In a previous article, I mentioned how photographers mistakenly avoid bad weather when drama can be found in it.  Beauty can be found there, too.

In August 2009, a weakened tropical storm Danny meandered onto the North Carolina Outer Banks with high surf, winds, heavy lightning and rain.  I saw this as another opportunity to capture dramatic images, so I headed out into the incoming storm a few hours before sunrise.

I was at Bodie Island lighthouse about an hour before sunrise.  Because of the storm, there was no “sunrise” that morning of course, but the weather conditions were severe with constant lightning, heavy rain and wind.  Battling the elements, I used the opportunity to shoot lots of pictures for what was probably a couple of hours.

The fine art photography prints below were part of that effort.  The lighthouse was still lighted as the storm moved quickly overhead.  I hand-painted the images into an original (digital) PhotoArt piece.  I also created a hand-painted version in an oil painting style, but it is not posted here because at the size images are posted on the web, the brush strokes and textures cannot be seen.

Included here are wide angle and normal versions.  Some people do not like wide angle shots because of the distortion, but that is exactly why I do like them.  To me, the abstract qualities of a wide angle image adds drama and interest.

Prints are available. See this print and more drama in the New Work Gallery:
Newest fine art photography.

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Bodie lighthouse on the Outer Banks during a tropical storm; Wide angle.

Bodie lighthouse Outer Banks during a tropical storm - normal angle.