This was an interesting chase, in fact it was not so much of a chase as much as it was an outing just to see some lightning. It’s always a tough call to drive 2 hours in any direction just for the potential that there might be something that might make for a possibly interesting photo.
There was a meso-low developing over central lake Huron and storms were expected to initiate along a boundary near the centre. While I was driving up there was nothing, but the HRRR painted a pretty picture. I left my home around 8PM and arrived in Wasaga Beach around 9:30PM.
There really was not much to do so I started to photograph the midway and other things while I waited for the storms which eventually began to fire off around 11PM.
Two carnival rides spin in the night.
Just having a little more fun here, I was waiting for a cluster of thunderstorms to cross the bay and this was a fun way of passing the time.
The spinning lights and the angle of the Starship 3000 banner produced this nicely balanced and composed image.
I usually try and use a wide lens, at least something in the under 70mm range to capture lightning. This time, I decided to try my hand at some well placed tight shots.
Luck was on my side, and this bolt dropped from sky in the center of my frame.
One of my best lightning photos to date. Somehow, this photo just framed itself, talk about luck! It even knocked out power to Collingwood, after this, the distant shoreline turned dark.
This was an isolated cell tracking SE across the southern shore of Georgian Bay from Meaford towards Collingwood and eventually it impacted Wasaga Beach forcing me to run for cover.
A couple seeks shelter as a heavy downpour strikes the beach. Shortly before this image was taken I too had to run for cover, I hate rain and I hate being a wet lightning target too!
This is a single exposure, after the first cluster of storms passed a line began to sag along the bay and and slowly creep south. This 68 second exposure saw many bolts pop out of the storm.