You know, I have to be a bit openly hypocritical here. I would NEVER NEVER encourage anyone to jump out of a car and run TOWARDS a tornado. Kids, dont do this at home.
But, if it were me, I would have done the same thing
I mean, lets get realistic here. Do you look at pictures of far away tornadoes that look like small stick and go oooooo, ahhhhh? Nope! Now fill that frame up with that sucker where you can see detail and people will stare at it in amazement for hours asking themselves how you got such a picture know DANG well how you got it.
The same goes with lightning (which is what I mainly chase for). When you got a 35mm frame and the lighting is 10 miles away and is so faint and looks like a lightning bug streaked across the sky people pas on by. But by golly, get one that branches all over the place and fills up that frame and they sit there all starry eyed knowin DANG well you were up close and personal with that storm and still turn and ask, 'How'd you get such a good picture?'
I have had lighting hit within 100' of me on more than one occasion. Instances where the light and boom were instantaneous. And when you feel the thump in your chest from the boom, you KNOW you are close. But its a risk I dont mind taking. I enjoy doing it, but I know in order to get someone to take interest in the picture, I have to be close and it has to be an exciting lightning strike. I dont encourage people to take such risks, but when its just me, well, I dont mind. Keep in mind, however, Im not reckless. I do take whatever precautions I can. I do have remotes for my cameras so that I can operate them from inside the car if it gets too hairy, which I have had to do before. There is no point, afterall, in getting good pictures and not being around to share them or hear peoples reactions.
