Excited to share that the Huffington Post did a feature article on me and my storm photos today. The Huffington Post is read by more than 4,000,000 people everyday so it is quite an honor to have my work featured in it. This storm was the first major storm to hit New York City so far this year. I have many other storm chasing photos on my website. Special thanks to the Huffington Post for showcasing my work. You can view the article here. Signed Limited Edition prints of all my photos are available for purchase. Contact me for details.

I'm also including below my first person account (which I prepared for the HuffPost piece) of photographing this particular storm for anyone who might be interested in how I do what I do. Scroll down to read more. You can see all the photos from the storm here.

Huffington Post - 5-16-18 Huffington Post 5-16-18 Huffington Post 5-16-18

MY FIRST PERSON ACCOUNT OF CHASING A NEW YORK CITY STORM

As a New York City photographer, I have the privilege of seeing all side of the Big Apple. One thing most people don’t realize is Manhattan is prime real estate for more than just skyscrapers – it is one of the best places to Storm Chase in the world.

All day Tuesday I was tracking the weather. A massive front with severe thunderstorms was headed directly for NYC. As the front approached, I packed up my gear and headed off the Jersey City waterfront. This is a prime location since the Freedom Tower and other high-rises in the area are literally lightning rods for the storm’s fury. At first, I was greeted by a barrage of wind and rain. The lightning seemed sparse. But as I track the storm on the weather app on my phone, something BIG was headed my way!

One of the big challenges is just keeping my equipment dry and the lens clear. I cover all my gear in plastic when storm chasing (I am also covered in plastic!) but periodically I have to stop shooting to clean the lens. Like a NASAR pit stop, I only have seconds to get the job done lest I miss out on the action.

Soon the lighting was upon the city. The World Trade Center (Freedom Tower) takes massive hits every time there’s a storm. This night, there would only be two direct strikes. But in a storm last year, I recorded eleven (11) strikes in one night!. Also because I am so close to Lower Manhattan, the thunder clap that follows one of these strikes is deafening! Ear plugs are definitely a photographer’s best friend!

The main front soon passed but I had a feeling it was worth hanging around a little longer to see what developed. Sunset was at 8:06PM and I know from experience that sometimes, if the front is well defined enough (and in this case it was), as the back end clears western New Jersey, the setting sun can shoot right underneath the storm clouds and light up Manhattan like a golden torch. The glass and metal structures of Manhattan become illuminated with another worldly glow of orange, red and yellow.

But not only I was I hoping for a nicely illuminated skyline. I also know from experience that when the sunset follows the rain storm close enough, there is a chance we’ll get a rainbow. I have seen several of these the past few years and they are AMAZING.

Just then I noticed the orange glow on Lower Manhattan. It steadily built until the towers were gleaming brightly under the setting sun. The sky also began to turn orange and the entire area took on a beautiful warm glow.

I was frantically trying to capture it all with my camera. I was still raining a little, a good sign for a potential rainbow I thought. Then I raised my eye from my camera and looked to the south. There is was: the faint glimmer of a rainbow. My excitement swelled as right before my eyes the rainbow grew larger by the second. Within a minute it has completed enclosed the City in a dome. Everyone around me grew silent. We were awe struck at the sight. Like a protective capsule, my heart swelled as the City was bathed in a warm, serene flood of sun light and a gorgeous double rainbow!

I could only admire this breathtaking scene for a moment - I had to remind myself I was there to take pictures and I know from experience rainbows like this only last for a few minutes. So I went back to snapping away.

New York City is many things to many people. To me, I find beauty in the architecture, in the history and in the people. And this day, I also found the power of nature transform the Big Apple into a magical golden jewel of peace and beauty.

You can see all the photos from the storm here.