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.
It had been 16 years since I last swam in the ocean, back in 1991 during a high school field trip to Florida. Granted, my hurricane coverage trips in recent years have taken me to the coast and on beaches many times, but never in conditions that I'd be able to swim or relax in. Now that I'm living in Raleigh, the Atlantic coast is only a couple hour's drive east, the quickest route being the short drive down I-40 to Wilmington. Since I'd caught up with all the work I needed to do Friday, I decided I wanted to go spend the afternoon swimming in the waves for the first time in a decade and a half. Wrightsville Beach was nice and quiet thanks to schools/colleges being back in session, with only a handful of people per 200 feet or so of beachfront. The water was warm and the waves nice and vigorous, with a few 5-6 footers here and there to get tossed around in. Good times! With the ocean now close by, I will be doing this more often.
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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.
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