Matthew Crowther
EF3
Just curious about this group's main motivation.
Poll: What is your main goal when chasing?
- Thread starter Matthew Crowther
- Start date
George Sargeant
EF0
You could also add nighttime lightning, my second-favorite severe weather phenomenon after tornadoes.
Dan Robinson
EF5
I'm always looking for something like a Dodge City or Bennington when I go to the Plains. Those are my benchmarks of chase quality. Visually spectacular, easy to chase, photogenic. I know most chases won't yield something on that level, but the more they are like them, the better. My secondary (and many times primary) subject is lightning. I will stay out all night for a good lightning show. I like a nice CG barrage as much as a tornado. Structure is a distant third for me. Unless it is a Leoti-level event, I'd prefer a tornado or nice lightning photo.
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Brett Roberts
EF5
It's interesting how this has changed for me subtly over the years, probably opposite the direction that's most common.
I started chasing primarily as an offshoot of landscape photography, which I was already interested in before I moved to the Plains. So initially, my goals were a one-to-one mapping with: "will what I see today make a spectacular photo?" That's still largely true, but after getting a taste of the adrenaline rush of being within a couple miles of a sig tor, that started to become another goal in and of itself. So in the context of the poll, I used to be closest to #3, but am now more #2. Neither #1 nor #4 have ever rung true for me, though. I really don't care about seeing rain-wrapped or bird fart tornadoes to pad my stats, and truly exceptional structure (i.e., Plains storm of the year) still does top most tornadoes. Lightning is a tertiary photography goal, but I've had such impossibly bad luck with it over the years that I've kinda given up, aside from the most in-your-face opportunities under the right conditions.
I guess if I had to summarize the manifestation of what's changed for me, it's that I'll now drive many hours and get pumped just to see a "mediocre" tornado, even if it's more suited to video and doesn't yield great stills. Also, when the rare opportunity of a high-end/photogenic tornado presents itself, I'm thinking a little more about the experience/getting close/video than I would've at the beginning, even if stills remain my top priority. If I had to perform a little pop psychology on myself, I think some of this is probably the competitive nature of chasing in the social media era -- if most other chasers value tornadoes above all else, and I know close/intense footage will be all over my feed after a good tube, maybe the FOMO creeps into my decision making!
But man, am I glad I can fall back on the landscape-oriented approach sometimes. I did a lovely 1000-mile round trip to NM last week, and anticrepuscular rays on the back side of a messy storm at sunset were the only reason to take my camera out all day. As dejected as I get after a string of busts, I can't even imagine staying passionate about chasing if quality tornadoes were the only way an outing ever felt remotely worthwhile.
I started chasing primarily as an offshoot of landscape photography, which I was already interested in before I moved to the Plains. So initially, my goals were a one-to-one mapping with: "will what I see today make a spectacular photo?" That's still largely true, but after getting a taste of the adrenaline rush of being within a couple miles of a sig tor, that started to become another goal in and of itself. So in the context of the poll, I used to be closest to #3, but am now more #2. Neither #1 nor #4 have ever rung true for me, though. I really don't care about seeing rain-wrapped or bird fart tornadoes to pad my stats, and truly exceptional structure (i.e., Plains storm of the year) still does top most tornadoes. Lightning is a tertiary photography goal, but I've had such impossibly bad luck with it over the years that I've kinda given up, aside from the most in-your-face opportunities under the right conditions.
I guess if I had to summarize the manifestation of what's changed for me, it's that I'll now drive many hours and get pumped just to see a "mediocre" tornado, even if it's more suited to video and doesn't yield great stills. Also, when the rare opportunity of a high-end/photogenic tornado presents itself, I'm thinking a little more about the experience/getting close/video than I would've at the beginning, even if stills remain my top priority. If I had to perform a little pop psychology on myself, I think some of this is probably the competitive nature of chasing in the social media era -- if most other chasers value tornadoes above all else, and I know close/intense footage will be all over my feed after a good tube, maybe the FOMO creeps into my decision making!
But man, am I glad I can fall back on the landscape-oriented approach sometimes. I did a lovely 1000-mile round trip to NM last week, and anticrepuscular rays on the back side of a messy storm at sunset were the only reason to take my camera out all day. As dejected as I get after a string of busts, I can't even imagine staying passionate about chasing if quality tornadoes were the only way an outing ever felt remotely worthwhile.
Scott Kapser
EF0
When I'm chasing and it's not local, I am out to see tornadoes so I will pass up structure shots to try and keep myself in position to see tornadoes until the storm mode no longer supports it. Exceptions would be QLCS tornadoes which I want no part of and mega-HP storms where getting some good structure is preferable to seeing a brief barely visible spin-up at great peril to myself or my vehicle.
