lightning

It’s been quite a while since I posted a photo on this site. A hectic work schedule at my day job, and a relative lack of inspiration from my photography gear, led me to put photography to the side for a while… something that is occasionally necessary with almost any artistic endeavor. My beloved Canon 5D Mark III and lovely collection of Carl Zeiss lenses stopped inspiring me to go out and take photos, so I made a very difficult decision to sell everything and take a step backwards in technology to see if it could get my creative juices flowing again. Within 24 hours of selling one of my prized possessions, the Zeiss 21mm f2.8 Distagon, the photographer who purchased it took a photo that I’ve been dreaming about for years. His name is Stanley Lewis and he took the above photo near his home in Florida with a lens that I adored for quite a while. That makes this photo special enough to post here, and to feature Stanley’s breathtaking work for everyone to enjoy. Thank you for your contribution Stan!

“Weddings on Pensacola Beach in the summer are always risky because it is either extremely hot or they are interrupted by the predictable afternoon thunderstorm. The one I was involved in on July 31 was no exception because in the early evening a severe thunderstorm rolled through just as the wedding was finishing up. I set up my Canon 5D MarkIII with a Zeiss 21mm lens for a night shot hoping to catch a lightning strike and I was fortunate to catch this stepped leader as it streaked downward across Pensacola Bay toward the Gulf of Mexico.”

–Stanley Lewis