It visit http://rasauhijau.blogspot.com
will that happen on the futer to us
My god !!!!!!!!!!!!! I just amazed . What the power of the nature is !!!!!!!!! stunning pictures
This astounding image was shot by photographers Francis Schaefers
and Daniel Burger when they were chasing a thunderstorm along a beach in
Vlissingen, the Netherlands. Chasing a storm along a beach. The best
bit of the SpaceWeather.com article comes right at the end, where it
says that Schaefers and Burger took a series of shots from “underneath a
balcony where they figured the lightning wouldnt reach”.
Fabulous photographs, stunning atmosphere!!! nice work!!You give nice effect in these photographs.I like your art of photography.
Thanks.
wedding photographers bristol
That’s one of the most impressive photos of lightning I’ve ever seen.
Now that is what i call a lighting attack! Amazing pictures