Ben Holcomb
EF5
Tornadoes are king
Adam Lucio
EF5
Up close tornado video is always my main goal, but I enjoy everything and also want to have a wide range of shots in my portfolio. The experience of being up close to a tornado trumps everything, but the documentation aside from those few seconds is usually sub par, annoying, and filled with screaming chasers, windshield wipers and vehicle interiors.
I still appreciate and want to get a nice, out of the vehicle, clear shot of the entire life cycle from one location.
On days when tornado potential is zero or "non-zero" I'll go for structure and lightning shots anyday. I also enjoy hail. The way I see it, you have way more opportunities to get that stuff than tornadoes, so I always give priority to the thing that is rarer
Basically I want it all, but priority #1 will always be the dramatic tornado video. You could give me all the epic structure and everything else day after day, but my season will never feel complete until I get that great tornado video.
I still appreciate and want to get a nice, out of the vehicle, clear shot of the entire life cycle from one location.
On days when tornado potential is zero or "non-zero" I'll go for structure and lightning shots anyday. I also enjoy hail. The way I see it, you have way more opportunities to get that stuff than tornadoes, so I always give priority to the thing that is rarer
Basically I want it all, but priority #1 will always be the dramatic tornado video. You could give me all the epic structure and everything else day after day, but my season will never feel complete until I get that great tornado video.
Ethan Schisler
EF5
Tornadoes first are my main goal of chasing (even though I'm not very good at it this year lmao). Awesome structure with lightning is a close second for me since photography is my main outlet of chasing. I realize not every season can be a good one for a chaser, so that is why I like photography, so I can fill in the gaps between being satisfied by seeing a great tornado and being satisfied by seeing a great storm.
A great storm can offer up just as much as some tornadoes do if you play it right and time it right with your camera.
Like Dan I also enjoy lightning, I'll stay up and shoot lightning if there is an opportunity, sometimes even if its only a small one, because it only takes that one bolt to get a great photo.
Thirdly, this sounds dumb, but winter-time photography (especially ice storms) are my third favorite to photograph and enjoy. Nothing in the off-season gets me pumped like seeing a great winter storm come together. Probably not the most popular thing on here, but its what I love!
Great topic btw!
A great storm can offer up just as much as some tornadoes do if you play it right and time it right with your camera.
Like Dan I also enjoy lightning, I'll stay up and shoot lightning if there is an opportunity, sometimes even if its only a small one, because it only takes that one bolt to get a great photo.
Thirdly, this sounds dumb, but winter-time photography (especially ice storms) are my third favorite to photograph and enjoy. Nothing in the off-season gets me pumped like seeing a great winter storm come together. Probably not the most popular thing on here, but its what I love!
Great topic btw!
Matthew Crowther
EF3
A perfect example of my chase philosophy was the storm near Leoti, KS a couple of years ago. We did see an early tornado, but missed a few subsequent decent ones that you had to be up close to observe. However, because the structure was so awe-inspiring I could have cared less about missing those. On the Imperial, NE day I was with a group that had a person that "had" to see a tornado, so we played around too close in (did see rapid rotation and 70mph RFD) but when I saw the structure photos later it was my biggest disappointment of the season. I can't count how many times I have been several miles away from a storm marveling at the structure and seeing numerous SN dots right up next to the area where a tornado might occur and wondering what the heck they were doing.
JamesCaruso
Staff member
I don’t think that’s dumb at all ! I feel the same way. I don’t “chase” winter storms, but I spend the winter watching each opportunity and hoping it comes together for my area. Not specifically for the photography, but for the overall drama and experience. Beyond the love of weather itself, it’s just a great feeling to be hunkered down at home while it’s snowing, whether it’s a raging blizzard or even just some “mood flakes.” Or going out to shovel, burying some beers in the snow to drink after, and coming inside to a hot meal. I agree ice storms are gorgeous and photogenic, but my desire for those is tempered by the unwanted impact on my trees/bushes and power
I belong to a local Philadelphia weather forum, where the crew seems to be much more into winter storms than anything else (I guess because none of the other weather around here is too exciting 
) I don’t know nearly enough about winter weather forecasting, but enjoy following the discussions anyway. If I didn’t have hurricanes to track in summer/fall, or winter storms to track in winter, I would go even crazier than I already do after getting back from my chase vacation. I would think a lot of chasers are interested in all kinds of weather, including winter storms. Perhaps that would be another interesting survey, what other types of weather are you interested in outside of tornados and severe thunderstorms, and to what extent do you follow other types of weather, i.e., actively chase, enjoy it (or not) only when it happens to affect your local area, photography, or just keep up on what’s happening for general interest?
