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In search of the perfect storm

In conversation with 'Stormchaser' Mitch Dobrowner
Mitch Dobrowner is a fine art photographer based in Studio City, California, USA. His work has been published by National Geographic Magazine, ABC News, TIME Magazine, Newsweek, CNN, NPR, Audubon Society, LA Times and LensWork, among others. Google recently produced a two-minute commercial revolving around his work for their Search Stories campaign. Photography site PetaPixel caught up with the photographer on various aspects of his work. Excerpts:
Talk about your early experiences with photography and how they paved the way for the work you're making today.
Mitch Dobrowner: I grew up on Long Island, NY and felt totally lost in my teens. I got in a good amount of trouble and my parents were worried about me. In desperation, my father gave me an old Argus rangefinder in an attempt to derail where my life was heading. Little did he realise what an important gesture that would turn out to be for me. Once I started shooting I became addicted. I eventually stumbled into the images of Minor White and Ansel Adams, which led to a job in sensitometry (study of lightsensitive material). Eventually I set off to travel across the country, which I did for four years focusing primarily on Adams' photography (living out of my car). And today I see the time I spent in sensitometry as vital. So when I began shooting again in 2005/2006 I had that same mentality; taking cameras apart, exploring sensors, learning how and why the filters were combined as they were, etc. Today my cameras act as
only an extension of my mind, eye and hands.
Why storms? Is it because of the unique light and cloud formations you're able to capture? Or is it more of a thrill-seeking venture?
Mitch Dobrowner: Yeah, it's always about the light. My main focus has always been landscape photography. I have always loved just sitting out in nature, hearing the wind blow and watching the light changing. In inclement weather, light
and shadows are always changing. Then there are the unexpected things that Mother Nature throws at you, especially when a storm is approaching. It's a pretty surreal sight. A storm is like a person. It's born when the conditions are right, at birth it is fragile — it can die — but once it decides it's going to live, it turns unpredictable and can become violent. Eventually it matures and takes form, then ages and dies. No two storms are born in the same exactly way — and no two storms
will ever look (or act) the same And yes, I guess I'm a thrill seeker at heart, too. Why not?
Have you ever chased a storm and found that you were a little too close? Or felt that you were in actual danger?
Mitch Dobrowner: Well we've been close, but I don't get scared or feel in danger. That's because what's in front of me is something amazing and surreal to look at. But the one that comes to mind in regards to getting a bit too close is a storm that we started tracking in South Dakota. We had chased the storm for three or four hours just waiting for something to happen. Eventually, we ended up in Moorcroft, Wyoming where we stopped in a field just outside of town. We sat for about ten minutes or so... then, right in front of our eyes, the storm turned extremely violent, into a monster hail storm where it changed direction and came straight at us, probably about 50-60 miles an hour. It started dropping golfball sized hail on us and we had to run quickly. The situation changed from us chasing the storm into the storm chasing us. We eventually got out of its way but sadly it did major damage to the small town of Moorcroft.
What advice would you have for others who want to photograph storms? What are the tricks of the trade you've learned by doing this work?
Mitch Dobrowner: No tricks, just respect Mother Nature and the people that live in the area in which these storms take place. Oh, and you should try to stay out of the way of lightning.
Source: PetaPixel