The Tonight Show Starring Mother Nature

Who needs Netflix when Mother Nature routinely puts on such dramatic performances? Capturing her in all her electric majesty requires a keen eye … and more than a little patience.

The Watchman: lightning illuminating an empty lifeguard stand
The Watchman. "Capturing lightning in single-exposures sometimes means waiting, which gives me time to reflect. Seeing the empty lifeguard stand illuminated here reminded me of my years as a lifeguard and paramedic."
Fishing Trip: a bolt striking behind boats in a marina
Fishing Trip. "I love boats, and it's clear I love storms, but this is the only way I like to experience them together. This was captured in a single exposure at my favorite beach town marina."
Beach Burn: a storm rolling in over the dunes at night
Beach Burn. "This single exposure night scene reminded me of The Wizard of Oz for some reason. The storm and lightning were intense and the wind was howling. If only Dorothy had been a beach girl."
Amethyst Strike: a violet bolt striking the Gulf
Amethyst Strike. "This 'six-miler' illuminated the Gulf like sunshine in the night. It also raised my heart rate a little."
Thors Hammer: lightning inside a cloud shot straight overhead
Thor's Hammer. "I captured this single exposure shot with my lens pointed directly overhead. It not only reminded me of a heavenly nebula, but also to leave the beach immediately."
Night Dream: a single distant bolt seen through a telephoto lens
Night Dream. "This was captured late one night with a 200mm telephoto lens over 70 miles out in the Gulf. When I witness a single bolt like this, I think of weather as Mother Nature's masterpiece."
Abandon: a massive strike over the water
Abandon. "This massive strike nearly blinded me. I try to be safe, but I think I threw caution to the wind to get this one."

Photography by Susan Gunn · Learn more at susangunnphotography.com and follow her electrifying adventures on Instagram @susangunnphotography · Originally published in Beach Happy Magazine, Issue 2