Storms of the dark

  • 1 of 5 | Night lightning illuminates approaching…

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    Preview synopsis: Do not watch if you have had an epileptic seizure; if using in a project, include a similar content warning as a best-practice. An ad-free, 720p, 30 fps preview of this clip to stream and play for your consideration.

    Scene notes:

    Ominous, towering, coming towards the point of view. These night clouds, partly shrouded by mid and high-level clouds, would not seem so intimidating if they are not flashing with cloud-to-cloud lightning- different from heat or sheet lightening, cloud-to-cloud lightening is full-power energy release, only it never touches the ground. That’s the main difference in the name of this versus cloud-to-ground. The city orange lights illuminate stratus and silhouette the growing clouds which appear to light up from within, naturally strong light pollution from a large city.
    Time-lapse length (30 fps):
    18 seconds and 13 frames.

  • 5 of 5 | Night lightning illuminates approaching

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    Preview synopsis: Do not watch if you have had an epileptic seizure; if using in a project, include a similar content warning as a best-practice. An ad-free, 720p, 30 fps preview of this clip to stream and play for your consideration.

    Scene notes:

    A single, silhouetted cloud at the left of the frames is absolutely dwarfed in comparison to very active electrical storm. It grows rapidly as it nears the point of view. At lower right, the palm trees are by the side of the road, which lights from cars pass by rapidly.
    Time-lapse length (30 fps):
    11 seconds and 2 frames.

  • Night lightning illuminates passing thunderstorm – content warning for epilepsy

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    Scene notes:

    The thunderstorm moves past the frame, right to left. The lightning illuminates the cloud stochastically as the city, outside of the frame, lights the clouds from below constantly. Leaving behind some of itself as it passes overhead, the ‘cell’ is moved by outflow from other storms.
    Time-lapse length (30 fps):
    12 seconds and 1 frame.

  • 2 of 5 | Night lightning illuminates approaching

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    Scene notes:

    Thunderstorm – content warning for epilepsy. A dangerous, approaching nighttime thunderstorm with lightning illuminating the thundercloud from within. The storm has mostly cloud-to-cloud lightning. A gust front is visible as the high winds make the environment hazardous. The strobing lights below are made by the passing highway traffic (out of frame).
    Time-lapse length (30 fps):
    9 seconds and 27 frames.

  • An offshore thunderstorm is illuminated

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    Scene notes:

    … by lightning and stationary – content warning for epilepsy. The thunderstorm of the night in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of Florida has no wind behind it to come onshore or make any other direction- this night storm has both cloud-to-cloud and cloud-to-ground lightning, with strikes shown, the flashes outlining and silhouetting parts of the storm, including the anvil shape of the nimbus cloud.
    Time-lapse length (30 fps):
    10 seconds and 20 frames.

  • 3 of 5 | Night lightning illuminates approaching thunderstorm

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    Scene notes:

    The continuation of another clip: the camera position, orientation, and settings have been adjusted as the storm approaches.
    Time-lapse length (30 fps):
    7 seconds and 19 frames.