Wyman Meinzer photo

[butchlambert]

​

The Big Empty and other Texas regions are experiencing stormy conditions a bit early this year. I’m thrilled with the moisture as I understand July and August are going to be pretty dry and hot. This is a photo I created some 30 years ago in the last moments of a stormy day as a rain had passed us by and tracked over the badlands. However, instead of subsiding, the storm began to gain power again, generating cloud to ground lightning to the east. When this photo op occurred I had no idea if the shot would work out as my camera was an F1n with a 14mm f2.8L Canon lens and using Velvia 50 ASA chrome film. After a week of waiting the processed film came through and I was ecstatic to see that one of the rarest weather moments I have ever viewed came out perfect! Yes!!! A rainbow framing this magnificent bolt of lightning in the last moments of daylight!! On that day I was a lucky man! The sky has always been a source of fascination for me and I have paid tribute with publishing two books devoted to our ocean above. On that evening the rarest of moments was offered to my lens and luck was in my corner. Hope you enjoy this photographic creation that still challenges my imagination that it could have occurred on my watch!

 

[okie]

WOW! thats purdy!!

 

[Knotwild]

I don't remember ever seeing a photo that breath taking. Good work!. In this day and age, you can never tell what is real and what is not. I hope your story always accompanies that photo to document it's reality. I wonder how many people will have that saved and used on home screens and such. Maybe you should copyright it.

 

[jdh47]

Wish I had his talent. Thanks.

 

[steve210]

Great shot Butch!

 

[hpshooter]

The majesty of nature and the creator.

 

[ebb]

I think there was a whole lot of waiting to catch that one.

 

[butchlambert]

ebb, Wyman has a couple roadrunner photos in the Smithsonian and a book of photos on them. He has enormous patience. With the roadrunners it took over a year to get the photos that he liked. After many many attempts they saw him as a large roadrunner. He could pick them off the nest and hand feed grasshoppers to them. He also went grasshopper hunting with them and brought them back to the nest.

 

[butchlambert]

Another:

 

[ebb]

There is a documentary about a biologist that raised a bunch of wild turkey eggs to adulthood in central Florida. The turkeys thought he was their mother. It is very good I wish I could remember the name of it. If you do a search like I described it , the video will come up and I will look for it and see if I can get the name. Butch you will love it.

 

[ronsatspokane]

Your friend has captured some stunning shots. I remember those days of having to wait for film to be processed and never knowing what you had. Can't say that I miss those days. I do miss the days without cell phones though which would probably have been the case when he snapped that shot.

 

[ebb]

My Life as a Turkey ~ About | Nature | PBS

One man's remarkable and moving experience of raising a group of wild turkey hatchlings to adulthood.

www.pbs.org