Quincy Vagell
EF4
This is a tough question. I wouldn’t be fooling anyone if I said I wasn’t hoping to catch a tornado while chasing, but my approach and motivation has shifted over time.
Early in my chase “career,” I would have answered #1. Once the beginners luck wore off (June 16-18, 2014), I realized that I wanted to find other reasons to chase. I began to see more and more often that some of the most inspiring storm visuals were seen from a distance and/or from supercells that did not produce a tornado.
Coming off another bout of luck in 2016, the last few years have been a personal struggle in terms of catching photogenic tornadoes.
My main goal shifted toward finding photo opportunities during as many chases as possible. This is especially the case since this spring when I decided I wanted to take photography more seriously and upgraded to a much better camera. Sure, there will be some chases in which there is not much structure and the goal is to find a tornado, but most of the time, there are photo opps. This might mean choosing a secondary target, going out on a limb or scouting the landscape for just the right shot. Even if a storm is not particularly impressive, there are many unique foregrounds to pair with whatever nature throws out there.
Basically, it’s about capturing and experiencing a storm, even if it’s not a tornado. More often than not, I do target an area during a storm chase that is most likely (in my forecast) to land me a tornado. When that doesn’t seem like a realistic possibility, I will gladly focus on storm structure and other photo opportunities.
Early in my chase “career,” I would have answered #1. Once the beginners luck wore off (June 16-18, 2014), I realized that I wanted to find other reasons to chase. I began to see more and more often that some of the most inspiring storm visuals were seen from a distance and/or from supercells that did not produce a tornado.
Coming off another bout of luck in 2016, the last few years have been a personal struggle in terms of catching photogenic tornadoes.
My main goal shifted toward finding photo opportunities during as many chases as possible. This is especially the case since this spring when I decided I wanted to take photography more seriously and upgraded to a much better camera. Sure, there will be some chases in which there is not much structure and the goal is to find a tornado, but most of the time, there are photo opps. This might mean choosing a secondary target, going out on a limb or scouting the landscape for just the right shot. Even if a storm is not particularly impressive, there are many unique foregrounds to pair with whatever nature throws out there.
Basically, it’s about capturing and experiencing a storm, even if it’s not a tornado. More often than not, I do target an area during a storm chase that is most likely (in my forecast) to land me a tornado. When that doesn’t seem like a realistic possibility, I will gladly focus on storm structure and other photo opportunities.
Alex Elmore
EF2
If I had personally seen tornadoes other than the handful of weak, brief, or low-contrast ones I have seen, my answer would probably not be #3. I have yet to be wowed by a tornado in person (still exciting when I get one), but I've been wowed numerous times by structure. I know it only takes one event to change that, though...
Jeff House
Supporter
Oh yeah I love snow and photographing it, esp when snow skiing. Now about tornadoes..
If I drive 14 hours or spend hundreds of dollars on air fare, I'm going for tornadoes. Period.
Stretch goal is DDC or Harper-Attica. One really can't expect it, but such days make the vacation.
Threshold goal was met this year. We saw two cycles, but only a few minutes each cycle. One was photogenic.
In-between is something like Rozel. It was two long photogenic cycles. In fact it's close to DDC for me for personal reasons (chaser company including two first-timers).
Goal not met would be a single crappy cycle or very distant. Moderate distance is good because one can get both tornado and structure, but long-distance is meh.
Once threshold goal is met the pressure is off a bit, and we can enjoy structure and other experiences.
For example @Quincy Vagell takes awesome pictures with animals/livestock. We had cows approach us once. Probably meaningless, but it was cool. Of course we never touch or disturb animals.
Raw inflow winds, dust, crisp structure and lighting are other solid wins, especially after threshold goal is met.
In 2016 DDC met stretch goal. Therefore I'm able to appreciate a non-tornado day same trip. Inflow created a 1-2 mile dust plume. We do not believe it was the ghost train due to position and size. Still it was so incredible with the wide open Texas sky.
Back in 2008 we had another amazing non-tornado intercept. Two days alter was a 3-4 cycle show, making the trip.
The said non-tornado days would not be great memories if we did not meet goals other days of the trip. Maybe I should learn to appreciate those days regardless.
If I drive 14 hours or spend hundreds of dollars on air fare, I'm going for tornadoes. Period.
Stretch goal is DDC or Harper-Attica. One really can't expect it, but such days make the vacation.
Threshold goal was met this year. We saw two cycles, but only a few minutes each cycle. One was photogenic.
In-between is something like Rozel. It was two long photogenic cycles. In fact it's close to DDC for me for personal reasons (chaser company including two first-timers).
