Weather forecast, Rain!, a photo from Mara, West

Photographer's Note

Continuing with the theme of “Rain”

As we entered the Serengeti National Park, while stopping for a short Break at the visitor center, we looked at the weather forecast on the bulletin board. It said mostly sunny with clouds, 20% rain. When we got outside, this is what we saw, and that is road we would be taking and our destination, So I made up my own weather forecast, “100% Rain.”

There are two rainy seasons. The short rainy season starts from November to January. The long rainy season is between March and June when there can be heavy downpour, sometimes last for half a day or more. I was there in March the beginning of the long rainy season. The most incredible rain and thunder storm I experienced, beautiful yet scary. This is the power and beauty of Mother Nature.

holmertz, avene, Sistercosmo, patdeph, fulvio52, sacimar, Floydian, phwall, Colombiana, ChrisJ, rginer, lrw1966, robertosalguero, zmey, delkoo, BelCan75, paololg, shevchenko, ManuMay, danos, adores, macondo, Kielia, bakes888 has marked this note useful

Critiques | Translate

Pablo25 (3184) 2009-03-30 10:21

Hello Way,
nice shot, I like the stormy sky. Actually you can see the rain comeing in the very far background. Well taken photograph.
Regards
Pawel

jonathan_hart (21268) 2009-03-30 10:26

well captured sky, like a big mushroom
jc

kiks (11373) 2009-03-30 10:28

Amazing moment this must have been to see this huge raincloud. LOvely done with good fg that gives more scale idea and depth.
Best regadrs
KIKs

holmertz (26932) 2009-03-30 10:30

Hello Way,
A most impressive sky, quite stunning and quite threatening. One little detail I appreciate here are the tracks winding across the savannah.
A very fine photo.
Best regards,
Gert

rikko77 (10849) 2009-03-30 10:39

Hi Way...
..and the forecasts were right! aha, good shot, good forecasts, wonderful landscape. Well done!
Have a nice day!
Rikk

avene (12671) 2009-03-30 10:44

hello Way,
love this photo, the swirling clouds in the sky are absolutely fascinating, like ink mixing with milk :) I don't think I've ever seen such clouds photographed so well before. and is that a road leading towards the horizon and the curtain of rain? really great detail, it adds the "wow" effect to the shot. great work, my compliments.

best,
Kristine

Sistercosmo (242) 2009-03-30 11:05

Hello Way!
Yes, 100% rain. Your capture is full of emotion, especially with the mix of dark and light clouds, like good fighting evil. I love it.
Thanks and take good care!
Linda

patdeph (35738) 2009-03-30 11:07

helo Way
woooow!!!What a splendid sky!I love these big clouds with so different tones,going from the darker grey to the white!The luminosity is splendid,I like the clarity of the foreground with the road leading the eyes to the rain!The high POV gives an impressive depth!Superb!
Regards
Pascale

Beppo (1374) 2009-03-30 12:03

Hola Way,

Magnificent scenery with a spectacular sky, the light is amazing.

Josep,

sacimar (25957) 2009-03-30 12:03

Hi Way,

seeing the picture your weather forecast was the right one. Good picture, I like the clouds and the rain in the background, good composition with the road in the middle, nice details,

Regards

Sergio

fulvio52 (8314) 2009-03-30 12:04

Hi, Way.
Superb light management and definition, and a view that qualifies as simply amazing. With special praise for those clouds : they are PERFECT! Absolute top quality in every possible respect. TFS! Have a good day, my friend.
See ya soon,
Fulvio.

berek (31921) 2009-03-30 13:24

Hi Way,

I like grey dark clouds and green colours. simple but impressive nature composition well done. have a nice week.
Burak

vincz (19099) 2009-03-30 13:52

Such a beautiful sky. So delicate, i am amazed. very very precise and with such great natural colours. Excellent job.

Floydian (30970) 2009-03-30 14:40

Hi Way,

Absolute stunning that huge rainstorm. Not easy to capture, but you found the right spot in making it. Look at that road to the far distance, heading towards it...impressive..!!
I'm really impressed by the quality of the shit....excellent work.

