Storm Chaser, A Photographer’s Journey
Just have to give a shout out for a book that I received Thursday evening when UPS dropped it off. Opened the package this afternoon and put it down tonight. Finished. It is, Storm Chaser, A Photographer’s Journey, by Jim Reed.
Have no fear I’ll definitely be picking it up again, and again to go over it, but going beyond the images, which are mesmerizing, fascinating and sometimes downright scary, it was the author’s writing that had my attention. Especially when he spoke about hurricanes. Having lived through Hurricane Andrew, then within 2 months time, Hurricanes Charley, Francis and Jeanne, his telling of his thoughts while going through hurricanes brought back many memories. And I just kept nodding my head as I read his ‘journal’ of Hurricane Katrina, as if he could actually see me agreeing with him and encouraging him to continue on ’speaking’! While Katrina was certainly no laughing matter, I did have to chuckle, because as I read the journal, I kept thinking, that could have been me writing that as I remembered my journal I kept for the 2004 Hurricane season. No, the words aren’t the same and the circumstances are different, but for me, my journal was a stress-reliever. I would write by the light of a hurricane lamp in the middle of the night, as I sat on a couch next to the open windows praying for a breeze after the hurricanes. Sure couldn’t sleep afterwards, it was too hot, too muggy, too humid… you get the picture. So, to be able to read what someone was thinking while in certain situations is almost calming to me. It may not make sense but that is just how my logic or illogic if you may, mind, works.
So, if I haven’t scared you off, order this book or go to bookstore and get it. You will see hurricanes, supercells, dust clouds, tornadoes and so much more. But you will also get an inside look into the thinking of a professional storm chaser.
One day I hope to meet Jim and his chase partner, Katherine Bay, who knows, maybe even get to learn from them by tagging along on a chase. That would be the ultimate for me.