Storm 100nm away caught on Camera

[Aaron Wesson]

I got off work at 5PM 24 Sep and was driving home when I noticed some nice looking CBs off in the distance. As soon as I got home I grabbed my (ok it is weak but I like it) Olympus Evolt E500 8mpix camera and a 150mm lens and took several shots of these clouds. I then took 3 section shots and created this panoramic shot.

http://www.theweatherboard.com/images/CB_Panorama_smaller2.jpg <----Link changed

I created the pan in Photoshop CS3 I then clonned small areas to clean up the image, adjusted curves and then added a quick water mark.

This is my first pan shot creation, and I would love to hear what you think about it.

 

[Robert Dewey]

It won't let me see it... it says I don't have permission. Can you upload it to Flickr or something?

 

[Aaron Wesson]

Sorry about that.. I am at work.. but think I have found a way to get the image to show up.
http://www.theweatherboard.com/images/CB_Panorama_smaller2.jpg

try that....

The image is 352K and this is 300% less than the original pan.
The original file size is 120MB

 

[Bob Hartig]

Cool shot, Aaron. Nicely done.

 

[Eric Flescher]

that's nice congrats

Nicely done. Good wide field made with the photos
***

Sorry about that.. I am at work.. but think I have found a way to get the image to show up.
http://www.theweatherboard.com/images/CB_Panorama_smaller2.jpg

try that....

The image is 352K and this is 300% less than the original pan.
The original file size is 120MB

 

[Derek Mohr]

I just recently learned to make merges in photoshop...and I must say that was done very nicely

 

[mikedeason]

As soon as I got home I grabbed my (ok it is weak but I like it) Olympus Evolt E500 8mpix camera and a 150mm lens and took several shots of these clouds.

Don't apologize for your choice of camera. It can't be said enough that the equipment is only a part of the equation. You took a great picture with a great camera. I've had my E500 for 2 1/2 years and still use the Zuiko kit lenses exclusively. It fit well within my budget at the time and had, in my opinion, the best kit glass available for any entry level DSLR at the time. I don't regret going with Oly for one second.

 

[Chris Kennedy]

Yeh don't worry about the camera, its the substance of the photo that counts, nice pano!

 

[Jason Foster]

Nice quick shots on an unexpected moment. That's why a camera is always good to have.

And yes...don't sweat the camera...I sold more images taken from my $200 HP 3mega pixel point and shot than I have from my Canon DSLR. That is mostly due to the fact that camera went with me everywhere and the DSLR didn't...and which this is a perfect example.

 

[Andrea Griffa]

Very nice structure,Aaron! It looks like we should have some good probabilities to have supercellular features such as vigourus updraft, backsheared anvil,overshooting top. Do you know any severe weather reports?

 

[Aaron Wesson]

Thanks for the comments all. Yes it is a good camera but I felt a bit well out of my league when I read about the amazing cameras that others have on this site.

When I saw the structure of this storm I was floored! It reminded me of my days in OK. Part of me wanted to chase this thing but when I looked at GR2AE and saw that it was more than 100nm out that thought vanished quickly. The good news not long after I got this shot the storms collapsed.

As for the severe reports, I was AMAZED to not see any from this system! It was in a very unpopulated area (just S. of many missile silos) and over several cows. I don't think there were any chasers on this storm as it was a surprise to many.

 

[Mark Farnik]

Aaron,
I saw this storm system as well from my location in central Denver and when I first saw them I was like 'WTF are those supercells doing there on the eastern horizon?!?'

Unfortunately, I was not able to get to a decent vantage point to shoot a similar panorama before they collapsed. But their structure was phenomenal while they lasted, especially for late September in Colorado!

The storms were hanging out over a very, very sparsely populated area between Akron and Limon, so if they did produce any significant severe weather, it probably only affected a few cows and maybe a farmstead or two.

 

[Derek Mohr]

out of curiosity what merge did you use? (ie perspective, auto, etc...)

 

[Chip Redmond]

Thats a really nice shot!

I am just trying to start figuring out photoshop on my own and haven't quite figured out how to merge pictures to get a panoramic view yet but that makes me want to do it now!

Chip

 

[Dann Cianca]

I saw the second tower when I got off work the other night. I had my equipment with me but it was around 6PM and the freeways were packed. I knew that day heating was driving it and I'd never make it out on time, so I elected to go home.

Had a little blurb on my blog about it with a radar image:

http://blog.bigskyconvection.com/2008/09/instinct.html

Pretty sure that's the same day you're talking about ...