Storm Over Wisconsin's Capitol Building

Camera: Nikon D800, Lens: Samyang 14mm f/2.8

Settings: 5 seconds, f/13, ISO 125

This photograph has been one of the most challenging images I’ve ever captured. It’s a scene I envisioned for more than three years. I knew exactly what I wanted — but turning that vision into reality required careful planning, patience, and a little help from Mother Nature.

For three storm seasons, I closely monitored the weather forecast. As a landscape photographer, that’s normal — but for this image, my attention to the weather went to another level. I made the 18-mile drive to the Capitol Building more times than I can count, heading out at all hours between dusk and dawn — many trips between midnight and 4:00 AM. Time after time, I was met with either a solid wall of rain or barely any lightning at all.

Then, on July 16, 2017, after a long day at work, my phone began buzzing nonstop with lightning alerts from multiple weather apps. I was lying on the couch, pretending to watch TV while resting my eyes. After getting up several times to check the sky and refresh the weather apps, my wife Amy finally said, “Why don’t you just go? You know you want to.”

Within minutes, my gear was packed and I was on my way into Madison. I arrived around 10:00 PM and immediately noticed the lightning activity intensifying while the rain remained just outside downtown. As I set up my camera, the storm continued to build.

For the next two hours, I witnessed an incredible lightning show — one I was definitely a little too close to, but absolutely worth staying for. I was able to capture a number of photos during this time, this being my favorite.