The Raw Power of Mother Nature!

Here in Western Washington our usual thunderstorms are very brief and pretty wimpy compared to so many other places on the planet. But last night was a HUGE exception! With the forecast for powerful thunderstorms coming up from the south riding up the spine of the Cascade Mountains I headed up to a favorite mountain top spot, but the road had a new gate near the top. So I headed back down and went up to a different location, quickly got out and setup. I've never photographed lighting before and would have been happy just to see a bolt or two, but all in all I got what I was really hoping for!

With a commanding view looking to the east, south, and west I was surrounded by lightning all around. Later I turned facing north to see the back side of the storm clusters and just watched in utter amazement until I fell asleep from exhaustion. What an exhilarating night of shooting!