For many people, weather is just something that can make for a good day or can completely ruin your plans. However, others see weather in a different light and through a camera lens. These people strive to capture the beauty of nature when it is at its most unpredictable. Some of this unpredictability can lead to dangerous situations for weather photographers; however, the stunning photography that can come out of those dangerous situations can be worth the risk. Nature offers daring photographers excellent inspiration for their work in the form of storms and the damage left behind by them.

Clouds
The first sign of a storm, and the last thing to leave after one, are clouds . Photos of clouds can be simple or dramatic. Many photographers who choose clouds as a subject try to catalogue as many different types of clouds as possible; especially those at sunrise and sunset when the colors make clouds come alive. Cloud photos can truly show nature’s emotions - when and where they were taken can mean a lot or a little depending on the event. Many photos of the clouds that came before Hurricane Katrina are popular to this day because of the impact that storm would have on the southern US. But clouds don’t need to precede a natural disaster to be beautiful, relaxing, inspiring, or threatening.

Tornadoes
Many cloud photos are taken of forming tornadoes as they start to swirl in the sky. Tornadoes are the most unpredictable type of weather, and many can be destructive to whole communities or even deadly in some cases. There are two main types of tornadoes: cone and elephant trunk. Since each tornado carves its own path, and each has its own obstacles in its way, every one of them will be different in a myriad of ways. Experienced storm chasers can attest to the danger of tornadoes but they can also show you some beautiful and dramatic photos that made it worth it.

Hail
A type of weather that often accompanies tornadoes is hail . Simply put, hail is rain that has frozen into pellets before it’s reached the ground. Small hail for short periods of time can accumulate and make for excellent photos that show the beauty in it. Often times, however, hail is much larger in size and quantity and can create a lot of damage. Photos of hail should be taken from beneath or within a shelter to protect the photographer from getting hit, and everyone experiencing a hail storm should stay away from windows in case they break. Because of the damage possible with hail storms , the most dramatic ones are usually that of the aftermath.

Floods
Some areas of the US, or even the world, are more susceptible to flooding than others based on a myriad of reasons. The biggest factor, by far, is rain. Sometimes it doesn’t take much for a low-lying area to start flooding and sometimes it takes quite a bit but the rushing of water where once there was a community can make for very dramatic images of the chaos. The photos of the flooding aftermath are often filled with strong emotions as you see an area so thoroughly damaged by water and debris.

Lightning
Just like when kids rub their socked feet along the carpet for a bit and then touch someone on the ear to shock them, lightning is a release of electrostatic energy. Lightning storms happen constantly all around the world, but getting a good shot of a bolt of lightning is not easy. The flashes are so quick that by the time most human photographers would react and snap the photograph, the lightning is gone. Many photographers after photos of lightning use cameras that don’t have that reaction time and take the picture automatically. Specialized cameras can also lay multiple shots of lightning over one another to create an image that is truly stunning. Thunder, rain, and hail are just a few of the things that can accompany lightning so staying safe should be a priority.

Snow
Falling snow, and pristine rolling hills of it are beautiful to photograph. Many backdrops can add to the beauty and so can many times of day. Since snow can fall slowly or very quickly, and the size of the snowflakes can vary greatly, you’ll be hard pressed to find two photographs of snow that look exactly alike. In temperatures just cold enough to produce snow, the flakes may melt when they land, which can make for even more dramatic photographs . Cameras and other equipment should be kept dry or in waterproof cases to ensure melting snow won’t cause damage.

Tsunamis
Most tsunamis occur when an earthquake under the ocean floor causes movement in the ocean, creating the large wave. Because getting a photograph of a tsunami usually means being in it’s path, it can be very dangerous to take a picture as it’s happening. Most tsunami photos are of the devastating results or are taken from the air, like from a plane or helicopter. Tsunamis cannot be predicted because of the unpredictable nature of earthquakes, but there is usually a warning of some sort. Dramatic photos of tsunamis as they are happening are rare and that makes them even more stunning.

Storm Damage
Any dramatic photographs of weather events will convey meaning, emotion, and beauty. The pictures that usually catch the attention of the masses are those taken of the storm damage, once the storm has passed. Rain, hail, and snow can all be devastating in large quantities. And tornadoes, floods, and tsunamis are rarely without victims. Chronicling the storm damage in a way that makes it personal even to those who weren’t there helps aid agencies get help even from places not hit by the disaster and help unite communities, regions, and countries with a call for help. The wreckage left behind can be dangerous to trek through, but pictures of storm damage can help communities heal and rebuild while also remembering a significant time in their history.

Rainbows
Perhaps the most beautiful sight, and sometimes the only beautiful sight, after a storm will be rainbows. Moisture in the air creates water droplets that act as prisms for the sun’s light, creating the streaks of color  we look forward to. Photographing rainbows can be difficult if you can’t include a backdrop or foreground that has any meaning, but in most instances these things will be there and it’s just a matter of fitting them into the photo. Rainbows have come to have significant meaning in our world socially and culturally and they will always delight children and give adults a sense of peace.