Goal not met would be a single crappy cycle or very distant. Moderate distance is good because one can get both tornado and structure, but long-distance is meh.
Once threshold goal is met the pressure is off a bit, and we can enjoy structure and other experiences.
For example @Quincy Vagell takes awesome pictures with animals/livestock. We had cows approach us once. Probably meaningless, but it was cool. Of course we never touch or disturb animals.
Raw inflow winds, dust, crisp structure and lighting are other solid wins, especially after threshold goal is met.
In 2016 DDC met stretch goal. Therefore I'm able to appreciate a non-tornado day same trip. Inflow created a 1-2 mile dust plume. We do not believe it was the ghost train due to position and size. Still it was so incredible with the wide open Texas sky.
Back in 2008 we had another amazing non-tornado intercept. Two days alter was a 3-4 cycle show, making the trip.
The said non-tornado days would not be great memories if we did not meet goals other days of the trip. Maybe I should learn to appreciate those days regardless.
Structure or photogenic tornadoes are spectacles that I can appreciate on both surface and deeper levels. Good CG lightning is just as impressive and fascinating and should be in this survey. A great sunset or landscape photo is also on my list. Like others have said- in winter I am interested in local observing, and in corner seasons I like to watch transitory storms in between mountain peaks. Overall though, I find that you cannot boil down motivation to a few basic categories of 'the reward'. I'm often not motivated by, nor can I identify with simple rewards or countable things.
I'm there for the open road, dynamic sculpted and colorful skies, some peace and solitude or to share the view with quality people or well behaved strangers, maybe some intelligent road conversation or good music. I'm also there to have a good time with whatever happens, including an infrequent total bust, or experiencing the quirks of small towns. I'm there to visually observe and verify the science I continue to learn from books and media. I'm out there just to get away.
Not to turn the topic sour, but the survey doesn't cover a large additional part of my motivation. Lately I will try to simply have a clean relaxing chase experience away from all the problems that have become synonymous with it. There are unfortunately a lot of things I am avoiding out there. Giant convergence is an automatic no go, especially after this year- I have just had it with the stupidity and aggression in these recent crowds. Car wrecks every day, honking horns, blocked roads- its a total circus of drama, immaturity, and dysfunction. Usually the largest collection of those issues occurs on HP garbage that SPC called a moderate or higher close to a metro in KS, TX or OK, and sometimes CO. Some low contrast garbage tornado has never done a thing for me and includes plenty of risk for nothing but a transitory cheap thrill- the same dopamine reward as social media in my opinion. HP messes I've noticed tend to be especially good at attracting the arrogant, the risk takers, band wagon dot chasers, people selling something, and of course counters- some of who self identify their worth with the count of tornadoes. Any time I have been close to that crowd on a chase or on any type of media, the attitude gets worse, and my enjoyment is negatively affected. I also try to avoid chasing with or near people who get their happiness all tied up in expectations and rewards- the must be constantly entertained and happy, can't handle a bust or not seeing what they expect, and can't just let an experience be what it is.
I'm there for the open road, dynamic sculpted and colorful skies, some peace and solitude or to share the view with quality people or well behaved strangers, maybe some intelligent road conversation or good music. I'm also there to have a good time with whatever happens, including an infrequent total bust, or experiencing the quirks of small towns. I'm there to visually observe and verify the science I continue to learn from books and media. I'm out there just to get away.
Not to turn the topic sour, but the survey doesn't cover a large additional part of my motivation. Lately I will try to simply have a clean relaxing chase experience away from all the problems that have become synonymous with it. There are unfortunately a lot of things I am avoiding out there. Giant convergence is an automatic no go, especially after this year- I have just had it with the stupidity and aggression in these recent crowds. Car wrecks every day, honking horns, blocked roads- its a total circus of drama, immaturity, and dysfunction. Usually the largest collection of those issues occurs on HP garbage that SPC called a moderate or higher close to a metro in KS, TX or OK, and sometimes CO. Some low contrast garbage tornado has never done a thing for me and includes plenty of risk for nothing but a transitory cheap thrill- the same dopamine reward as social media in my opinion. HP messes I've noticed tend to be especially good at attracting the arrogant, the risk takers, band wagon dot chasers, people selling something, and of course counters- some of who self identify their worth with the count of tornadoes. Any time I have been close to that crowd on a chase or on any type of media, the attitude gets worse, and my enjoyment is negatively affected. I also try to avoid chasing with or near people who get their happiness all tied up in expectations and rewards- the must be constantly entertained and happy, can't handle a bust or not seeing what they expect, and can't just let an experience be what it is.
Eric Treece
EF2
Tornadoes are boss but I am not going to be upset by structure or even a great after dark lightning show.
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