This is really a memory shot for me, I had been out chasing all day in various parts of the country where I intercepted the best photogenic convection I had seen for years in the form of sunlit highly organised multicell thunderstorms with constant thunder and even a couple of rotating updraughts. By late afternoon I thought the day was over and went home however I spotted more storms on the way so this time I decided to get more personal and just walk out to meet them instead of being inside a car, this was in the Maghera countryside on high ground at one of my favourite local spots near a small forest where I have spent many years photographing storms. It was very warm and quite humid and I was out of breath walking up this steep hill, thirsty, and sweating like mad as my legs protested against the hard trek at a fast pace carrying all my gear. I made it to the top, took a drink of water, placed my jumper on the ground and sat on it and enjoyed the warm hazy sunshine and the relaxing sound from nearby grazing Sheep.

This was a big line of cells which arrived in from the SW in a sheared set-up with huge solid towers extending from the distance near Slieve Gallion and all across the Sperrins to the Antrim coast, the cells were back-lit by the sun so hard to shoot however visually they were very impressive with huge towers and thunderheads with crisp outline all white then turning grey and black as they blocked the sun, this shows the SW base of this line of storms as periodic rumbles of thunder echoed across the Sperrins. I mounted my video camera on the tripod and let it film the entire scene. It was a fantastic end to the day sitting in this lovely field watching for lightning and studying the base for funnel clouds as the towers bubbled skyward for what seemed like the hundredth time on this great day of convective action on August 21st 2012, read the report for more information. * All images are available for sale in the form of photo prints, canvas or digital files for licensing, if you are interested in a purchase simply drop me an email.