Summer storms

Chosen Pick of the Month! Judges' comments: "A great catch and awesome photo." "It's a good composition, the colors are nice, and I know it's difficult to catch such a clear shot of a single lightning bolt." The photographer writes: "After being awakened just after 3:30 a.m. on June 18, by the rumble of thunder, I made a mocha and gathered my equipment and headed downtown. By the time I got there it was raining hard at City Beach and starting to get light in the east. I headed south across the Long Bridge and noticed there was still an active cell to the west. I went out Bottle Bay Road and stopped at a wide spot just off the road. It had stopped raining and I was able to set up the tripod and camera. I shot several time exposures of the clouds that were getting lighter and generally sat waiting to see what would happen. Just before 5 a.m., the rising sun found a hole in the clouds to the east and ignited the clouds in front of me. I was taking continuous time exposures of the clouds attempting to get a bolt of lightning from the active cell. A bolt flashed over the Dover area as the cell was moving across the lake toward me. That shook loose the rain and it was time to quickly pack up and leave." Taken June 18.

By Al Seger