Regards,

Henk

emka (58140) 2009-03-30 14:42

Hi Way, wow, impressive shot. It is so plain here. The approaching rain looks amazing. Interesting photo. regards

Malgorzata

Wahclellaspirit (3843) 2009-03-30 16:08

Hello Way,
What a cloud! A beautiful image depicting the Plains of Africa. Exceptional lighting and color. It appears like a long flat drive wherever you were going...
Steve

phwall (6781) 2009-03-30 18:51

Hello Way,
Beautiful shot, would look perfectly at home straight out of National Geographic magazine.
I love the subdued colours of the Serengeti plain and those wonderful storm clouds. POV and composition are both superb, the inclusion of the small tree on the left of frame delivers great depth to the capture.
Wonderful work, well done.
Cheers
Peter

Colombiana (2931) 2009-03-30 18:53

Hey Way,

Quite a storm approaching--so powerful and as you said, beautiful. The clouds and landscape look amazing.

Regards,

Maryori

---I am still looking forward to seeing my mountains ;)

ChrisJ (86862) 2009-03-30 22:54

Hi Way

A stunning capture of the rain shower, and ominous looking thunderstorm cloud. Good sharpness & tonal range, with excellent sharpness, & a superb high pov. Tfs!

rginer (843) 2009-03-31 0:46 [Comment]

Show Comment

Greg1949 (9011) 2009-03-31 4:19

way, this is an impressive piece of weather you have captured here, everything about the frame is great, from the fg hill side to the cloud detail on either side of the rain. Great capture.

Greg

BlueRaven (37) 2009-03-31 7:20

Hi Way,

An impressive display of the forces of nature. And although the scenery is different, the streaks of rain coming down from the clouds remind me of the Southwest of the U.S. We usually don't see them here in Europe...
Your note reminds me of the truck tour we took in Canyon de Chelly a while ago. When it started, the native guide said it wouldn't rain - and ten minutes later it was raining cats and dogs. So much for weather forecasts. ;o)
Well seen, perfectly captured. Awesome DOF and superb framing with the branches on the left.

Best wishes,
Claudia

lrw1966 (1632) 2009-03-31 12:13

Way, Hi:

Marvel;ous composition, Beautiful stormy sky about a wonderfully colorful landscape. Very nicely done.

Larry

baba_flies (8829) 2009-03-31 12:36

Hello Way! Don't remind me of rain :))) I leave this site immediately. Just kidding. I was just thinking of a warm summer rain and how much I love that, sitting under a roof on the patio and watch the rain drops fall. This is a fascinating picture, Way, this storm wall that approaches in the back there, only a flat land can offer such a spectacular view and reminds me a little of the film Twister and these guys that hunt twisters in the mid west. Beautiful view and the yellow of the land goes so well with the grey clouds. Totally Africa, you have captured the essence in a wonderful way. Excellent ... Best regards, soon bed time where I live ... Barbara.

bracasha75 (24443) 2009-03-31 23:40

Helo Way
It is unbelivable beautiful nature shot and i love this colors just like the dark sky to.
My compliments
TFS
Cheers,Braca

robertosalguero (196) 2009-03-31 23:41

Hi way,

Nice to see that huge downpour in the distance. Interesting contrast of weather between the fore and background. This image is clear and it has good colours. Nice pov and moment to capture this event Way :-)

Roberto

banaei_nikon (777) 2009-04-01 0:04

Hi Way
Amazing moment this must have been to see this huge raincloud. LOvely done with good fg that gives more scale idea and depth.
Magnificent scenery with a spectacular sky, the light is amazing.
Best regadrs
**MAB**

zmey (7335) 2009-04-01 7:12

hello way
the cloud textures in this one are amazing. excellent sharpness, especially considering that whole sky mass is moving...

warm regards,
kristaps

delkoo (68) 2009-04-01 7:17

hi way,
great moment captured here, fantastic curtain of rain making a very nice background, i also like the road sneaking through the savanna.

best regards
didier

BelCan75 (2201) 2009-04-01 13:56

Hello Way,

Great shot of the oncoming storm, great timing. I love this view with the flat foreground which gives great depth. The colours and contrast between the sky and land are great. Excellent work!

