It Rained!

A Texas Meadow Lark seems to be singing because we actually got some rain!

We've been so dry for so long that our only forecast has been for wildfires. Although it wasn't exactly a drought-buster, we did get over an inch of precipitation and every drop helps.

I guess washing my car did pay off after all!

Purple Wave

Don't like the weather? - Just wait a few.

It is wonderful to me that when one finds the "perfect storm" how it changes and can give you many, many different photo opportunities that differ greatly from each other if one just waits awhile.

Especially at "magic time" AKA: sunset.

With the rapidly changing lighting conditions, more details and wonderful hues appear.

As the sky grew darker, I put my camera on a tripod, adjusted the exposure and kept shooting, even though my camera was telling me that the light was gone.

By just lengthening the exposure time ( taking the camera off auto) I'm able to trick the camera into thinking there is more light than there is. Keep in mind though, this does have the tendency to increase noise or grain in the photo

However, if you know your PhotoShop filters you can reduce the noise to something acceptable.

See photo below as an example of how even though the Sun was practically gone, you can still shoot and get beautiful results.

Don't be afraid to take your camera off AUTO!

-Steve

Another View

Orange Waves

A Simply Amazing Storm

Yesterday we were expecting severe weather, but really didn't get any. However we did get some storms to the south of us.

Hoping that they might move up into the city, I headed to my friend Ken Hanson's place on the Claude Highway that gives an excellent view of the southern sky.

When I got there, Ken was flying his parasail kite. I gave it a try and it nearly lifted this big ol' boy off the ground. The winds were picking up from the south and it smelled like rain, something we haven't seen here in a long,long time.

I then noticed a band of storms to the south and southeast. The photographer part of me suddenly realized that the sun was setting soon and should light up the storms bright orange.

Ken and I jumped in our car and raced east hoping to find a place without telephone wires or any other obstructions to mar any photographs.

We turned down a country road and were greeted with an amazing sight.

The setting sun was hitting the underside of the storm anvils which were dripping with rolling mammatus.

The entire storm was also twisting in on itself like a huge wave crashing on a beach.

We shot until way after the sun set and the results are posted here. Follow this link: http://www.webbfeatproductions.com/panS.jpg - or click on the title of this post to see a bigger version of the panoramic image.

So no tornados, but you really don't need them to show you just how dramatic and epic the skies in the Texas Panhandle can be.
Not only that, but as a result of this storm system, later that night these same storms turned into a huge wave of good old soaking rain that will turn the Great Plains green again and stop the wild fires -- at least for a little while.

-Steve Douglass