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Then & Now Art®

Presents:

Limited Edition - Lightning Series
The Lord's Answer - Wausau, WI
Available in Acrylic

Hobby Turned Passion Project


Having a rich background in portrait photography, we learned early on that being well rounded would be the key success as an artist. Supplementally, it would also feed our creative minds. Bonus!

Photography can be a hobby for some and an art form for others. We take what we do serious and our side projects are no different.

Our Lightning Series started as a hobby and soon developed into a full blown obsession. Photography is always about the journey and not the destination. Constantly learning, evolving, and experimenting is what makes every shot worth the while.
The Lord's Wrath - Eau Claire, WI
Available in Acrylic

From The Artist:


“Mother Nature has always fascinated me, lightning in particular. During any given storm, I would find myself drifting off into thought about how powerful each bolt of electricity was.

Having always had a creative mind, it didn’t take long for me to start obsessing over the uniqueness of any given zap in the sky. The timing? It certainly did not seem easy. As a young budding photographer it seemed like the perfect challenge and I ready to accept.

Now, this was back in the days of film, long before digital took over. What am I getting at? Film was not cheap and “wasting” it became expensive really quick. I was forced (by my wallet) to get good at timing as quickly as possible.
The Lord's Inquiry - Wausau, WI
Available in Acrylic

Tread Lightly


Lightning photography is no easy task. To be honest it can be downright dangerous. Picking your shoot location becomes absolutely crucial both for the shot and your overall safety. Planning ahead is essential.

As daunting as it may sound, I’ve learned from experience that it is best to photograph lightning from the FRONT of the storm. Yes, this means getting in front of the storm and photographing each bolt of lightning as they moves towards you.

Having an exit plan is crucial in case things unexpectedly change. Once the storm gets on top of you, you have no choice but to move quick to a safer location.
Wausau, WI 2015
Wausau, WI 2014
Wausau, WI 2014
Eau Claire - 2012
Eau Claire - 2011
Chippewa Falls, WI 2012
Greenville, NC 2005
Green Bay, WI 2019
Wausau, WI 2016
Eau Claire, WI 2013
Wausau, WI 2015
Wausau, WI 2014

Dangers of Lightning Photography:


Shooting photos of nature's highly unpredictable bolts of electricity is not for the faint of heart.

Similar to storm chasing but with a different objective, it’s not the safest hobby out there. Knowing some basic safety tips can help you stay safe while in pursuit of that perfect shot:
  • Stay away from parking lots: Being in the elements and standing in a wet open parking lot is lightning strike recipe that you do NOT want to experience.
  • Sufficient shelter: Always make sure to have access to some sort of shelter. This will help keep you safe in case of an emergency. It will also help you and your equipment stay dry.
  • Escape plan: Ever seen the movie Twister? Storms are extremely unpredictable. One minute things may seem to be going as planned, the next minute you could be in an extremely volatile situation. Plan ahead!

Limited Edition Acrylic

Click To View

Then & Now Art®

Presents:
Lightning Series Collection

Hobby Turned Passion Project

Having a rich background in portrait photography, we learned early on that being well rounded would be the key success as an artist. Supplementally, it would also feed our creative minds. Bonus!

Photography can be a hobby for some and an art form for others. We take what we do serious and our side projects are no different.

This lighting series started as a hobby and soon developed into a full blown obsession. Photography is always about the journey and not the destination. Constantly learning, evolving, and experimenting is what makes every shot worth the while.

From The Artist:

“Mother Nature has always fascinated me, lighting in particular. During any given storm, I would find myself drifting off into thought about how powerful each bolt of electricity was.

Having always had a creative mind, it didn’t take long for me to start obsessing over the uniqueness of any given zap in the sky. The timing? It certainly did not seem easy. As a young budding photographer it seemed like the perfect challenge and I ready to accept.

Now, this was back in the days of film, long before digital took over. What am I getting at? Film was not cheap and “wasting” it became expensive really quick. I was forced (by my wallet) to get good at timing as quickly as possible.

Lightning photography is no easy task. To be honest it can be downright dangerous. Picking your shoot location becomes absolutely crucial both for the shot and your overall safety. Planning ahead is essential.

As dangerous as it may sound, I’ve learned from experience that it is best to photograph lightning from the FRONT of the storm. Yes, this means getting in front of the storm and photographing each bolt as they moves towards you.

Having an exit plan is crucial in case things unexpectedly change. Once the storm gets on top of you, you have no choice but to move quick to a safer location. No shoot is ever safe or easy but boy are the results worth it. Enjoy!”

Dangers of Lightning Photography:

Lightning photography is not for the faint of heart. It’s similar to storm chasing but with a different objective. It’s not the safest hobby, but knowing some basic safety tips can help you stay safe while in pursuit of that perfect shot:
  • Sufficient shelter: Always make sure to have access to some sort of shelter. This will help keep you safe in case of an emergency. It will also help you and your equipment stay dry.

  • Escape plan: Ever seen the movie Twister? Storms are extremely unpredictable. One minute things may seem to be going just the way you planned, the next minute you could be in an extremely volatile situation. Plan ahead!

  • Stay away from parking lots: Being in the elements and standing in a wet open parking lot is lightning strike recipe that you do NOT want to experience.

The Power of Mother Nature's Wrath

On one of my early lightning shoots, I was staked out on a friend’s porch late at night. Sheltered, out of the elements, and safe (or so I thought) I was working on timing the perfect shot.

Unfortunately, things didn’t go as planned and it seemed I would be getting skunked. Frustrated and irritated, I decided to call it a night. I left the porch and went inside to get some sleep.

During my shoot, about 3 feet to my right was a lovely bush in a nice pot. I remember, because I kept bumping into it as I moved into position for each shot.

The next morning I walked out on the porch. Plenty of sunshine and birds chirping. Looking around, I soon noticed that the bush was gone. Completely obliterated.

At some point toward the end of the storm, lightning had struck my friend’s porch and that bush more specifically. The picture you see is the remnants..

The soil turned to ash. The hard plastic of the pot, melted. If only I had photographed the bush beforehand… a “then & now” of nature’s wrath.

Be safe out there.
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