As severe weather slowly finds its way onto the High Plains, my focus shifts from teaching the science of hazardous weather to building new artistic interpretations of it. The first thunderstorms in Colorado have been gentle foreshadowing of the ferocious supercells and monsoonal storms that are yet to come. With them comes my most challenging and exciting year of storm chasing yet. For the last several years, my photography has been shifting. Gradually fading away are traditional formats, perspectives, and approaches; I have found that traditional storm chasing leaves little room for the artist, even though it works well for my colleagues who venture into the Central Plains for scientific observation. I have also realized that the 3:2 framed boxes hanging on my wall leave me feeling quite unsatisfied, likely because something as immense as our atmosphere refuses to be boxed. As my vision changes to something more immersive, so must my artistic workflow. Over half a year of planning (aka, staring at the wall) has finally enabled me to do something about all this. Since November, I have been acquiring, testing, and tweaking all sorts of techniques and equipment that allow me an unprecedented view into the atmosphere. Colleagues from several states, China, Canada, Japan, and a myriad of other locations have been helping me put it all together. Letting go of an established workflow is always challenging, but once I realized it was not helping me fulfill my vision, there was simply no possible way I could continue with it. I take some comfort in knowing this is growth, albeit into uncharted territory. I am quite literally treading new ground every day now, and new ground requires much previsualization, a little experimentation, and some new rubber. So, in the spirit of John Muir and the western wilderness, I am trading some pursuit for patience, some precision technology for careful observation, and some tires for a new pair of Brooks. Speaking of, it’s time for one last run in the snow.
Tired of getting pushed around by your camera? Want to enjoy the photographic arts rather than fighting with technology? Join me on September 22nd and 23rd (Saturday and Sunday) for “Introduction to Digital Photography: The Basics.” Registration is now open, but limited. I only allow eight students into the class because I want to maximize personal interaction with each student. Whether you’re just starting out with a point-and-shoot camera, or you’re a more advanced shooter with a digital SLR, this class will help you become a better photographer. We will spend the first day learning the basics of shooting in the beautiful foothills around Boulder, Colorado, and the second day learning how to edit and organize in a state-of-the-art visualization studio. Our class topics will include basic composition, aperture, shutter speed, ISO, focusing, and others as decided by the students.
