Monsoon!

[Dennis Ernst]

This afternoon we began getting thunder clouds building up over the San Rita Mountains in southern Arizona. I took these shots to give you a feel for what the call "monsoons" here. These were shot from my back porch.









The lightning flicker to a constant drum roll of thunder as the storm moved in. Lightening struck trees 100 yards from my home!

Enjoy!

Dennis

 

[Pete Askew]

Wow, now that is dramatic and the light in the last two is amazing. I love the painterly rendering of the last three very much. Nice.

 

[Rob MacKillop]

Love the sweep pf the second one, Dennis. Like a giant oil painting. Wonderful stuff.

 

[Dennis Ernst]

The light was much better than the pictures show. As this was late in the evening when the sun was low, light often reflects between layers of clouds give each one a little different color. Where I was on my porch was still mostly clear sky until just before the cloud moved over me.

It is hard to process a digital image and try to get the look you see when your there. I tried shooting a some pretty low speeds to try to capture some of the driving rain but little really shows in the images.

As the storm moved in the temperature dropped from about 90 to mid 70's in about 5 minutes. I finally had to go in as the wind was blowing the rain sideways and my camera just isn't that waterproof.

 

[Aldous Lau]

I specially like the second and third, nice shots Dennis

 

[Beth Carter]

monsoon? lol, that's what we called every tuesday for the past three months. and thursday. and most mondays, wednesdays and fridays.

beautiful clouds, i especially like the perspective in number 3, the clouds have formed that perfect pathway pointing to the horizon and mountains in the distance.

 

[Pete Askew]

Does it never rain at the weekends then Beth?!

 

[Dennis Ernst]

Rain is a big deal in Arizona. Our average rain fall is only about 12 inch a year. For over 300 days a year the sky is clear. That mean sunset and sunrises will be pretty bland as there is nothing for the light to reflect off of. Photographers here look forward to any day with a few clouds in the sky, otherwise it just the same old boring blue..

Here is a sunset without clouds:



Now the same mountains with just a few clouds:



Then with some more dramatic clouds:



It may not be much but every little bit helps.

 

[Beth Carter]

Does it never rain at the weekends then Beth?!

is it wrong to admit i usually don't remember? [doh]

- - - Updated - - -

Rain is a big deal in Arizona. Our average rain fall is only about 12 inch a year. For over 300 days a year the sky is clear. That mean sunset and sunrises will be pretty bland as there is nothing for the light to reflect off of. Photographers here look forward to any day with a few clouds in the sky, otherwise it just the same old boring blue..

every other year we've been fairly dry, though not as dry as the southwest. this year is the odd exception. we've had up to 10" in a day recently. but we don't get dramatic sunrises or sunsets, mainly cause of pollution and city lights.

 

[Aldous Lau]

Dennis, really love the #1 sunset without clouds