Photographer Scott Blair knows a thing or two about shooting out in the elements. Blair is a landscape photographer and meteorologist. He’s also a prolific road warrior who uses his knowledge of weather to capture shots that feature perfectly lit (or ominous) skies with beautiful landforms. His motivation? To share “the stunning sights and sense of adventure” in nature. For Blair, it’s all about inspiring others to discover their love for travel and creativity. He’d probably prefer you stop reading this and get outside, but—alas—you’re probably committed to it. Thus, we give you Blair’s all-time fave pic and the story behind it. Turns out, timing is everything—as is location, location, location:
“While most people’s idea of fun isn’t Arizona in the middle of summer, this photography trip took me to the Tucson area for the monsoon lightning season. On this active weather day, clouds bubbled by midday, and I stopped near Saguaro National Park to watch them evolve over several hours. I located one of the strongest storms, but the infrequent flickers of lightning and bright daytime light made capturing any imagery a challenge. Towards sunset, I found a wonderful open foreground composed of abundant green cacti covering a sandy desert floor. After much patience and pleading to the storm, the twilight sky finally came to life with vivid bolts leaping wildly from the thundercloud—providing a one-of-a-kind photo!
I love how this image turned out with the moody colors and electricity. You can almost feel the anticipation and excitement in the air on this hot August evening. The lightning strike ended up well-centered, and high above a cactus that appears to be dancing to Mother Nature’s firework show. I find these rare moments to be euphoria, surrounded by nature, booming thunder, and that distinctive smell of a fresh rain.”