Greetings,
Ann

paololg (31442) 2009-04-01 13:57

Ciao dear Way,
absolutely a fantastic shot, a true show of the nature captured in suggestive way. Looking at the photo seems to breathe the damp air of the rain. Very beautiful the dramatic sky. An excellent photo, really compliments!
Ciao, have a nice day!
Paolo

shevchenko (18243) 2009-04-01 21:25

Hello Way,
Fantastic rainy scene, good capture to the natural phenomenon, amazing to see giant clouds approaching the land, clear to see rain dropping down, good contrast of color between stormy sky and colorful land, distinct image, well done.
Ally

ManuMay (33343) 2009-04-01 23:29

Good morning Way!!

Are you sure??!!!

Ha, ha...Very nice capture on the right moment..I suppose that this endless horizont and absolute wide spaces are amazing to our eyes, and to see this kind of storm coming should be thrilling ...!!!

A great capture, good colours and cadrage and superb sky!!!

I´m dreaming of Africa now!!!! ;)

Best regards

Manuel

aadilj (18080) 2009-04-02 5:02

Lovely job Way, its neat and the heus are so superb. I love the way you have compsoed and crafted this one again

danos (73974) 2009-04-02 7:33

Hello Way,
great landscape view of the Serengeti's National Park,with the weather to be ready to rain.The grey threaten clouds,with the rain on the far end and your informative note about the rainy seasons make the scene marvellous.Well done.

Regards,Danos

adores (28210) 2009-04-04 3:04

Hi Way!
It's really a perfect moment, we can really see the storm. The dark sky is fabulous and I like your pov, showing the horizon, so far away!

macondo (17949) 2009-04-04 20:25

Hello Way.
A wonderful broad landscape with a magnificent stormy sky. I love the sight of that thin road leading across the landscape to the far horizon and the thick tower of rain. A first class shot with such superb detail in the sky and nicely lit terrain in the foreground. Such a vast open space!
Regards,
Andrew

Kielia (20445) 2009-04-07 11:38

Hello Way,
this is one of your most atmospheric impressions. The contrasts and the colors are amazing. It is the incredible depth of the landscape with that fantastic cloud and the rain in BG that makes this image standing out in your gallery. A great photo work!
Warm regards
Harriet

bakes888 (18499) 2009-04-12 2:01

Hello Way. Great photo, you have captured the approaching storm well with every scrap of cloud clearly visible. Good natural framing also. Thanks for sharing.
Have a good Easter WE, Paul.

BilboCA (734) 2009-08-14 12:28

Hi, Way,

Your photographer's note reminds me of my experience in the autumn in Denmark. In California, "partly sunny" means that you can expect to see direct sunlight about half of the day (uncertainty range: maybe 20% to 80% of the time). In Denmark, "partly sunny" means that sometime during the day, but maybe for only 5 minutes, the sun will break through the clouds.

Maybe "20% rain" in Tanzania means that 20% of the land will be experiencing rain continuously, as seems to be suggested by your photo.

Your photo captures nicely the sky drama in the thunderstorm. The well lit foreground with its interesting savannah vegetation contrasts very nicely with the ominous dark clouds and obviously heavy rainstorm in the upper part of the frame. The track in the center of the frame leads the viewer's eye nicely to the heart of the storm.

Regards,
- William

abmdsudi (26233) 2012-11-02 6:48

Sabaidee Way
This is the dramatic moment I always have been waiting for to shoot, a menacing tropical dark brooding sky is a gift that takes it to another level. Exceptional picture with this wall of rain already falling in the background over the plain, it's wisely composed with a big part of the photo focused above the horizon The foreground interests help to get an idea of the scale vastness of this landscape creating a stunning contrast to the bottom half of the picture. A great impression with a fantastic mood, my compliments!
Warm regards