Photographing lightning storms is a challenging task due to their short duration. Arizona photographer Lori Bailey relies on camera sensors to capture lightning flashes because her brain simply can’t react fast enough. However, luck also plays a crucial role in capturing these breathtaking moments. Despite doing everything right, sometimes the cards just don’t fall in her favor.
Bailey admits that she enjoys the adrenaline rush of being close to lightning when she manages to capture it. When conditions align, she shares her spectacular results online. Lightning bolts are both beautiful and dangerous, making them one of nature’s most captivating yet misunderstood phenomena.
Inside a storm cloud, ice crystals and slushy droplets collide, resulting in positive and negative charges. This charge imbalance eventually leads to a bolt of lightning. While most lightning stays within the clouds or jumps from one cloud to another, the bolts that interest people the most are the ones that shoot down to the ground, or at least appear to do so.
According to lightning physicist Phillip Bitzer, there are several common misconceptions about lightning. Contrary to beliefs, lightning can strike the same place multiple times, it doesn’t necessarily hit the tallest object, and lightning strikes are not as rare as winning the lottery. With around 1.4 billion bolts hitting the Earth each year, lightning strikes are more common than people may think.
Unfortunately, lightning strikes can have severe consequences for those who experience them. Shana Turner, a survivor of a lightning strike during a sudden storm, suffered memory issues, heart problems, and even personality changes. However, she finds solace in connecting with other lightning survivors and realizing that she’s not alone in her symptoms.
To minimize the risk of getting hit by lightning, it’s recommended to seek shelter indoors or stay in a car. While lightning striking humans directly is a threat, the real danger lies in lightning-caused wildfires. These fires often occur in remote locations, making it difficult to detect and contain them immediately.
Despite our advancements in understanding lightning, there is still much to learn. Lightning phenomena are often fleeting, lasting for just milliseconds. Scientists like Bitzer are continuously developing instruments and technologies to study lightning, including a lightning camera on the International Space Station. Mapping lightning activities can serve practical purposes, such as predicting severe weather and aiding in aviation safety.
Eight years after her lightning strike, Shana Turner continues to fight for her recovery. She refuses to let the brain damage hinder her progress and remains determined to overcome the challenges it presents. Similarly, Arizona photographer Lori Bailey finally experienced the stroke of luck she had been seeking in capturing lightning moments, and she couldn’t help but feel alive and energized by the power of Mother Nature.
In conclusion, photographing lightning requires not only technical skills and equipment but also patience, luck, and a deep appreciation for the powerful and awe-inspiring forces of nature.
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