In September of 2025, my work is generating the most income it ever has in my career. Yet, I'm being forced to shut down my successul operation, against my will, due to one cause alone: 95% of that revenue is being stolen by piracy and copyright infringement. I've lost more than $1 million to copyright infringement in the last 15 years, and it's finally brought an end to my professional storm chasing operation. Do not be misled by the lies of infringers, anti-copyright activists and organized piracy cartels. This page is a detailed, evidenced account of my battle I had to undertake to just barely stay in business, and eventually could not overcome. It's a problem faced by all of my colleagues and most other creators in the field.
My softbox/Omni arrived Wednesday, and I was able to get some practice time in with it as a key light along with the new reflector as a fill. Compared to the two Totas with umbrellas, the improvement is very distinct. It was much easier to keep the background dark, as the softbox can be at least turned to direct its spill. The setup pictured above is a room in my parents' house (I was in Pittsburgh visiting family). I figured the small room would add a bit of a challenge due to the decreased area to work with.
I was so impressed with the results of this that I may not be using the Totas much any more, until I can get another softbox to use with one (which may be this week, whenever B&H opens back up). An umbrella/Tota as a key with the softbox as a fill may still be useful in larger rooms with more ambient light to compete with, but the softbox/reflector setup should be a more common scenario.
Weather?
I think that's what this blog was originally supposed to be about. Lately I've really been (uncharacteristically) detached from what the atmosphere has been doing here and around the world. I think we had a couple of hurricanes somewhere recently - but to be honest I checked the NHC once this week, and quickly forgot about it upon seeing that none of the systems in the Atlantic were going to head toward the US. Admittedly I just haven't really cared much about anything weather-related for the past couple of weeks. I have, however, been looking at the models every other day to see if the upcoming cold air masses will coincide with precip (IE, snow), but for now the temperature minimas will be in the middle of clear skies - frosts and hard freezes, but nothing more. The cold air arriving means we are now back in the winter weather season here in West Virginia, so I fully expect to be getting back into a more normal weather-monitoring routine here in the next few days. We'd be getting snow in the mountains Sunday and Wednesday morning if there was a moisture plume to work with and a good 850mb upslope trajectory.
Web Site Design and Internet Marketing by CIS Internet
From Dan: Please Read
To my regular readers, I offer my apologies for this heavy-handed notice. Unfortunately it has become necessary, so please bear with me!
Please don't copy/upload this site's content to social media or other web sites. Those copies have been a critical problem for me, seriously harming this site and my photography/storm chasing operation by diverting traffic, viewers, engagement and income. "Credit" and "exposure" does not benefit this site or my operation, rather they threaten my ability to cover my operating expenses. Please read my full explanation for this notice here.
Before continuing, check each box to agree to and acknowledge these two statements:
Click this button to finalize this acknowledgement:
